It is a well known thing that physical activity is good for your physical health and keeping your body healthy. Most people believe children should be gettin about an hour of physical activity a day. Through the recent pandemic and also just so many more screens and time spent on screens this physical activity is much less than it should be for many kids.

Schools throughout America are implementing less and less structured physical activity for children which may cause negative issues. A study done by Manuel Hanke and Sebastian Ludyga from the university of Basel, looked at whether physical activity in children caused them to be less stressed. This study spanned for a week covering 110 children putting them in categories of low or high physical activity. The lower group got 30 minutes of activity and the higher group got 60 minutes of activity. They then would test cortisol levels in the lab. The group with higher physical had much less cortisol levels and stated mood boosts.

 

Although this study was just a correlational study, I think it is very important for schools throughout America to implement longer recess times and for parents to make sure their children are getting the right amount of physical activity.

Read the whole article Here

Ben Solomon

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Welcome to Ted Talk Thursdays, where every other Thursday we will share an interesting Ted Talk about research in the world of child development! We are excited to add this on to our blog and hope that you get the chance to learn something new about your young ones. (for Facebook): Feel free to share and comment thoughts about each talk and open up the discussion to other parents.

This week’s Ted Talk Thursday dives into Molly Wright’s presentation on the importance of parental connection within the first five years of a child’s life. Child development is affected in multiple ways and various factors including community, playing, talking, connecting, and having a healthy home environment. While a child can develop these skills with their peers, it is just as important for a parent to have the same level of connections, talking, and play time.

There are multiple different strategies to enforce these connections; serve and return, vocabulary and copycat names, and even peek-a-boo all help a child develop within the first 5 years successfully. Yes, these are important strategies to help your child, but what is most important is being present with your child. Your child is seeking those connections with you, and just as Molly describes in her talk, being present makes even more of a difference within your child’s first five years.

Watch the full Ted Talk here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Sleep deprivation is one of the most common struggles for new parents. Parents are constantly trying to find new ways or methods to help their babies sleep through the night. Sleep training has struck intense debates regarding its success. Prior research ultimately found that sleep training methods improve infants’ sleep quality; however, much of this data was parent-reported so, it’s likely biased.

A randomized controlled sleep training study used actigraphy, data monitoring devices that infants wear, to detect whether the infant was asleep or awake. This study was composed of 6-8-month-olds who had parent-reported sleep problems. This study found that sleep-trained babies sleep longer for their first period of sleep, but only by 16 minutes. The researchers also found that infants in the sleep-trained group woke up just as often as infants in the control group.

Another randomized sleep training study assigned parents to one of three groups: checking in, bedtime fading, or sleep education. The parents reported that children in the checking-in and bedtime fading groups slept better after treatment. However, objective sleep measures revealed there was no difference in sleep patterns between any of the groups.

While the parental reports may still be biased, the data reveals that parents were sleeping better. Sleep training may provide moderate sleep improvements but is unlikely to result in long-term sleep improvements. Sleep training may be effective for some children and not for others. Each child is unique and has needs that may have to be catered for differently.

Read the full article here

Emma Dineen

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

The first few years of life are crucial to the development of children. Synapses in the child’s brain are constantly forming, connections with others are being made, and overall growth is taking place at every waking moment. One significant aspect contributing to children’s development is the role of a present caregiver. In article The importance of early bonding on the long-term mental health and resilience of children, we see just how important caregivers are in the future happiness, independence, and resilience of their children. 

 

The article uses findings in animal epigenetic research as evidence for their claim of parental involvement. For instance, one study conducted with mice found that when they were under the care of loving mothers, who would groom them regularly, these baby mice would also grow up to be better mothers as well. 

 

Given the importance for parents to meet the needs of their children during their first two years of life, there have been multiple efforts and community programs established to assist new parents in this process. In these interventions, parents are encouraged to form a bond with their baby as early as possible. This means forming an attachment with the unborn child that can later be continued and reinforced after birth. Talking to your baby, lots of contact, and early breastfeeding are some of the many skills that ensure a loving relationship between caregiver and baby, later leading to their success as adults.

 

Read the full article here!

Nolyette Verastegui

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Today’s Friday Feature is Ben Solomon!

Ben Solomon is a research assistant at UConn KIDS from Lexington Massachusetts. He is a junior Psychological Science major at the University of Connecticut, also in the honors community. This is Ben’s first semester working as a research assistant with UConn KIDS and is thrilled to get involved with the UConn KIDS community and learn what it is like to work at a Lab.

Ben was an active member of Best Buddies in High School which is a club that creates relationships with people with disabilities and is interested in working with that community later on in life. During the summer he spends his time as a camp counselor for Hayden Recreation Day Camp which he has enjoyed for the past four years. He has also volunteered with the special education program at Lexington high school as a teachers assistant in his home town. After graduating he plans to move on to a graduate school program dealing with mental health counseling or behavior therapy focusing on children with disabilities.

During his free time, Ben is an avid sports fan who loves all Boston sports. He also loves spending time with family especially on their trip to Iceland this summer! Spending time with friends is also important, and he loves playing basketball and lifting at the Uconn recreation center.

             

Storytime can be so much fun for both children and caregivers. Whether it’s a fairy tale, mystery, or classic novel, reading to children can be beneficial in numerous ways. Not only does reading aloud to children foster bonding time, but it also aids in cognitive development, improves language skills, prepares children for academic success, increases concentration, and improves imagination.

Reading to children has been proven to increase cognitive development. Cognitive development is the ability to think and understand. It allows children to perceive the world around them by processing information. Reading can give children background knowledge about the world and help them make sense of their lives. 

Reading daily to young children has additionally been proven to improve language skills. Reading stimulates the section of the brain that allows children to understand the meaning of language. Communication is arguably one of the most important skills we know, and reading is a great way to improve it. 

On top of these benefits, reading to your child can forge a strong bond. Storytime provides an opportunity for caregivers to set up a regular, shared event that their child can look forward to. Children learn to trust that their parents will be there with them during this time. Reading one-on-one with a child can be intimate and help your child feel close to you. 

The benefits of reading aloud to children go far beyond these reasons. Learning to love reading can not only help children’s development but can be the key to successful lifelong learning.

Read the full article here.

Emma Dineen

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

It is commonly known that movement is beneficial for the body. Whether this may be through exercise, yoga, meditation, or dance. In this article, researchers observed the outcomes of a recreational dance program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Long-term participation in The Ballet for All Kids (BFAK) program was reported by parents as psychologically, socially, and physically beneficial for their children with ASD. 

 

Parents involved in BFAK gave interviews describing their child’s experiences in the program. Many parents mentioned that a well-liked aspect of the program had to do with the familiarity and routine it involved. Similar music and exercises were used during every session. Children with ASD typically adhere to these routines, meaning the program gave them the structure they required. Another reported benefit among all parents involved in the study was the increase in self-esteem observed in their children. This is significant as it counters the low self-esteem that children with ASD are at risk for developing. 

 

The BFAK program is simply one of the many pieces of growing research on dance therapies for children with ASD. Long-term benefits of participation in these sorts of programs for overall health seem to be growing among this young population.

 

Read the full article here!

Nolyette Verastegui

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Dance is something that can benefit children of all age groups regardless of skill levels. It provides structure like a school environment, where children learn from a teacher, while also having the ability to create movement and use their creativity. In an environment like this, children are not just stuck to learning facts rather they can explore and figure out various ways to creatively express and respond to prompts. For example, in a dance class, a dance instructor may ask the student how they would travel across the room without walking. This gives the child the ability to explore their limits and figure out how they would solve this problem without doing the obvious.

This article written in the Transworld Institute of Technology demonstrates how varius skills and aspects of dance can help children develop further skills outside of the regular structured school setting. Children are used to learning in such a static setting that it can be harder for them to expand on different skills. By schools integrating dance into physical education or other aspects of the child’s learning, it allows for the children not only to further creative skills but also further the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, emotional expression, and working with peers.

Children have such a vast imagination; they come up with various games and stories all while exploring the world around us. Unfortunately, it is so common for a child to sit down and learn in a traditional way that we often forget about alternative ways to integrate learning in settings other than a classroom. By integrating dance into a child’s everyday learning routine, it allows for them to expand their horizons and learn in new ways that are not as commonly practiced in a new, fun way that allows for growth, creativity, and other important life skills.

 

Read the full article here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Today’s Friday Feature is Mikayla Clemens!

 

Mikayla Clemens is a research assistant here at UConn KIDS. She is a junior psychology major on the research track with a minor in human development and family sciences with a concentration in early childhood. This is her first semester working with UConn KIDS and is so beyond excited to work with her team and further her research journey here at UConn!

Mikayla knew she wanted to work with kids for most of her high school career. She began as an assistant dance teacher at her dance studios and currently works with kids at the UConn Child Lab. Eventually, her end goal is to conduct her own research involving our education systems and classrooms to improve learning for all students as well as becoming a school or child psychologist.

Typically, Mikayla spends a lot of her free time with her friends, family, and boyfriend. She also enjoys hiking, going to the gym, and dancing with the UConn Dance Company. Over breaks, she loves traveling and going to find new places around New England including hidden coffeeshop gems. Locally, she recommends Silk City in Manchester, CT and RaonJena Coffee and Dessert in Glastonbury, CT!

       

If you have ever been around parents, you may have heard them refer to their children as “sponges”, because of how they soak up loads of information from the world around them. This is particularly true during the early years of development. Children learn new things through constant interaction with their environment. One significant way kids learn is through play.

The article, Using Toys to Support Infant-Toddler Learning and Development, emphasizes how children’s cognitive development can be facilitated through carefully curated play toys and activities. For instance, simple house materials, such as cardboard, can be shaped into small blocks for children to stack. This assists children in learning about spatial relationships, shapes, and dimensions. Some of the many basic skills that children acquire through intentionally designed play include object permanence, hand-eye coordination, and perspective-taking. Implications for where this well-thought-out play could be used are in the classroom setting. Both parents and teachers are encouraged to recognize the stage of development children are in, to then be able to identify the appropriate form of play for the child.

It is important to keep in mind the significance that these toys play for children during their developmental years. Exposing kids to different kinds of play can be thought of as giving them the tools for the world that awaits them in the future!

Read the full article here!

 

Nolyette Verastegui

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS