Cognitive flexibility, or flexible thinking, falls in the realm of executive functions somewhere between creativity and critical thinking. Like both of those skills, it’s something our kids are born with, to a certain and unique degree, but it is more so a learned, developed, and expanded capability. While we...
“Why?” “Why?” “Why?” “Why?” …and on and on. Sure, sometimes our kids’ curiosity can be a bit… challenging. But these endless strings of questions highlight a few important things: Kids are naturally curious, and how far their curiosity goes often depends on our appetite for entertaining it. Curiosity in kids...
Have you played Nurture’s latest adventure with Care Bears? Not only does it tickle my nostalgia (I was always partial to Cheer Bear), it is a surprisingly entertaining way to learn some life skills, such as : * Critical thinking * Emotional regulation * Creativity * Empathy * Self-esteem To be fair, it was designed...
Every parent has experienced their kid happily playing a game or watching a show, only to melt down the moment it’s time to turn the screen off. I mean, you would be a bit annoyed if you had to turn off your latest favorite series or a new movie...
Winter (break) is coming. Winter break is a joyful, relaxing time filled with extra family moments. It can also be stressful because, well, it’s filled with extra family moments: activities, meals, travel, and just managing the extra interactions, and sometimes tensions, that can arise when everyone’s at home...
When kids are old enough to start playing group sports, they’re also at a great age to start playing video games with a group. Whether cooperative, competitive, or co-playing with a sibling or parent, these digital play experiences expose young kids to some of their first experiences with losing....
With Thanksgiving around the corner, digital parents raising kids in a fast-paced modern world can take some time to reflect on what we’re thankful for. Expressing gratitude as the holiday season begins helps ground us in the abundance that surrounds us. Today, I want to discuss how grateful I...
While I do love the game for all the fun, challenge, creativity, and collaboration all it affords its players, I must admit that Minecraft is not one of my own go-to games. I struggle with the spatial rotation and 3D awareness it requires. But my daughter, six years old at...
Playing video games together as a family strengthens our connection and communication, reinforces essential social skills, and even helps with emotional regulation and the solidification of healthy digital habits. It also gives us a chance to model and develop digital literacy. Co-play, or playing video games together, is one of...