Why toy blocks rock: The science of construction play
Toy blocks can help kids develop better motor skills, spatial skills, and math skills. But to unleash all of these skills, kids need to do more than move blocks around.
Learning
Can preschool board games boost mathematics skills?
Studies suggest that children can learn math lessons from a preschool board game — if the game has these features.
Can musical training help babies learn language?
Research suggests that playful, age-appropriate musical training can help babies learn language-related skills.
Prenatal learning: Do “pregnancy foods” affect babies’ eating habits?
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?
Paleontology and dinosaurs for kids: Tips for getting children hooked on science
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.
Animal tracking: What kids can learn from the study of footprints and other clues
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.
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.
Preschool and kindergarten science activities about tracking animals
© 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 … Continue reading
The social world of newborns: Why babies are born to learn from our sensitive, loving care
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.
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? … Continue reading
Preschool science experiment: Using ice to teach kids about scientific concepts (with crucial safety tips)
© 2008 – 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved A preschool science experiment is an opportunity to introduce children to the concepts of observation, prediction, and testing (Gelman and Brenneman 2004). Exciting? Yes. But it’s also tricky. On the one hand, research suggests that young children don’t think as creatively or as critically when … Continue reading
The effects of television on speech development: Is it helpful or harmful?
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 television on children are direct and negative. According to this view, television is noxious, like cigarette smoke. Cigarettes damage … Continue reading