The Benefits of Free Play Backed by Science
A study of primary school children during school break periods has found that not only is the break period a good opportunity to enhance children’s physical activity, but lunchtime activities need not be costly. Providing simple and cheap items such as buckets and tyre tubes during school break periods was found to significantly increase children’s enjoyment of, and participation in, physical activity – more so than using traditional fixed playground equipment. Read full article
My Mum is a Cleaner...A Doctor...An Angel
Children observe their mums and after watching everything she does all day, Mum is called an angel and wished sweet dreams. The sweetest 2-minute video you will see today.
From the Blog
Getting the Screen Time Balance Right for Families
Screen time is all about balance. It's more about what is being done on the screen than the amount of time spent. Too much screen time can mean that family members aren't really talking to each other or spending time in a productive way. If you're not sure if your family has got the right balance, consider these questions: Read full article
Talking to Infants Gives them a Headstart on School
Stanford researchers have shown that children whose parents engage them in frequent conversation get a head start on the language skills they'll use in school. Anne Fernald and colleagues at Stanford University conducted experiments that revealed parents who talk to their infant more are improving their child’s language processing skills, which in turn, helps them to learn vocabulary. Exposure to ‘child-directed speech’ – different to overheard speech – appears to sharpen an infant’s ability to process spoken language, critical to language development. Read full article
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Win a Gold Pass to Happiness and its Causes Conference in Sydney
WIN a Gold Pass to the 2014 Happiness and its Causes conference in Sydney 29-30 May 2014. Your gold pass gives you access to pre and post conference workshops, permitting a full 4 day experience at the world's leading happiness event! All happychild readers are eligible for a 20% discount using our unique code, listed below. Read full article
Pesticides and Childhood Brain Cancer - a Link
Parents who call in pest controllers to get rid of termites in the year before pregnancy are twice as likely to have a child with a brain tumour, according to a national study. The study on links between pesticides and childhood brain cancer, led by Telethon Institute for Child Health Research Professor Elizabeth Milne, revealed parental exposure in the home in the year before conception and during pregnancy were associated with a bigger risk of their child developing a brain tumour. Read full article