The primary research interests Robyn Holmes, Ph.D., are play and playfulness, early childhood, children’s folklore, and ethnographic and mixed methods. Teaching and research interests reflect interdisciplinary and cultural perspectives. Her research explores the connection between culture and development. Recent projects focus upon the connection between culture and schooling; child and adult playfulness; play and coping; and community-based initiatives on play and literacy using ethnographic and mixed methods approaches.

Education

Ph.D., Rutgers University

Current Research and Scholarship

Current areas of interest are the relationship between play, language, and creativity; the connection between music, play, and children’s cognition; and play and emotional intelligence

Books

Holmes, R. (2020). Cultural psychology: Exploring culture and mind in diverse communities. New York: Oxford University Press.

Holmes, R. M. (1998). Fieldwork with children. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. (also available in complex Chinese).

Holmes, R. M. (1995). How Young Children Perceive Race. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Chapters in an Edited Volume (Peer Reviewed)

*Monmouth University Student; **Monmouth University Alum, ***Student from another institution

Holmes, R. (2020). Health, Wellbeing, and Welfare in Childhood (USA), In C. Dell Clark (Regional Editor) & W. Corsaro (Editor), Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies. London: Bloomsbury.

Holmes, R., & Kohm, K.** (2017). Outdoor play in recess time. In T. Waller, E. Ärlemalm-Hagsér, E. Beate Hansen Sandseter, L. Lee-Hammond, K. Lekies & S. Wyver (Eds.)., The SAGE Handbook of Outdoor Play and Learning (pp. 69-84). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Reference.

Holmes, R. (2012). Children’s Play Preferences in the Pacific Rim: Then and Now. In L. Cohen & S. S. Waite-Stupiansky (Eds.), Play: A Polyphony of research, theories, and issues: Play & Culture Studies, Vol. 12. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. (27-66)

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

Holmes, R., Kohm, K.**, Genise, S.,*, Koolidge, L.**, Mendelson, D.***, Romeo, L.  (in press). Is there a connection between children’s language skills, creativity, and play? Early Child Development and Care.

Koolidge, L.,** & Holmes, R. (2018). Piecing it together: The effect of background music on children’s puzzle assembly. Perceptual Motor Skills, 125(2), 387–399.

Moedt, K., **& Holmes, R. (2018): The effects of purposeful play after shared storybook readings on kindergarten children’s reading comprehension, creativity, and language skills and abilities, Early Child Development and Care, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2018.1496914

Holmes, R., Gardner, B., ** Kohm, K., ** Bant, C., Ciminello, A., ** Moedt, K., * & Romeo, L. (2017). The relationship between young children’s language abilities, creativity, play, and storytelling. Early Child Development and Care, 189(2), 244-254.

Kohm, K**., Holmes, R., Romeo, L., & Koolidge, L*. (2016). The connection between shared storybook readings, children’s imagination, social interactions, affect, prosocial behavior, and social play. International Journal of Play, 5(2), 128-140.

Holmes, R., Romeo, L., Ciraola, S.,** & Grushko, M.* (2015). The relationship between creativity, social play, and children’s language abilities. Early Child Development and Care, 185(7), 1180-1197.

Holmes, R., Liden, S., & Shin, L. (2013). Adolescent perceptions of social media in a Pacific Rim community. Child Studies in Diverse Contexts, 3, 97-119.

Holmes, R., Liden, S., & Shin, L. (2013). Children’s thinking styles, Play, and academic performance. American Journal of Play. 5, 219-238.

Holmes, R., & Romeo, L. (2013). Gender, play, language, and creativity in preschoolers. Early Child Development and Care, 183(11), 1531-1543.

Holmes, R. (2012). Young children’s table talk with peers in early childhood settings. Children’s Folklore Review, 34, 41-60.

Holmes, R. (2012). Urban Primary School Children’s Outdoor Recess Activities: Longitudinal and Intra Period Patterns. American Journal of Play, 4, 327-351.

Holmes, R. (2011). Adult Caregiver Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Play in Lana’i. American Journal of Play, 3, 424-452.

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Online Platforms

Holmes, R. (2019). Sage Research Methods Datasets – Content Coding and Analysing Open Ended Survey Questions: Young Adults’ Board Game Playing Habits, Preferences, and Perception. SAGE Research Methods Datasets Part 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526489333.

Holmes, R., & Romeo, L. (2018). Researching children’s play, language, and creativity using mixed Methods. Sage Research Methods Cases. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526438959. Online ISBN: 9781526438959

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Anthropological Association
• Anthropology of Children and Youth Interest Group
• Children’s Folklore Society
• Society for Cross Cultural Research
• The Association for the Study of Play 

Awards and Fellowships

• Distinguished Teacher Award Recipient
• Research Fellow – Mary Valentine and Andrew Cosman Fellowship at The Strong – The National Museum of Play