Best Practices Archives - Early Learning Nation
Early Learning Nation is now zero2eight, a part of The 74
The pressure to over-program kids often seems endless – so much so that a simple, old-fashioned idea has fallen to the side: Children should play. Roberta Michnick Golinkoff & Kathy Hirsh-Pasek – researchers and co-authors of “Becoming Brilliant, What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children” – explain their “Learning Landscapes” program, where they help local municipalities turn public spaces like bus stops into child-friendly play zones.
Kids with dirt smudges on their faces, laughing and eating outdoors
Throughout most of human history and in most of the world, that paradigm of children playing outdoors as a part of childhood has been so integral as to be transparent. Not so in the U.S., where, according to the Child Mind Institute, the average American child spends four to seven minutes a day in unstructured play outdoors and more than seven hours a day in front of a screen. Washington State is changing that.
The Montessori method arose across the Atlantic and more than a century ago. How is it rising to the challenges set in motion by the global pandemic and national reckoning over racism? A new generation of Montessori leaders is infusing the approach with a heavier dose of equity.
How often have you looked with pity on parents suffering through a child’s tantrum? Yes, like rubberneckers at a highway crash, it seems like everyone turns around to watch. Don't despair: tantrums are an inevitable part of life with young children. Read more from Ellen Galinsky to explore Executive Function Skills, Autonomy Support and 5 tips for managing tantrums.

Get the latest in early learning science, community and more:

Join us