As discussed before, play has so many important aspects that promote different areas of development. The environment a child has can impact their amount of and type of play. Other influences, such as the social aspect of the environment, can impact play as well.

This article dives into how parents can influence gender differences in motor development within play. It recognizes the differences of verbalization of play between infants, which ultimately impacts how their child develops. This can help us address how we can better support child development and ensure that every child is receiving the support they need to develop.

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Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Pets, to many, are an extension of our families. We view our lovely 4-legged friends as one of our own. They bring us tons of laughs, love, and other positive benefits!

One of those benefits includes reducing anxiety in kids. This study has found that dogs have led to a probable decrease in anxiety levels in children. Because this study demonstrates the probability of this relationship to exist, it opens the door for future studies to examine how and why this may be in the case. In the meantime, it is another reason to love our furry friends even more!

To read more about this study, click here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Do you remember when you were young and eager to learn more about how to read your favorite book or how to count to 100? These exciting new abelites set the stage for learning more concepts and skills through various math and literary curriculums. But what is a way that these two domains of learning could be combined?

Recent studies have examined the effects of STEM education in early elementary grades as a form of curriculum. Specifically, this study examines the impact of engagement and ability for learning various modes of curriculum surrounding robotics in kindergarten. With the help of developmentally approximate technology, this curriculum can act as another tool for children to explore the world of robotics and expand on a new interest. This paper addresses both the positives and negatives of this type of curriculum, allowing you to really think about a new way children can learn and explore in the classroom!

To read today’s article, click here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research assistant, UConn KIDS

The goals in our lives are the little things in life that drive us. We work towards developing various small and big goals throughout our lives. These goals range from a wide range of topics such as athletic, social, personal, and academic goals, but what does this look like in elementary school?

This research article examines various achievement goals made by students in Germany when studying math. This study resulted in some interesting findings when it came to goal habits, retention, and creation. For example, only a third of participants were found to have kept their academic goal the same across the whole timeline of this study!

To learn more about this study, click here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

As infants experience the world, they begin to learn from the environment around them. They consider the people around them, how the speak, and how others react to their behaviors. This helps infants learn about human emotions and understand what each emotion is. In this literature review, it talks about what previous research has found regarding infant’s social-emotional development. It covers a wide range of topics in developmental processes such as attention, memory, and word learning and how past research has measured development. It is truly an interesting read to learn more about the development of emotions!

To read today’s article, click here!

 

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant

UConn KIDS

Regardless of what age you are, sleep is detrimental to our health! It allows for our bodies to regenerate and recharge while also acting as an important factor in child development. This is why it is so important to maintain a proper sleep schedule.

This current study found that it is not only vital for your child to maintain good sleeping habits, but parents and educators as well. Parent’s help shape the sleeping habits of their children. By educating parents on healthy sleeping habits, it can work wonders for your child’s sleep. Educating and working with early childcare professionals on proper sleep habits can also elevate daily nap times for your little ones.

 

To read more on sleep, click here!

 

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

A major part of development is play! Play helps support development across multiple domains, especially outdoor activity. It allows children to gain skills in motor development while also expanding upon cognitive, language, and social-emotional development. Unfortunately, especially in New England, the weather is not always sunny and warm. This can lead to a change in play habits, especially given the location a child is in.

 

Today’s article expands upon play and how location and even the seasons can impact physical activity for children. In this study conducted in New Zealand, they found how play can vary based on location (i.e. city, suburbs, and rural areas) and have other factors impact activities such as safety concerns. It is interesting to read and learn how outdoor play differs from location to location and allows you to think back to your own prior experiences as a child!

 

To read today’s article, click here!

 

Mikayla Clemens

Research assistant, UConn KIDS

Video games are often observed in a negative light; a lot of research examines the negative effects of video games on youth… but what are some of the positives effects?

The articleThe Link Between Playing Video Games and Positive Youth Outcomes examines what are some of the positive effects behind video games. The study finds that there are numerous positive impacts such as promoting problem solving skills, social skills, and even physical activity! These findings give truly a new perspective on how video games support child development while also supporting the idea that future research is needed. 

 

To read more, click here!

 

Mikayla Clemens 

Research Assistant UConn KIDS 

Humans, by nature are prosocial. From previous studies, we are seen to support helpful behaviors as early as infancy… but what can classrooms do to continue prosocial behavior? Is this something worth focusing on in the classroom?

 

Research conducted at Yale concludes that not only is social-emotional learning important, but it also comes with multiple positive outcomes. The study observed 250 social-emotional learning programs in over 50 different countries and discovered that it can lead to an overall increase in well-being, academic success, and safety within the classroom. However, this is just the surface of understanding social-emotional learning. Further research calls for understanding of social-emotional development and what we can do to create educational equity when providing support in this learning area.

 

To read more, click here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Looking back to our early days in school, we all remember the little art projects we did. From an early age, schools engage student’s creativity with art and allow them to create and express. Within our art projects, researchers can gain a deeper understanding on the effectiveness of art education and examining other aspects of child development.

The paper “Arts-based educational research in the early years” dives into ABER (arts-based educational research) and how it is examined within early childhood settings. It is described to allow children to conduct research with the researchers and not just examining a child’s behavior. It is interesting to recognize how art can play such an important role in research and how engaging to can be not only for children, but the researchers involved too!

 

To read more, click here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research assistant, UConn KIDS