Joining a local playgroup can give your child the best start. As Australian schools prepare to gather the nation’s latest data on early childhood development next month, early childhood advocates are emphasising the importance of taking action to set children up for success well ahead of...
From whiteboard work to random groups, write Tracey Muir and Peter Liljedahl, these simple fixes could get students thinking more in maths lessons Australian students’ performance and engagement in mathematics is an ongoing issue. International studies show Australian students’ mean performance in maths has steadily declined since...
Two English neuroscientists, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore and Suparna Choudhury, point to a remarkable occurrence during infancy that might have echoes in adolescence. Similar to adolescence, during the first 18 months of life there is a surge and then pruning of the brain’s neural connections. Curiously, this sculpting process...
"Research suggests early intervention is linked with better outcomes for children later in life,” said Kirrilie Smout, clinical child psychologist and founder of Calm Kid Central. Recent research commissioned by HCF, Australia's largest not-for-profit health fund, sheds light on the mental health struggles encountered by Australian...
It's great that so many of our books for small children have won Awards for their authors and their illustrators. Most authors will tell you it's hard to keep writing fresh books for kids that keep them interested and thinking about their world. Happy All Over by...
Parents say the mental load is crushing, report researchers Kimberley Baxter and Rebecca Byrne. Feeding babies and toddlers can be challenging at the best of times. But when families can’t afford enough food, let alone the recommended range of different coloured vegetables or iron-rich meats, it’s...
On 'World Autism Understanding Day', April 2nd, Professor Andrew Cashin looks at the diversity and the definitions and what has changed. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg describes herself as having Asperger’s while others on the autism spectrum, such as Australian comedian Hannah Gatsby, describe themselves as...
You should focus on these 3 things, write researchers Mihiri Silva, Elodie O'Connor, Rachelle Welti and Sharon Goldfeld One in three Australian children has tooth decay by the time they start school, and this number rises to more than 40% by the time they’re eight or nine. Teeth decay...
Australian children who attend ‘Playgroups’ are more likely to be developmentally on track Recent research highlights the significant impact playgroups can have on your child's development, showing that children who attend playgroups are much more likely to be on track developmentally when they start primary school. The...
And what makes a good one? Asks Chris Speldewinde In Australia we have a long history of taking children outdoors to learn about the natural environment. But thanks to computer games, tablets and busy lifestyles, children aren’t getting as much exposure to nature as they used...
