(NaturalPath) According to a study out of the University of Miami, there is a positive correlation in developmental learning for Latino children in low-income households based on their interactive play skills. The researchers highlight that peer interaction at a young age is important for developmental growth.
In the Miami-Dade area, there are a lot of Hispanic or Latino families living in poverty and there is a concern at the national policy level that some of these children aren’t ready for kindergarten. The study was conducted to see you play at the preschool level could help with this issue.
Some questions asked when evaluating preschoolers were, “How do they share? How do they negotiate while playing? Do the children build together or engage in pretend play? The researchers used the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale (PIPPS) to evaluate the peer play behaviors. Three factors are looked at: Play interaction, disruption and disconnection.
The researchers found that the Latino children they studied displayed a high level of interactive peer play in positive learning environments; the children were engaged, motivated and social.
For more information, read the full study.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160120120057.htm
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885200615300028
Razi Berry, Founder and Publisher of Naturopathic Doctor News & Review (ndnr.com) and NaturalPath (thenatpath.com), has spent the last decade as a natural medicine advocate and marketing whiz. She has galvanized and supported the naturopathic community, bringing a higher quality of healthcare to millions of North Americans through her publications. A self-proclaimed health-food junkie and mother of two; she loves all things nature, is obsessed with organic gardening, growing fruit trees (not easy in Phoenix), laughing until she snorts, and homeschooling. She is a little bit crunchy and yes, that is her real name.