During the creation of our first book, we spent countless hours researching. And we also ran our own research project. During the way, we ran across a lot of great ideas that got lost, so we thought we should begin collecting the best of the best articles that we have read before they get lost in the endless scroll.
There are many building blocks to dreaming, mapping and playing. And since our target audience is kids, we can’t spend a lot of time explaining things before we lose their attention. So when we do explain things, we skip the fancy words and use a lot of examples instead. However, if you’re an active parent, teacher or healthcare professional, you’ll want to know more.
So, here are a few highlights. Join our Facebook Page for more.
- Why you procrastinate (It has nothing to do with self-control). (The New York Times.) Procrastination is something we all deal with. And it also has nothing to do with being lazy. This article does a good job of reframing it as a survival technique, but in this case, we’re not avoiding being eaten by lions, but avoiding bad feelings.
- A neuroscientist explains what tech does to the reading brain. (The Verge.) If you are wondering why “Dream it!” focuses on teaching kids using traditional pencil and paper games, then read this article. If you don’t have time, here’s the ironic summary: The consequence for an adult is that “the digital medium [rewards] fast processing at the cost of the slower processes that build our very important critical, analytical, and empathetic processes.” And children have an even bigger disadvantage. Since they are maturing in this short-attention-span world, they may never develop the skill of deep learning through deep reading.
- A Lost Secret: How To Get Kids To Pay Attention. (NPR.) This article discusses the link to attention and motivation. Seeking an answer to this question, researchers compared American students to Guatemalan students who had much longer attention spans, more motivation and autonomy. The article concludes with a simple solution: “Ask your kid this question: ‘What would you do if you didn’t have to do anything else?…’ Then create space in their schedule for this activity, he says.”
