Tag Archives: children’s play

Why Pygmies Make Better Parents

Posted on 01/30/2013 by

My TIME.com post on why modern parents have things backwards about child development, nurturing, and the value of play: “With narcissism levels on the rise among college students, and kids everywhere growing up with inflated egos and deflated life prospects, it’s hard to make … Continue reading →

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Constructive Paranoia

Posted on 01/27/2013 by

I’ve been reading a new book called The World Until Yesterday, by Jared Diamond (the Guns, Germs, and Steel guy), about what we can learn from ‘ancestral’ (i.e. hunter-gatherer) societies. He’s pretty clear about the things we might not wish to … Continue reading →

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Monkey See, Monkey Do

Posted on 10/16/2012 by

It’s mid-October, so it must be Get Rid of Monkey Bars! season. As an early childhood educator, I know the drill. Monkey bars are so retro (not in a fun way). Monkey bars are the scourge of the playground. Someone’s … Continue reading →

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To Want “But Little”: Reflections from a Second Grade Classroom

Posted on 10/12/2012 by

“My greatest skill in life was wanting but little.”   -Henry David Thoreau Here’s an old journal entry I wrote when I was student-teaching in a second grade class with Mehrnoosh Watson, a master teacher who had a profound influence on … Continue reading →

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Why Children Need Play

Posted on 08/01/2012 by

This is the best-ever reason children should be encouraged to play! Read the whole article, “All Work and No Play Make the Baining the Dullest Culture on Earth“ here, but the summary is that the Baining people of Papua New Guinea are … Continue reading →

Posted in Children/Teens/Young Adults | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments