The Thoughtful Parent Top Ten

Yes, I know it's that time of year when everyone seems to be putting together top 10 lists. I can't be left out, right? So, in case you missed some, here are the top 10 posts of 2010 from The Thoughtful Parent (based on number of hits per post).

1. 2010 Notable Children's Books. A list of the top children's books from the Association for Library Services to Children.

2. Temperament: A Two-Part Series. Describes the basic concept of temperament and where researchers think it originates.

3. Child Psychology Classics: The Mirror Test. Discusses the classic mirror test which helps researchers understand when babies start to develop a sense of self.

4. Difficult Temperament ≠ A Child Destined for Problems: Good Parenting is Key. Discusses a study of babies' temperament and later academic success. Those with difficult temperaments are more sensitive to optimal and less-than-optimal-parenting.

5. Child Psychology Classics: Attachment Theory. The basic theory of attachment from a child development perspective, in contrast to "attachment parenting."

6. Yes, the Little Things Matter: Parents' Role in Helping Kids Become Socially Competent. Describes how parents' actions such as guidance and scaffolding help children develop social competence.

7. Language Skills Help Boys Develop Self-Regulation. Considers how the early development of language skills help boys regulate their behavior.

8. The Moral Mind of Toddlers. Discusses how researchers now believe that children develop the ability to understand the intentions of others at a younger age than previously thought.

9. Babies Development: Newborn Reflexes. Reviews the fascinating topic of newborns' unique reflexes.

10. Infant Sleep and Parental Responsiveness. Describes an interesting study that examines the role of parental responsiveness in helping infants and toddlers go to sleep peacefully.

I'm looking forward to learning and sharing more great parenting research in 2011. Thanks for reading!

Guest Post: Notes on Parenting

Today I'm guest posting on a great blog I just found call Notes on Parenting. The authors are a wonderful mix of grad students and professionals child development, family studies, psychology, child health, and education. My post this week focuses divorce and child well-being. I hope you enjoy this great blog.

Developmentally Appropriate Gifts for Kids

I'm sure many of you parents out there have had several weeks (if not months) of your children making lists of what gifts they want for the holidays. With so many toys, games, and electronics on the market, kids are often barraged by messages of the latest, greatest toy that they must have. Of course, parents want to get gifts their children will enjoy, but it's also important to consider whether the toy is developmentally appropriate for their age. Many toys are labeled with an age range, which is helpful, but I know I still need more guidance when considering what to buy. Just because something is age-appropriate doesn't mean it is ideal or offers any educational or developmental benefits. Here are a list of several resources I found helpful when considering toys:

Education.com Gift Guide 2010

LSU Extension Service: Developmentally Appropriate Toys

Tumblon Toy Suggestions and Reviews for ages newborn to 6+

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): Good Toys for Young Children

Dr. Toy: Gift Guides

Have you noticed that kids' toys are often based on movie or cartoon characters? I know kids love cartoons, but I really want my son to have toys (at least some) that aren't character-related. The Center on Media and Child Health has some really helpful resources to address this issue, as well ideas for how to bring up this topic with toy-buying family members. They also have great ideas for meaningful handmade gifts.

Center on Media and Child Health: Gift Guides (both media-related and non-media)

I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season! Thanks for reading The Thoughtful Parent this year.

photo credit

Learning in an iPhone World

As the prevalence of smart phones has grown in recent years, I have been waiting to see when development researchers would conduct a study to examine the impact of smart phone mobile applications (apps) on children's learning. I own an iPhone, and yes, I admit I do use it to entertain my toddler when nothing else seems to keep his attention. It does seem to keep him entertained and happy while we have to wait in the check out lane or the doctor's office. It was also a lifesaver on a recent 2-hour plane ride.

I have often wondered, however, what the impact might be of him playing with the iPhone apps. Sure, they have the guise of being educational--most of the apps are either storybooks or ABC games, but is he really learning anything from them? Finally, several new studies have been released that examine the impact of apps on children's learning. These are some of the first studies I know of that specifically examine apps and their impact on young children.

A series of three studies were conducted by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center

at Sesame Workshop and PBS KIDS Raising Readers. One study, the Usability Study, considered how well kids (age 4-7) are able to use smart phone apps. The second study, The Parent Survey, examined parents' perception and practices regarding app use with their young children. The third study, The Learning Study, examined the potential of apps for enhancing children's learning. This third study specifically addressed the educational value of two children's apps developed by PBS Kids (this part of the study was conducted by an outside research group). Here are some of the highlights from theses studies:

- Children's use of iPhones is still relatively limited

- between one-third and one-half of parents do not allow their children to use their iPhone

- Parents most frequently allow their kids to use their iPhone while traveling (primarily by car)

- Most children age 3-7 (40-60%) were able to use the iPhone without much assistance from adults

Now on to the most interesting part--the impact of apps on learning. Two PBS apps were studied: Martha Speaks and Super Why.

- Gains in vocabulary between 10 and 27% were seen in children who used the Martha Speaks app. The largest gains in vocabulary were seen in older children (5-7 years).

- Gains in literacy were seen also among children who used the Super Why, with the exception of 7 years olds (who had probably already mastered many of the skills in the app). The gains were more modest than those of Martha Speaks (8-9%), except among 3 years olds, who experienced a 17% literacy increase.

These studies suggest that young children, even as young as 3, may benefit from educational iPhone apps. It is very important to note, however, that these studies are some of the first to study these issues. Additionally, the Learning Study included only 90 children, which is a small sample size to draw firm conclusions. It does seem encouraging, however, that these apps may actually have educational benefits. As more children begin using apps it will be interesting to see what future research will show.