When grown-ups reminisce about childhood, we think of halcyon, bygone days of endless play. But there was always another side to childhood – one that, until more recently, was seldom discussed. Children’s television shows – like those featuring Andi Peters in the UK or Fred Rogers in the US, for example – held space for it: the topic of feelings; the idea that the world outside could look one way, but the hidden world inside us could feel quite different. The conversation began in hushed tones – until we were saying it aloud: children have difficult feelings too. They, too, struggle with menta ..read more

Introduction From birth to the time enters first or second grade, a child learns about themselves and the world around them at incredible speed. At every turn, children encounter novel and sights, sounds and tastes – so every experience is also a teachable moment. This time of life, known as early childhood, is considered a critical window in a child’s developmental trajectory – or the overall path that a child’s development follows. Early childhood development refers to the period between a child’s first 0 to 8 years where growth occurs across four domains, or sets of skills and abilities. Th ..read more

Sure, hearing your child languish away while doing their best attempt to tickle the ivories – that is, play the piano – can be a rough experience for both a parent and their aspiring musician. But, there is compelling evidence that music can have a powerful impact on brain development in children. Recent research seems to lay out a brilliant argument to support the family budget for guitar lessons – and indeed, lay out a case for increased public funding for the arts. How does the budding musician’s brain develop? Over two decades of scientific evidence suggests that music can have a profound ..read more

  This article is cited. According to the Centers for Disease Control in the United States, every 1 in 59 children has autism spectrum disorder [1]. In the United Kingdom, more than 1 in 100 people are autistic. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability, but there are several interventions and approaches to the disability that can improve a child’s chances of fulfilling their potential [2]. What to consider when choosing an approach Choosing an approach is often difficult, since only a minority have been evaluated for how effective they are. Furthermore, many approaches are accompanied by ..read more

Simply put, parenting can be an incredibly challenging ordeal. More often than most parents would like to admit, it’s common to resort to reacting to a child’s tantrum or poor behaviour, rather than observing and then responding. So how can parents learn to keep their cool in exceptionally difficult situations? And is it even possible – regardless of what the endless articles on mindfulness and meditation may say – to always have the presence of mind to respond to your children in admirable way? Reaction versus response A toddler is having a tantrum in the middle of a busy grocery store. A flu ..read more

This article has been checked by our resident pediatric specialist. Aim The aim of this article is to provide an overview of what changes you can expect to see in your high schooler, or a child who is between 14 and 18 years-old. These changes will occur across all developmental domains: motor; cognitive; language and social-emotional. Outline Introduction Motor skills Cognition Social and emotional skills Things to remember Introduction High school students will demonstrate more independence and may spend less time with their parents. High school is critical time in the life of your child ..read more

Introduction In anticipation of the launch of our new game (more if you’re interested here), the studio team recently began to design and implement user tests with the help of over 20 children at a local school in North London. It’ll be the first in a series of tests that we’re running in partnership with the school, and we’re keenly looking forward to gaining even more insight in our upcoming sessions. Before getting into the trenches, we did our fair share of homework: trawling the blog posts of leading studios specialising in children’s media for any tidbit of knowledge we could harvest; an ..read more

This article has been checked by our resident pediatric specialist. Aim The aim of this article is to provide an overview of what changes you can expect to see in your fourth or fifth grader, or a child who is 9 or 10 years-old. These changes will occur across all developmental domains: motor; cognitive; language and social-emotional. Outline Introduction Motor skills Cognition Language Social and emotional skills Things to remember Introduction Swimming lessons are excellent for exercise. It may feel like it was only yesterday that your child was holding fast to your hand as they learned h ..read more

This article is cited. Clinical evidence shows that the significance of quality early childhood education is immense. In a 2019 study that considered data from over 16,000 children across Europe, the authors concluded that early childhood education was correlated to later academic achievement – and that the impact seems to vary according to teaching style [1]. In recent years, the importance of high-quality education has even been emphasised by presidential administrations – albeit in different and sometimes controversial ways, and with varying success. The Head Start program, which originated ..read more

This article has been checked by our resident pediatric specialist. Aim The aim of this article is to provide an overview of what changes you can expect to see in your middle schooler, or a child who is between the ages of 11 and 13. These changes will occur across all developmental domains: motor; cognitive; language and social-emotional. Outline Introduction Motor skills Cognition Language Social and emotional skills Things to remember Introduction Middle school is a step on the journey into adulthood. Reaching the pre-teen years, and subsequently the teenage years, is a significant miles ..read more