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Play Things, Screen Time and Nature

Understanding that meaningful play is helpful for children's development, parents should take into consideration their play things.  Toys should promote language and social skills, creativity and physical development.  Here are three articles to point you in that direction:

Infant-Toddler Play, Toys and Media Action Guide

The Increasing Role of Electronic Toys in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers: Should we be concerned?

The How and Why of Homemade Toys and Activities

The American Pediatrics Association recommends no screen time for kids under two years old.  Because screen time effects the brain, cognition and psychosocial and physical health of our children.

Selected Research on Screen Time and Children

The easiest way for kids have meaningful creative play is to take them outside.  Richard Louv, wrote about Natured Deficit Disorder(NDD) in his book Last Child in the Woods.  This has sparked international movements for getting kids outdoors and in nature.  Louv writes and shares research on how children flourish when the spend time outside, and kids who do not can struggle with cognition and physical and mental health.  This article gives you a quick overview of NDD.

The Ecology of Hope: Reconnecting Children to Nature

Consider This:
When you are reading, think of a question you can bring to class to discuss.

Extras:
More extensive research on Screen Time from Archives of Disease in Childhood
Time for a View on Screen Time

One of my favorite books:  Taking Back Childhood: A Proven Roadmap for Raising Confident, Creative and Compassionate Kids by Nancy Carlsson-Paige writes on the "new realities of childhood: violence, sexualization, the speed-up of daily life, materialism."  Media, screen time, marketing and our culture playing a role in all of this.  She addresses these issues in parenting which is barely or rarely covered in many parenting manuals.  If you have the time, read this one, or at least skim it.   It's in the library.  (By the way, the author is Matt Damon's mom.)


So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids by Diane Levin is the book I mentioned in class.  Another good read on how media, marketing and our culture is effects our kids, especially girls. 


A resource on Nature Deficit Disorder.

Comments

Hi Nancy, I thought this article was perfect for this week! There is a playground similar to this in Berkeley. -Ali

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/03/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/
Nancy said…
Love the article! Thanks for sharing. You're right, the article compliments everything we've talked about play. Cheers!

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