Dangerous Decibels: Are Headphones Harming Children’s Hearing? Getting kids to listen is difficult at the best of times. We often joke that our children’s hearing may have been harmed because of all of the loud music that they listen to. But there may be some truth in this claim. … [Read more...]
Do Kids Learn More From Handwriting or Typing?
Is Typing or Handwriting Better for Kids? The keyboard versus the pen. Which is better for children’s learning? As laptops and tablets become commonplace in schools many parents and teachers are left wondering if note-taking with paper and pencil will become an obsolete skill. … [Read more...]
Why Background TV Isn’t Healthy For Little Ones
Leaving the TV switched on throughout the day is commonplace in many homes. It’s often just the “done” thing. So parents are often quite shocked to learn that there are unintended consequences of “background TV” on their child’s development. I live by the mantra by Maya Angelou, “When you … [Read more...]
Boost your baby’s BQ – Dr Kristy Goodwin says baby’s brains need to see your face
How to boost your Baby’s Baby Quotient (BQTM), to promote optimal brain development and give your baby the best chance in life. Early Childhood Development Researcher and manduca ambassador, Dr. Kristy Goodwin, explains her top tips to maximize your baby’s BQ. 1. Put away your … [Read more...]
Digital Babies
There's no doubt that today's children are born into a digital world. Children now experience 'digitalised childhoods'. What about very young babies- is this digital immersion appropriate? What impact is this 'digital dunking' having on their very plastic brain? As a Mum, about … [Read more...]
Baby Learning Apps: What You Really Need to Know
So what baby learning apps does your baby like? Say what?? I glance at my 4-month-old son and back at the lady whose question took the wind from my sails. And so she repeats the question. My mouth ajar, I look around perplexed. Ummm… Yes, this is a question that a baby … [Read more...]
Can Babies Learn to Read?
No doubt you’ve seen the products that claim to teach babies and toddlers to read. Infomercials tout their benefits, such as “...giving your baby the IQ advantage.” We’ve got DVD and flashcard kits, apps and even TV programs that propose that as parents we’ll be giving our little one a … [Read more...]
Too Much Tech for Tots?
As I flicked through the latest toy catalogue today I was overwhelmed with just how many techno-toys and battery-operated devices and gadgets are now available for babies and toddlers. Yep, we now have teddy bears with mobile phones attached to their paws and pretend tablet devices for … [Read more...]
Baby Learning Apps: What You Really Need to Know
So what baby learning apps does your baby like? Say what?? I glance at my 4-month-old son and back at the lady whose question took the wind from my sails. And so she repeats the question. My mouth ajar, I look around perplexed. Ummm… Yes, this is a question that a baby health nurse recently … [Read more...]
10 Reasons Why Handheld Games do NOT Need to be Banned
A recent blog post has caused much concern amongst parents and teachers alike in recent days. I have fielded a couple of media calls about this controversial post and have also had friends and worried parents asking me about some of the claims in the blog post. So I thought I should respond to the … [Read more...]