<p> Educators have a responsibility to choose and share picture books with young children carefully, with a full understanding of the psychological, cultural and developmental potential that these books have for children. Picture books have a profound and lasting effect on children at a most impressionable age. Children identify with the characters in the picture books, sometimes through the personality of the characters, and that identification allows them to acquire ideas and emotions, conscious and unconscious, that promote developmental growth and teach social and cultural constructs.</p><p> This study employed a mixed methods research design using content analysis to describe the total personality of young characters in picture books from three decades: the 1950s, the 1980s, and the 2000s. This study looked for changes in the personalities of young characters in those time periods, including changes related to the gender of the characters.</p><p> This study found a consistent whole personality for the young characters in the picture books studied that can be described using the Big Five Personality Factors. There were statistically significant differences in the time periods for two of the Big Five Personality Factors. Although there were differences in personality between genders, those differences were not statistically significant. </p><p> Significant differences in the personality factors of extroversion and openness to experience in the time periods studied may be related to changes in society that have impacted the lives of children. The use of media, especially television, had exploded into the lives of children in the time periods studied. The relationship between children and nature had changed over the time periods. </p><p> Children may need adult intervention in terms of providing context, literary analysis, and discussion when reading picture books. Educators using picture books in instruction may need to carefully consider cultural standards, cultural ideals, and cultural change reflected in the books as part of instructional planning. Educational researchers need to examine the whole personality of characters in picture books so that the findings of their studies may inform and influence those in the home and the school using this powerful tool to help our children achieve their potential.</p>

Science experiences during the preschool years is important because it helps build brain development in children, and improves school readiness. This exploratory study examined several characteristics of teachers and classrooms to see if any factors predicted time spent on science. Over 120 teachers participated, with teachers from Head Starts, university child development laboratories, home-based preschools, and other private preschool programs. Findings suggest that preschool teachers are quite comfortable with teaching science, but science activities are reported to occur infrequently—one to three times a month. Teachers with higher levels of education and comfort levels with science are reported to be more likely to spend time on science. Additionally, comfort levels with science had the greatest impact on time spent on science after accounting for teacher and classroom demographics. These results suggest that helping teachers feel more comfortable teaching science should be an important target for professional development practices and preservice education.