Kids’ social skills come out of shell

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 15, 2008


Camryn Hollins, 4, left, reacts Friday to Daniel Xu, 4, at a care center in University Park, Pa.. AP PHOTO

WASHINGTON — Should preschool be more about ABCs or learning to play with others? With the help of Twiggle the Turtle, scientists found out that youngsters do better if they do both.

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To prove the relationship, Penn State researchers turned to Head Start, the federal preschool program for poor children.

Take Twiggle the Turtle. He pushed his friend after she knocked over his block tower, and thus couldn’t play anymore. A wise old turtle told Twiggle that when he got upset, he should go inside his shell, take a deep breath, and say what bothered him and how it makes him feel.

Cross your arms to be like Twiggle, the teachers tell their preschoolers. Then practice what James might say if Suzie takes the toy he wants.

"You’ll see children over in the blocks center and someone stands up and does the turtle and talks ... and then they sit down and play again,” said psychology expert Karen Bierman.


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Related Topics: Culture and Lifestyle, Science and Technology, Education, Elementary and High School Education, Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Child Development, Preschool Education, Family, Parenting, Psychology


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