Academic training in kindergarten
The research is clear. Academic training in kindergarten has no long-term benefit. In fact, it may cause long-term harm. Kindergarten teachers are asking for more play time. Read more
Children on Playgrounds
Children On Playgrounds: Research Perspectives and Applications is a collection of research and review papers edited by Craig H. Hart that sheds light on practical child development issues in the context of outdoor play environments.
plan to save youth football
A small Vermont town’s plan to save youth football has become a model for the state. With a mission statement of Safety, Sportsmanship, Fun, they rewrote their rule book: Youth games would last no more than an hour, playoffs and championships would not exist, and there would be absolutely no tackling to the ground. Read more
Timbernook program
A frustrated occupational therapist working with young children wondered why so many children were being referred to occupational therapy for difficulties with attention, fine motor, and sensory processing. She found great help in the Timbernook program. Read more
Chinese educational revolution
Tim Gill recently made a trip to China where he was able to visit the Chinese educational revolution with outdoor play as its beating heart - Anji Play. Read more
smartphone by the age of 11
Just over half of children in the United States — 53 percent — now own a smartphone by the age of 11. And 84 percent of teenagers now have their own phones. More interesting statistics are examined here. Read more
wish lists
The Toy Association just unveiled 114 toy and game finalists for the prestigious 2020 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. These creative toys and games will top kids’ wish lists this holiday season! Read more
greatest American landscape architect
Frederick Law Olmsted’s tours of English parks shaped his vision of landscape design for Central Park. When he left, he had the makings of perhaps the greatest American landscape architect of all time. Read more
Mr. Potato Head
Mr. Potato Head is an iconic toy sold under the Playskool division for Hasbro. The simple concept of making funny faces by attaching plastic body parts to vegetables and fruits expanded over the years to become a worldwide franchise that includes the toy line as well as movie, television, and video game endeavors.
a close look at forest schools
“We have an education system really that is Victorian in design…where we do put children in cages and suppress them and contain them for five or six hours a day.” An associate professor of adventure education and outdoor learning suggests a close look at forest schools. Read more
