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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 8d

However, little work has been done to describe the approaches to teacher training programs that are supposed to promote play and play-based learning.

This scoping review includes 45 studies that contain training programs for pre- and primary school teachers to promote play and play-based learning.

PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 8d

Accumulating evidence shows that play is important for children’s learning and development and an increasing number of countries are adopting playful pedagogy in pre- and primary school.

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 8d

Past and present PEDAL colleagues Janina Eberhart, Carolyn Mazzei, Dina Fajardo Tovar, Zhen Rao and Sara Baker together with Allison Haack have published a paper in the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education:

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 13d

How do children’s personality traits - especially callous-unemotional (CU) traits like seeming less sensitive to others’ feelings - affect how teachers see their behaviour, and how do these traits change how much children enjoy school?

Understanding how certain personality traits impact children’s enjoyment of school and teachers’ perceptions of children’s behaviour - PEDAL

Read a summary of this recent paper published by Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties which used data from the Healthy Start, Happy Start study.

www.pedalhub.net

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 14d

Learn more about PEDAL's project with The Childhood Trust which aims to understand how AI ‘smart’ toys affect disadvantage, development and play here:

content.educ.cam.ac.uk/content/new-...

New project aims to understand how AI ‘smart’ toys affect disadvantage, development and play

content.educ.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by PEDAL Research Centre

Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge @camedfac.bsky.social · 20d

"It is our collective responsibility to understand how toys powered by artificial intelligence impact young children."

@drjennyg.bsky.social and @ejgoodacre.bsky.social in The Guardian:

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

How will childhood be changed by AI toys? | Letter

Letter: Our study is looking into how toys powered by AI can affect children’s development and their right to privacy, write Dr Emily J Goodacre and Prof Jenny Gibson

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by PEDAL Research Centre

Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge @camedfac.bsky.social · 20d

More about @drjennyg.bsky.social and @ejgoodacre.bsky.social's research on AI toys and children's development here: content.educ.cam.ac.uk/content/new-...

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Reposted by PEDAL Research Centre

Emily J. Goodacre @ejgoodacre.bsky.social · 20d

Today in our Guardian letter, @drjennyg.bsky.social and I call for a greater public discourse on how AI toys are interacting with young children and the impacts on their development. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

How will childhood be changed by AI toys? | Letter

Letter: Our study is looking into how toys powered by AI can affect children’s development and their right to privacy, write Dr Emily J Goodacre and Prof Jenny Gibson

www.theguardian.com

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 14d

PEDAL's @ejgoodacre.bsky.social & @drjennyg.bsky.social have had a letter published in The @theguardian.com which responds to Arwa Mahdawi's article about her family's experience with an AI toy:

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

How will childhood be changed by AI toys? | Letter

Letter: Our study is looking into how toys powered by AI can affect children’s development and their right to privacy, write Dr Emily J Goodacre and Prof Jenny Gibson

www.theguardian.com

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 20d

This is one of few long term studies of a brief early intervention to improve mental health in children. The news is positive - we can make sustained improvements for children early in their lives. Something that early years practitioners know - with more research to back it up!

PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 20d

The long-term follow up findings of our Healthy Start, Happy Start study have been published in the @acamh.bsky.social Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry this week.

Read a quick-read summary by @camedfac.bsky.social: content.educ.cam.ac.uk/content/heal...

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 21d

For the first time, we can show that a short, relationship-based parenting programme has a sustained effect, helping to prevent early difficulties from becoming more established in later childhood.

Read the full paper on @acamh.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library

Background Behaviour problems are common in childhood and are associated with higher rates of mental health problems, educational and relationship difficulties throughout life. This study assessed w.....

doi.org

PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 21d

This animation provides an update on the long term findings of the Healthy Start, Happy Start study testing a relationship-based parenting programme.

@nihr.bsky.social @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk @ihealthvisiting.bsky.social @acamh.bsky.social @camedfac.bsky.social

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Reposted by PEDAL Research Centre

Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge @camedfac.bsky.social · 21d

New research from @pedalcam.bsky.social shows that a short, relationship-based programme for families can protect against children developing behaviour problems years later.

Quick-read summary here: content.educ.cam.ac.uk/content/heal...

...or take a look at the full paper in the attached post!

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 21d

For the first time, we can show that a short, relationship-based parenting programme has a sustained effect, helping to prevent early difficulties from becoming more established in later childhood.

Read the full paper on @acamh: doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library

Background Behaviour problems are common in childhood and are associated with higher rates of mental health problems, educational and relationship difficulties throughout life. This study assessed w.....

doi.org

Reposted by PEDAL Research Centre

Paul Ramchandani @paulramchandani.bsky.social · 22d

This is one of very few long term studies of a brief early intervention to improve mental health in young children. The news is positive - we can make sustained improvements for children early in their lives. Something that early years practitioners know - now there is more research to back it up.

PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 22d

The long-term follow up findings of our Healthy Start, Happy Start study have been published in the Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry: doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...

@camedfac.bsky.social @nihr.bsky.social @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library

Background Behaviour problems are common in childhood and are associated with higher rates of mental health problems, educational and relationship difficulties throughout life. This study assessed w...

doi.org

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 22d

The long-term follow up findings of our Healthy Start, Happy Start study have been published in the Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry: doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...

@camedfac.bsky.social @nihr.bsky.social @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library

Background Behaviour problems are common in childhood and are associated with higher rates of mental health problems, educational and relationship difficulties throughout life. This study assessed w...

doi.org

PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · 27d

Learn more about how PEDAL research can improve maths outcomes and think more creatively about how to achieve this goal:

www.pedalhub.net/resource-lib...

Reposted by PEDAL Research Centre

Digital Child @digitalchildau.bsky.social · 29d

🌍 From Cambridge, UK!

Our Digital Child team had the pleasure of meeting with Professor Paul Ramchandani, Director of the PEDAL Research Centre and with Emily Goodacre, RA at PEDAL.

PEDAL’s mission: discovering how play can spark change in families, schools, and communities.

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · Sep 4

Starting a new school or a new school year can produce feelings of anxiety in children of all ages. Play and movement can help our bodies to recognise that we are safe and reduce our anxiety level.

www.pedalhub.net/resource-lib...

Four playful ways to help with anxiety - PEDAL

How can we use play to help our bodies recognise we are safe and reduce our anxiety level?

www.pedalhub.net

PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · Sep 4

Have you watched the #PEDALConference2025 recordings yet? Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter presented “Children’s risky play: Thrilling experiences and developmental benefits":

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTdh...

PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · Sep 1

Read about how play can help build relationships at school and spark joy in learning, as well as practical tips for putting play into practice in the classroom:

www.pedalhub.net/resource-lib...

T: Transitions: Play and the transition to school - PEDAL

How can we use play to support children in their transition to school?

www.pedalhub.net

PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · Sep 1

Most of us can remember our first day of school or have an embarrassing photo to remind us! 🏫 Uniform too big, an onrush of emotions, nerves, and excitement. It’s not surprising that starting school is so memorable; it is one of the biggest changes a young child will experience.

T: Transitions: Play and the transition to school - PEDAL

How can we use play to support children in their transition to school?

www.pedalhub.net

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · Aug 28

Have you watched the #PEDALConference2025 recordings yet? Dr Catherine Draper, Associate Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa presented “Early childhood development and the ‘next 1000 days’: youtube.com/watch?v=vm41...

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PEDAL Research Centre @pedalcam.bsky.social · Aug 22

How can Disney movies like Encanto be used by therapists to help children experiencing intergenerational trauma? Former PEDAL PhD student @drsydneyconroy.bsky.social explores this in an open access research paper published by Child & Adolescent Mental Health in 2022:

Narrative Matters: ‘Encanto’ and intergenerational trauma - PEDAL

Read a summary of Sydney Conroy's publication about how themes in Encanto might support children's mental health.

www.pedalhub.net