STEM books and learning resources for kids: Parenting Science recommendations
STEM books for kids? Math and science games? Resources to get kids thinking, coding, building? Recommendations from Parenting Science.
Cognitive development
Structured block play: Can construction toys boost STEM achievement?
There are many ways to play with blocks. One approach — structured block play — may be especially helpful for promoting STEM achievement.
DIY Preschool math games that help kids develop “number sense”
These preschool math games have helped young children develop an intuitive understanding of numbers. Here’s how to make them, and how to play.
At what age do children begin to tell lies?
Most kids begin telling lies between the ages of 2 and 4, as they develop better “mind-reading” skills and self-control. But understanding the morality of lying? That comes later.
How do babies respond to music in the womb?
In the last trimester, fetuses can hear music in the womb. And if they hear the same tune many times, they may learn to recognize it.
The social world of newborns: Why babies are born to learn from our sensitive, loving care
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Yes, newborns spend most of their time sleeping and eating. But babies are more than mere survival machines. At birth, they are primed and ready for social input, and our loving care has profound effects on their development. Generations ago, learning theorists tended to underestimate newborns. They Read More »
Lack of math education may shortchange a teenager’s developing brain
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Some teens study lots of math. Others avoid it. Does it make a difference? Yes, and not only to career prospects. New research suggests it might also affect brain chemistry, and the way that students learn. How many years of math should you take in high school? Read More »
Video games and attention: Gaming enhances some attention skills, and hinders others
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved What’s the connection between video games and attention? Do video games cause attention problems? Or do they help children focus? It seems that both are true. Certain “action” video games can enhance a variety of visual attention skills, and they may even help children with reading disabilities. But Read More »
The effects of television on learning to speak: Is it helpful or harmful?
© 2009 – 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved What are the effects of television on language learning? Studies report a link between TV and language development in young children. The more time kids spend watching television, the more slowly they learn to talk. What’s going on? Some people conclude that the effects of Read More »
Teaching critical thinking: The first step is to pause and reflect
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved Why do we fall for fallacies? Why do we get duped by lies? It isn’t because we lack brain power, and it isn’t because we are helpless to overcome our own biases. Instead, what’s really crucial is whether we take the time to pause and reflect — to consciously Read More »
When does peer pressure start? Early. Very early in life.
© 2020 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved Peer pressure and social conformity starts long before adolescence. When faced with a choice between telling the truth and backing a popular falsehood, even 4-year-old children will buckle. You and three other people are sitting in adjacent booths, and you’ve each got a copy of the same book. Read More »
The newborn senses: What can babies feel, see, hear, smell, and taste?
© 2017 – 2020 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved How do newborn senses compare with our own? Babies don’t see colors quite like we do, and their vision is blurry. They have more trouble picking out speech from background noise. Yet newborns are fascinated by the visual world, and they show remarkable abilities to Read More »