Summer is here! This means more hours for fun, more opportunities to hear the word “I’m bored!” and tons of opportunities for learning. Resource Round Up Rather than recreate the wheel we wanted to share the incredible work of friends and colleagues who’ve done a great job compiling lists and ideas for summer fun. Digital… Read More →
Children and youth today have the world at their fingertips. They can access libraries with the click of a button, download thousands of books on smart devices, and read newspapers from across the globe. While many young people may be physically separated by geography and/or socially separated by race or income, the Internet has been… Read More →
Young people today are wrestling with the same questions that Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers alike did when they were teenagers. Questions like, “Who am I?” and “Who do I want to be?” They are also riding the same emotional roller coasters trying to sort out friendships and identity. They are at times amazingly caring, kind,… Read More →
Walk down the children’s toy aisle in any store these days and you will be greeted with a cacophony of noise. Instead of the excited voices of children that you might expect, however, much of the chatter emanates from the toys themselves. With one press of a little toddler finger, talking toys shout out encouragement,… Read More →
“Broken!” Miles exclaimed. “It’s broken!” He said again in an increasingly frustrated voice. It took me a couple of minutes to catch up. My son was positioned directly in front of the TV, trying diligently to move a character on Daniel Tiger with his index finger. I soon realized what he was trying to do… Read More →
We’ve written regularly about the importance of screen-free play and setting screen time limits. These posts, of course, echo the chorus of child development experts warning about the risks associated with too much or age-inappropriate screen time. But there is less guidance for parents about how to use technology to enhance child development. We have… Read More →
Instead of just listing our worries, it helps to name what we know we do want kids and teens to plug into besides computers, tablets and smart phones. A couple of recent studies point to two major ingredients for digital wellness.
“Don’t eat the book Emmett!” my 3-year-old son Miles exclaimed as his baby brother brought “Peek-a-Who?” towards his open mouth. I reminded Miles that babies explore the world with their mouths. With an exasperated but knowing look at me that said “Silly babies,” Miles settled in next to me for his bedtime story while Emmett… Read More →
A growing body of research is piling up that begs us to question the firm line we’ve drawn between the playground and the classroom.
Many of our visions of summertime include thinking of kids splashing in the pool, exploring the woods, riding bikes, going to camps and programs, and hanging out with friends. There is certainly a wide menu of options for kids in the summertime and there are more hours to fill with fun. But there are powerful… Read More →
