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animism
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belief that objects are alive and possess consciousness
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associative play
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children begin focusing on and engaging with another person while playing, such as by assisting one another
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autobiographical memory
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memories of our individual life experiences and events
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centration
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tendency for preoperational children to focus on one characteristic of an object or situation at a time
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code-switching
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practice of alternating between two or more languages or language varieties within one conversation
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conservation
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cognitive ability to understand that changing the appearance of a substance does not alter its mass, number, or volume
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cooperative play
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children fully engage in both a play partner and the activity
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dyspraxia
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developmental coordination disorder in which children have difficulty executing typical movements
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egocentrism
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preoperational children’s tendency to have limited logical reasoning abilities because they perceive things from only their own point of view, according to Piaget’s stage theory of cognitive development
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false belief
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children’s belief that other people have the same knowledge they themselves possess
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fine motor skill
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precise movements of the hands and fingers
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food desert
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geographic area where fresh food is not readily available
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gross motor skill
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large body movements of the head, torso, arms, and legs
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literacy
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ability to read, write and understand information
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macronutrients
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nutrient-rich carbohydrates, proteins, and fats needed for energy
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night terrors
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intense fear or terror that occurs during deep sleep
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onlooker play
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children observe others at play but do not become physically involved
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operation
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logical and reversible mental action
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parallel play
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children engage in similar play in close proximity but still play separately
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pragmatics
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social cues learned in language
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preoperational stage
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stage in which children begin to represent their thoughts and ideas using symbols such as words and images; the second stage in Piaget’s stage theory of cognitive development
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scaffolding
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process of providing temporary learning support when tasks are just outside a person’s range of ability
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semantics
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a feature of language concerned with meaning and logic
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sociocultural theory of cognitive development
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theory of development proposed by Vygotsky that emphasizes the role of social and cultural factors on individual cognitive development
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solitary play
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(also, independent play) children play alone focusing on their own activity
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stunting
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impaired growth in height, often due to malnutrition
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symbolic representation
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representation of thoughts and ideas using symbols, such as words and images
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syntax
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rules used in language to construct full sentences
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theory of mind
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awareness that our beliefs and perspectives are different from other people’s
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unoccupied play
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children observe their environment and perform random movements
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zone of proximal development (ZPD)
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range of activities that cannot be completed alone but can be accomplished with the aid of a more skilled adult or peer