There has been plenty of hand-wringing in recent years about the “overscheduled child.” With after-school hours increasingly dominated by piano lessons, soccer practice, and countless other planned activities, many of us have a nagging sense that kids are missing out on something important if they have no time for unstructured play.
Canada's Child Care Workforce
Shani Halfon, October 2014
This brief summarizes what is known about the childcare workforce in Canada, the implications of this for regulated childcare, and identifies some considerations and strategies to address the ongoing issues and improve the overall state of ECEC. A summary of the relevant research and data leads to the conclusion that a coordinated and comprehensive strategy is needed to address the multiple and interconnected variables that impact the working conditions of those in the childcare workforce.
Read moreACCESSIBLE OUTDOORS: Kids with Social, Emotional and Physical Disabilities Go Outside!
By Kathy Ambrosini on December 27th, 2014
Children and Nature Network
Accessible nature outings are all around us, there for the taking, for the children who stand to benefit from them the most.
Whether you’re sharing the outdoors with an individual, family, social or school group, it’s exciting to watch these kids develop new coping strategies and shake loose the grip of their symptoms while they enjoy, explore, play and connect in nature.
We’re ruining our kids with Minecraft: The case for unstructured play
We are in the process of making a giant mistake on behalf of our children. With all the right intentions, American parents are depriving their kids of the time and space to develop their imaginations, and the ability to make something out of nothing—the very heart of innovation and competitiveness. A new study by Radio Flyer and ReD Associates shows the alarming consequences of over-parenting. With the holiday season upon us, parents face a familiar dilemma: which toys will capture our kids’ imaginations, stoke their interests, and keep them endlessly entertained? Think twice before you put that box of wooden blocks in your shopping cart.
In Search of Evidence
November, 2014
Charles E. Pascal, Former Ontario Deputy Minister & Professor of Human Development OISE/University of Toronto
Inspired by the late Fraser Mustard, a report was recently released regarding the progress of early childhood education in Canada. This report provides a stark contrast between this remarkable man of science and one of our nation’s leading evidence-avoiders, Stephen Harper.
What is PLAY and Why is it Important?
Play Wales, November 2014
Much has been written about play. It is generally agreed that it is one of the most complex activities we engage in. In this information sheet we endeavour to draw together the most widely respected statements on play to provide a rounded and comprehensive analysis.
Neuroscience Improves Early Childhood Education Quality
President, Families and Work Institute, Author, "Mind in the Making"
Who doesn't want the education and care for young children to be high quality? Parents look for it, advocates fight for it, policy makers debate it. But just what is it?
Quality has remained somewhat of a black box in early education, but a just-released study conducted by New York University researchers is opening up the box. They tested the impact of a curriculum based on findings from neuroscience revealing that promoting executive function life skills enhances children's engagement and success in school and in life.
Schools in affluent areas more likely to offer after-hours child care, study finds
A survey by People for Education has found major gaps in the delivery of before- and after-school programs for young students — despite this being a key part of the province’s full-day kindergarten plan. Toronto Star June 23, 2014
The Value of Unstructured Play Time for Kids
German psychologists find people who were allowed to play freely as children have greater social success as adults.