Depending on how you define it, the Mozart effect either doesn’t exist, or is a weak phenomenon with an extremely misleading name. But studies do hint that music can make us feel more alert and focused, giving us a brief cognitive boost. It may also deliver health perks.
Babies possess amazing learning abilities. But to master language, they need our help. Studies suggest we can support language development by engaging babies in conversation, and by providing them with a variety of special cues and communicative experiences.
Research suggests that playful, age-appropriate musical training can help babies learn language-related skills.
Babies make lots of communicative noises, but coos, gurgles, and cries aren’t true speech. When do babies say their first words? Most babies can say at least one or two words by the end of their first year, but the timing may vary considerably from individual to individual.
Babies learn about flavors even before they are born. Can prenatal learning give rise to food preferences? Can it make some individuals more prone to consume alcohol?
Young dinosaur enthusiasts can learn surprisingly sophisticated concepts about biology and natural selection. Use your child’s interest in dinosaurs to teach lasting lessons about science.
How is animal tracking related to cognitive development? Before the rise of urban life, kids spent a lot of time learning read the visual clues left behind by other animals. Nowadays, many kids never get to learn the art of tracking. But maybe they should. Tracking gets kids outdoors and interested in wildlife. It may also provide kids with opportunities to practice scientific reasoning, spatial skills, and symbolic thought.
STEM books for kids? Math and science games? Resources to get kids thinking, coding, building? Recommendations from Parenting Science.
There are many ways to play with blocks. One approach — structured block play — may be especially helpful for promoting STEM achievement.
These preschool math games have helped young children develop an intuitive understanding of numbers. Here’s how to make them, and how to play.
© 2009 – 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved These preschool and kindergarten science activities build on what most young children are already interested in — animals! And in addition to teaching lessons about biology, they also offer kids opportunities to practice analytical, spatial, and symbolic reasoning skills. Where to begin: Free exploration with Read More »
These social skills activities can help kids forge positive relationships — and better understand what other people are feeling and thinking. How can we help children develop social competence — the ability to read emotions, cooperate, make friends, and negotiate conflicts? Kids learn when we act as good role models, and they benefit we create environments that Read More »