Page 74 – Early Learning Nation

Act Naturally: The Benefits of Wet Hands and Muddy Feet

An Interview with Richard Louv

Mark Swartz·May 22, 2019·7 min read

How do we get today’s kids active and in tune with nature? And if the current generation of young parents missed out on personal experiences with nature, who will teach their children?

A group of three children smiling broadly

When Teaching Sex Education and Consent, How Young is Too Young?

Tom Kertscher·May 14, 2019·6 min read

Some experts say that when it comes specifically to teaching consent, sex education for young children can be done without being explicit, and it can help kids learn about boundaries and empathy when it comes to their own bodies and the bodies of other people.

Young girl standing in tall orange flowers

Early Learning Roundup: Groundbreaking new research, weekend binge watch and art for brain-building

The Editors·May 10, 2019·1 min read

Did April showers bring you May flowers? There’s certainly a ton of work springing to life around early learning communities,...

“Baby’s First Years” Offers First U.S. Study to Assess Impact of Poverty Reduction on Infant and Toddler Development

Tom Kertscher·May 8, 2019·5 min read

“What this study is asking is whether or not, as a matter of public policy, is it a straightforward way to achieve the important goal of early childhood development.” -- Matt Klein, executive director, New York City Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity

Wes Moore: Taking the Poverty Fight to Early Education

The Editors·May 8, 2019·7 min read

Want to fight poverty? Robin Hood CEO Wes Moore – bestselling author, Army combat veteran, social entrepreneur – explains why improving education is an excellent place to start. Filmed for Early Learning Nation’s Mobile Studio at the Society for Research in Child Development’s biennial meeting in Baltimore, MD, on March 22, 2019. #SRCD19

Ellen Galinsky: Move Aside Helicopter and Snowplow Parents, Here Comes Autonomy Support

The Editors·May 6, 2019·4 min read

From “helicoptering” to “snowplowing,” parents are often tempted to simply remove obstacles from children’s way, preventing them from learning how to deal with challenges themselves. Instead, as Ellen Galinsky, Bezos Family Foundation Chief Science Officer and Founder/Executive Director of Mind in the Making, explains, the better approach is to build “Autonomy Support” – helping children gain the independence skills they’ll need to become successful adults. Filmed for Early Learning Nation’s Mobile Studio at the Society for Research in Child Development’s biennial meeting in Baltimore, MD, on March 22, 2019. #SRCD19

Families-learn-to-use-new-materials-together.-Photo_-Front-Room-Photography

Museums Are for Kids: Busting Myths at the Milwaukee Art Museum

Emily Sullivan·May 3, 2019·5 min read

The days of shushing kids in museums are long gone. Now, museums large and small, which once earned reputations for strict enforcement of “no talking,” “no touching” and “no fun” rules for kids, actively court families and kids with free days, family memberships, activities, tours and programs, all designed to celebrate and discover art and the creative spirit.

Lawrence Aber: Effects of Poverty, Violence on Child Development

The Editors·May 1, 2019·4 min read

According to NYU University Professor Lawrence Aber, poverty and violence are the two most toxic challenges for child development – areas he has researched from the U.S. to Africa and the Middle East. Regardless of location, children can experience poverty and violence in difference ways and levels. Aber explains the research, tools and tactics required to give children the best opportunities for successful development. Filmed for Early Learning Nation’s Mobile Studio at the Society for Research in Child Development’s biennial meeting in Baltimore, MD, on March 22, 2019. #SRCD19

Sarah Smith: Bringing Childhood Education to the World’s Hardest to Reach Places

The Editors·Apr 30, 2019·4 min read

It’s an ongoing global crisis: More than half of all refugee children – some 62 million – have no access to any form of education. From establishing schools in refugee camps to bringing Sesame Street to the Middle East, Sarah Smith, Sr. Director of Education at the International Rescue Committee, explains how the IRC addresses this humanitarian emergency every day. Filmed for Early Learning Nation’s Mobile Studio at the Society for Research in Child Development’s biennial meeting in Baltimore, MD, on March 22, 2019. #SRCD19

Megan McClelland: The Skills & Tools of Self-Regulation

The Editors·Apr 29, 2019·4 min read

Self control. Attention. Focus. These foundational skills make up a key area of early childhood development: Self-regulation. So what can teachers, parents, caregivers –even children themselves – do to help those skills grow? Oregon State University Professor Megan McClelland explains the science and the practical things we all can do. Filmed for Early Learning Nation’s Mobile Studio at the Society for Research in Child Development’s biennial meeting in Baltimore, MD, on March 22, 2019. #SRCD19

Stephanie M. Carlson & Philip David Zelazo: The Tools to Measure Executive Function

The Editors·Apr 26, 2019·5 min read

Executive function – the skills to focus and manage tasks – is, of course, central to childhood development. Given that, measuring executive function becomes imperative. How does that work? University of Minnesota professors Stephanie M. Carlson & Philip David Zelazo explain their research and the powerful tool they’ve created. Filmed for Early Learning Nation’s Mobile Studio at the Society for Research in Child Development’s biennial meeting in Baltimore, MD, on March 22, 2019. #SRCD19

Inspiration and Adaptation: Helping Parramore’s Parents—and Their Children—Learn and Grow in Orlando

Mark Swartz·Apr 26, 2019·4 min read

One of the key principles of social entrepreneurship is replicability. If we are going to tackle the most difficult challenges...

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