Research Findings: Digital devices increasingly permeate the lives of preschoolers, escalating public concerns regarding their digital well-being. This study explored the status quo of digital usage among preschoolers in Hong Kong and identified predictors of problematic digital use (PDU) through a parent-reported survey involving 332 children (175 boys and 157 girls; average age = 4.50 years, SD = 0.94). This survey assessed children’s screen time and digital behaviors, PDU, parental mediation (PM), and parents’ beliefs (PB) about their children’s digital usage. The results indicated that: (1) Hong Kong preschoolers were often exposed to various digital devices in diverse contexts, with 22.9% using digital devices for more than one hour daily; 7.5%, 4.5%, and 20.8% exhibited tendencies of PDU, psychosocial issues, and withdrawal and tolerance problems, respectively; (2) The frequency of digital use and average daily screen time were positive predictors of PDU, while PM and family socioeconomic status (SES) acted as negative predictors; (3) PM served as a mediating factor in the relationship between family SES and PDU. Practice or Policy: This study offers a comprehensive overview of digital usage patterns among preschoolers in Hong Kong and highlights the vital role of parental involvement in alleviating preschoolers’ PDU. Copyright © 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Research Findings: This study investigated the effectiveness of a home-based intervention in increasing the intrinsic reading motivation and Chinese oral vocabulary of minority South Asian children in Hong Kong. A quasi-experiment was conducted with 78 children (Mage = 51.54 months; control: 37 children, intervention: 41 children) and their parents. Intrinsic reading motivation was measured by parent report and oral vocabulary was measured by child direct assessment. The intervention group received picture books, prerecorded stories, and guidance on carrying out home activities over four weeks. The control group received two wordless picture books. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, Multivariate Analysis of Covariance revealed a significant Group X Time interaction. Follow-up tests revealed that children in the intervention group scored higher in posttest intrinsic reading motivation and oral vocabulary than children in the control group. Practice or Policy: These findings support the development of evidence-based interventions to cater for Chinese language learning of South Asian children in Hong Kong and have the potential to inform the design of future intervention programs that aim to enhance the Chinese language proficiency of minority children in Hong Kong and other settings where Chinese is used as a second language. Copyright © 2025 Routledge.

While play-based learning is important for a high quality early education, only when teachers are confident and competent in enacting play-based learning in their everyday practice are expected benefits of play-based learning for whole-child development realized. A sample of 592 early childhood educators who assumed different job titles in Hong Kong kindergartens participated in this study. This study investigated the roles of these educators’ perceptions of personal and organizational enabling factors in facilitating teachers’ enactment of play-based learning and further their perceived children’s whole-child development. Research Findings: These educators reported that two personal enablers (i.e. beliefs of play-based learning and self-efficacy beliefs) and two organizational enablers (i.e. teacher collaboration and home-kindergarten collaboration) were positively associated with their enactment and further enhanced their perceived whole-child development through different mechanisms. Teachers’ reported enactment of play-based learning played significant mediation roles. Practice or Policy: Policy makers and change facilitators should convey clear messages and take effective measures to promote play-based learning in kindergartens. Kindergarten principals need to create a mutually supportive climate in the kindergarten to praise and appreciate teachers’ good practice of play-based learning, and enhance two kinds of collaborative relationships: teacher collaboration and home-kindergarten collaboration. Copyright ©2024 Routledge.

Research Findings: Early childhood educators' own disposition has been suggested to contribute to their ability to promote physical literacy (PL) in young children. There is currently limited evidence of educators' own PL, and studies have not explored how PL relates to teaching knowledge and behaviors in the early childhood education (ECE) context. This current study examined the relationships of teachers' perceived PL with their self-efficacy and perceived professional competence in relation to promoting physical activities in ECE settings. A total of 338 early childhood educators from Hong Kong responded to an online survey that consisted of the Perceived Physical Literacy Inventory (PPLI), Chinese version of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (C-TSE(R)), and Teachers' Professional Competence (TPC) questionnaire. The findings revealed that educators' perceived PL is moderately associated with self-efficacy and professional competence when conducting physical activities in ECE contexts. The PL attributes of self-expression and communication, and knowledge and understanding were significant predictors of educators' self-efficacy in classroom management and teaching strategies, as well as their professional knowledge and attitudes. Practice or Policy: The findings suggest that ECE teachers' training should consider aspects of their own PL to enable their self-efficacy and perceived competence for conducting physical activities in ECE settings and thereby promote the PL of young children. Copyright ©2023 Routledge.

Research Findings: The present study examined the relation between socioeconomic status (SES) and Chinese children’s development of English as a second language in Hong Kong, and whether the home literacy environment (HLE) was an important mediator. Participants were 237 children (110 girls, Mage = 47.38 months, SDage = 3.66) and one of their caregivers. Children were assessed on phonological awareness, receptive vocabulary, expressive vocabulary, and letter knowledge. Information on HLE (i.e. shared reading, extratextual talk, direct teaching, play and media-based activities, and literacy resources) was obtained via a caregiver questionnaire. Findings revealed significant SES differences in all aspects of HLE, as well as in children’s English receptive vocabulary, expressive vocabulary, and letter knowledge. HLE was differentially related to children’s English skills, suggesting the mediating effect of HLE in the relation between SES and Chinese children’s English skills. Practice or Policy: Findings from this study highlight the features of HLE that can best support children’s second language development. The results can also inform the design of family interventions and policies aimed at reducing educational disparities. Copyright © 2023 Taylor & Francis.

Research Findings: Early childhood educators’ own disposition has been suggested to contribute to their ability to promote physical literacy (PL) in young children. There is currently limited evidence of educators’ own PL, and studies have not explored how PL relates to teaching knowledge and behaviors in the early childhood education (ECE) context. This current study examined the relationships of teachers’ perceived PL with their self-efficacy and perceived professional competence in relation to promoting physical activities in ECE settings. A total of 338 early childhood educators from Hong Kong responded to an online survey that consisted of the Perceived Physical Literacy Inventory (PPLI), Chinese version of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (C-TSE(R)), and Teachers’ Professional Competence (TPC) questionnaire. The findings revealed that educators’ perceived PL is moderately associated with self-efficacy and professional competence when conducting physical activities in ECE contexts. The PL attributes of self-expression and communication, and knowledge and understanding were significant predictors of educators’ self-efficacy in classroom management and teaching strategies, as well as their professional knowledge and attitudes. Practice or Policy: The findings suggest that ECE teachers’ training should consider aspects of their own PL to enable their self-efficacy and perceived competence for conducting physical activities in ECE settings and thereby promote the PL of young children. Copyright © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Research Findings: Previous studies have found that a growth mind-set was associated with optimal learning and well-being outcomes. However, much of this research has been conducted among adolescents and young adults. Relatively little is known as to whether these associations also apply to young children. The present study aimed to examine whether mind-sets are associated with school engagement and subjective well-being in the early childhood context (i.e. first-grade students). A total of 402 Hong Kong first-grade students (219 boys and 183 girls; mean age = 6.69) were recruited. Self-reported questionnaires were administered to assess students’ growth mind-set, engagement, and subjective well-being. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that students who endorsed a growth mind-set were more likely to report higher levels of engagement and subjective well-being. Practice or Policy: Our study demonstrates the importance of growth mind-set for optimal functioning among young children. Growth mind-set may need to be nurtured in the early childhood context as a potential pathway to improving students’ academic engagement and subjective well-being. Copyright © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Research Findings: This study examined whether physical coercion and psychological control by mothers and fathers can influence preschoolers’ use of physical and relational aggression, and whether the relations are moderated by children’s effortful control in a Hong Kong Chinese sample. Data were collected from a sample of 168 children (88 girls; M = 60.97 months, SD = 5.51 months) and their parents twice, six months apart. At Time 1, mothers and fathers reported on their spouse’s, as well as their own use of physical coercion and psychological control, and a puzzle box task was administered to assess child effortful control. At Time 2, mothers, fathers, and teachers completed questionnaires to assess child physical and relational aggression. Results show that mothers’ physical coercion was associated with child physical and relational aggression. In contrast, fathers’ physical coercion was significantly related to child physical aggression but its relation with child relational aggression was not statistically significant, and both these two associations were moderated by effortful control. Practice or Policy: These results suggest that general intervention efforts are needed to prevent aggression among children of physically coercive parents, and particularly among children with low effortful control and physically coercive fathers. Copyright © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Research Findings: This cross-sectional study examined the class- and child-level associations of social-emotional competence with behavioral and academic adjustment among Chinese kindergarten children and tested teacher collectivistic socialization goals as a moderator. Participants were 523 kindergarten children and their mothers and class teachers from Hong Kong, China. The mean age of children was 4.37 years (SD = 0.60), and 53% of them were boys. Using paper-and-pencil questionnaires, class teachers rated children’s social-emotional competence and their own socialization goals, and mothers rated children’s externalizing behaviors and school readiness and provided demographic information. Also, in structured interviews, children completed a Chinese word reading test. Multilevel models indicated that, controlling for child gender and age, mother age and education, and teacher experience of teaching, the class average of child social-emotional competence – which indicated the overall social-emotional climate of the classroom – was linked negatively to child externalizing behaviors and positively to child school readiness and Chinese word reading ability. Moreover, children who scored higher on social-emotional competence – compared to their own class average (i.e., their everyday companions) – scored lower on externalizing behaviors and higher on school readiness. There was no evidence of the moderating role of teacher socialization goals, however. Practice or Policy: Findings pointed to the utility of using class-wide initiatives to promote the overall classroom climate and using child-specific activities to promote individual social-emotional development. Copyright © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

This special issue on early STEM education collects ten articles that present a series of studies covering topics about curriculum and pedagogy, teacher education and professional development, family environment, and inclusive education for enhancing young children’s STEM learning experiences. These collected studies have presented empirical evidence obtained from diverse cultural contexts, including Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, and the United States. With varying designs and diversified approaches, these studies jointly present a vivid picture of the STEM world and may therefore provide some contributions to theoretical developments and practical improvements. Copyright © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.