Play is powerful: How to make the most children’s free play time
Back in November, we shared how children are using play to understand and process the pandemic. Enacting events through play is how children come to terms with change, which means that parents and caregivers can use this to their advantage in helping children process new situations. Focusing on Read More...
"Catch-up" centers overcome cultural barriers to educate women
Janet Ekura is an education facilitator at a “catch-up” center in the village of Atan in Isiolo County, Kenya. The catch-up centers are part of an Education for Life initiative designed to empower underprivileged children, and especially girls, in the region. Underaged girls are often Read More...
Book Dash strives to make books more accessible to South African kids
In a world full of screens, parents may wonder how they can cultivate a healthy love of reading in their children. The answer is to make sure that there are plenty of books at home for your kids to flip through. According to a 20-year study from the University of Nevada, Reno, the level of Read More...
Are your kids hyperactive? Try these strategies to help them wind down
Children are full of energy and many months of pandemic uncertainty have likely been a challenge for kids (and their parents) who are used to having access to multiple recreation areas outside of the home. Sometimes, as any parent or guardian would know, high energy and excitement can morph very Read More...
7 Healthy methods for addressing children's misbehavior
Spanking as a form of punishment has certainly been on the decline in America, however, it hasn’t been entirely eliminated as a practice. According to JAMA Pediatrics, 15 percent fewer parents spanked their kids in 2017 compared to 1993. This is an improvement, but it also demonstrates that many Read More...
Study: Mindfulness improves children’s sleep
Is your little one having trouble falling asleep? A new study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that mindfulness can make a big impact on children’s sleep habits. The study monitored over 100 children between the ages of eight and 11 over two years. Half the children Read More...
Yoga and breathing exercises help kids with ADHD stay focused
While prescription medications are often the go-to solution for treating ADHD symptoms in children, a recent study from scientists in Russia shows that yoga and deep breathing exercises may just do the trick too. As part of the research, psychologists at Ural Federal University (UrFU) studied 16 Read More...
Time outdoors boosted teens’ mental health during the pandemic
New research from North Carolina State University has been published, adding to the mountain of evidence that time spent outdoors is beneficial for both physical and mental health, especially during stressful situations like a global pandemic. To look at the impact time outdoors had on Read More...
How to teach children the value of forgiveness
Forgiveness is a critical component of emotional intelligence. It allows us to mend relationships, develop empathy, and overcome disagreement. Demonstrating forgiveness to children at a young age gives them a roadmap for handling conflict and acknowledges the ups and downs of all relationships. Read More...
How children are coping with the pandemic and how we can help
The Covid-19 crisis over this past year has in many ways consumed us—our time, conversations, imaginations, and our lives. Through the pandemic, we have commended many groups of people who have sacrificed for their communities. Health practitioners on the front lines, educators, and essential Read More...