Research from the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences has found that young children can learn key reading skills in virtual learning environments alongside other children their age. The study consisted of a reading programme that lasted two weeks in an online reading camp, with 83 5-year-old children taking part in the study, and a control group of 33 children who did not take part. The reading programmes took place over Zoom,…
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New funding for teachers from the Digital Poverty Alliance, Barclays Bank, Intel and the Learning Foundation has been announced to help tackle digital poverty. The campaign, Tech4Teachers, aims to provide 550 devices to teachers who do not have sufficient access to the internet, allowing teaching staff to give greater support to over 20,000 students across many disadvantaged communities. Alongside the devices, an online space will be made available for teachers who are a part of the…
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To mark this year’s 8th annual Children’s Mental Health Week, children’s counselling service charity, Place2Be, has joined forces with BAFTA Kids to produce two online assemblies for primary and secondary school audiences in the UK. Place2Be Ambassador Josh Smith speaks to various guests including Paralympic gold medallist Andy Lewis, actor Jacob Anderson and dancer Oti Mabuse, with a special message from Olivia Coleman in both assemblies. The theme ‘Growing Together’ was chosen to encourage children…
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Dr Barbie Clarke is pleased to be an expert judge for the CoC Playful Minds ‘Future Play Design Challenge 2022’. This year’s theme is “Ethically co-creating the next generation of sustainability & climate play together with children and families”. 🌱 Join the Virtual Kick Off Event and launch of the Challenge 2022 on 1 February 2022 at 3-5 PM CET. What’s in it for you? 💡 Be inspired 🔍 Meet the expert jury 💬 Hear case stories of former participants…
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New research suggests that there is a connection between gut health and behaviour development. 260 children took part in the study, with parents  providing gut health samples when their children were 6 weeks, 1 year and 2 years old. At 3 years parents completed a Behavioural Assessment System for Children to assess behavioural development. The research team recruited the 206 children from the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. The aim of this research was to…
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In a UCL study of almost 40,000 pairs of parents and children, it was found that a child’s educational success depends on both the genes that they have inherited from their parents, as well as the genes they have not. Parents pass on traits through nature and nurture, leaving children with an intertwined mix of both; a child’s lifestyle can affect their grades. This concept is referred to as ‘genetic nurture’ in which parental genes…
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The WHO is concerned that tobacco companies are luring in non-smokers with their vaping products, many of whom are underage. They argue that by strengthening legislation across the world, young people can be further protected from harm. The WHO is also concerned that vaping products are acting as an entry point into the world of cigarettes, which do contain tobacco. A new study found that young people who have vaped are more than twice as…
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Results from a recent survey suggest that children in Britain are first playing outside unsupervised up to two years later than their parent’s generation. The British Children’s Play Survey spoke to over 1,900 parents of children aged five to eleven about their children’s time spent playing. The survey shows children are most likely to be aged eleven when they first play outside without adult supervision. On average their parents were aged nine for the same…
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Children’s Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza is launching a one-month campaign to help improve childhood. Between 19th April and 19th May, children across the country will be encouraged to participate in The Big Ask – an anonymous, national survey that focuses on ways to progress childhood in the years ahead. All children will have access to the survey through their school and via the Oak National Trust, where footballer Marcus Rashford will make…
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Scotland will soon become the first devolved nation in the UK to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) directly into domestic law. Members of Scottish Parliament voted unanimously to pass the Bill, which will take six months to become law, as of Royal Assent. The passing of this Bill makes Scotland part of a very exclusive number of nations that have also incorporated the UNCRC into law such as…
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