© 2019-2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_123080fe53fd65fde3cfcb19ca46a4c3 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } What are the effects of violent video games? Do they contribute to the development of aggression? Do they increase a child’s risk of behavior problems? Researchers have debated these question for decades, and...
© 2017-2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_569fcf772973d206da135785586e630f .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Cooperative board games have a lot in common with competitive board games. There’s a board; there are game pieces. Individual players take turns. But cooperative games differ in one key respect: Everyone is...
© 2008 – 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_fa8928d6cdf63d7d6ad938367ac0d883 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Science supports many of our intuitions about the emotional and cognitive benefits of play. Playful behavior appears to have positive effects on the brain and on a child’s ability to learn. Want specifics?...
© 2019 – 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_fff5c29951ef49f38e6338a61c224515 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Fantasy has ancient roots, but it gets a bad rap. Some worry that fantasy fiction may confuse young children. Others dismiss fantasy as silly or frivolous. Should kids steer clear of...
© 2010-2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_b4187306e91512f3959b29c621d25340 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Developmental toys and educational games for kids are relatively recent inventions. Do they work? Throughout most of human history, children got little or no formal instruction. Instead, they learned by imitation, and by...
© 2008 – 2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_9b6098fb86bae8ab54c9f1af5bcd649d .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Toy blocks, also called “building blocks,” are solid shapes used for construction play. Some are simple planks made of wood. Others are fancier, like the interlocking bricks of plastic made by LEGO...
© 2009 – 2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_622fe03440d70 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Tangrams for kids: A learning tool for building STEM skills Like building blocks, tangrams can teach kids about spatial relationships. They may help kids learn geometric terms, and develop stronger problem...
Studies suggest the answer is yes…if the game has these particular features. © 2008 – 2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_63179b880f58e .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } You might not expect much from a preschool board game. Players roll dice, or spin a spinner, and move...
© 2010-2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_622e931487c60 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } We often hear claims that video games can have bad effects on a player’s well-being, particularly if gaming becomes excessive or compulsive. But video games have also been linked with positive effects, including...
© 2019 – 2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_622fb3d6db043 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } What are the benefits of outdoor play for a child’s development? Research tells us there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on what kids actually do when they’re outside. It also...
Mom, will you play with me? Pause. Something happens when we become adults. We start to think about education, food, paying the bills, serving, and laundry. Oh, the laundry! Summer hits, and many of us don’t have the same luxury to toss caution to the wind and spend endless hours...
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved What’s the connection between video games and attention? Do video games cause attention problems? Or do they help children focus? It seems that both are true. Certain “action” video games can enhance a variety of visual attention skills, and they may even help...