Yet another study confirms cognitive benefits of green space
If you’re a regular Optimist Daily reader, you know about the tremendous cognitive and mental health benefits of green space. Now, yet another study has confirmed the link between nature and brain development and finds that access to green space helps children meet critical development Read More...
4 Ways to cultivate children's creativity
Creativity has been shown to boost mental and physical health as well as make you more successful. For parents, supporting your children's development through creativity is critical, but in a world where educational materials increasingly focus on STEM topics, building a culture of creativity Read More...
This is why young children love dinosaurs so much
Whether it’s playing with toys, sticking their elbows in their tee shirts to imitate a t-rex, or digging for fossils in the backyard, many children love dinosaurs. For most children, this interest fades over time, but Dr. Arthur Lavin, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on the Read More...
Struggling with back-to-school season? 4 tips to get kids back on track
The school year is officially in full swing, but after months of online classes, your child may be having a hard time adjusting to the classroom. Covid-19 can certainly make the back-to-school season more difficult, but for many children, fitting in and excelling in school was tough enough even Read More...
Study sheds new light on the effect of screens on kids’ health and wellbeing
These days it can feel like everything we do involves screens. Work, school, and even booking a doctor’s appointment is done online, but many of us, especially those with young children, worry about the effects of extensive screen time on developing brains. A new study from the University of Read More...
Spending time with trees boosts children's cognitive development
Trees are nature’s air purifiers—they provide us with oxygen and absorb CO2, which makes them a key component of the global fight against climate change. However, they also have an influence over our individual health, both mentally and physically. A new study published in Nature Read More...
The children's code aims to make the internet safer for kids
The internet and social media have proven to be a powerful force that, in many ways, seems to be growing out of our control. Those who have shaped the most popular social media platforms have, in some cases, naively created a new source of addiction that can affect our health, both mental and Read More...
Children’s mental health will benefit from $85 million in funding
While the pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s wellbeing, many children, in particular, have suffered from the effects of isolation and stress induced by Covid-19. In fact, since the start of the pandemic, emergency departments across the US have witnessed a proportional rise in children Read More...
5 Tips for being the best dad ever, even after separation or divorce
When parents separate, dads tend to get a worse parenting rep than moms do, even when they want to continue parenting as best as they can. Yes, it can be difficult to be a good parent when going through a tough time—breakups, especially those that involve ongoing conflicts with an ex-partner, Read More...
Scotland to provide free bikes to kids in need
We at The Optimist Daily are big fans of cycling—it’s good for your mental and physical health, and it’s a better mode of transportation for our planet. So, it’s no surprise that we are happy to report that the Scottish government is planning on releasing six pilot schemes that will Read More...