Category Archives: Child development

On child development

National Trust shares my plea for benign neglect

Posted on February 5, 2013 | 8 Comments

child on a beach at sunsetToday the National Trust’s Outdoor Nation website posted a piece from me that aims to win parents over to the goal of expanding children’s horizons. I had to think carefully when writing it.

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Posted in Child development, Learning, Outdoor play, Parenting, Risk

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“Sort it out for yourself” – sound advice, or too much to ask?

Posted on November 13, 2012 | 11 Comments

Bold Park studentsHow do schools and other settings help children to deal with arguments and disputes? And are some well-meaning approaches doing more harm than good?  A young Australian who I met on my recent visit there had some interesting answers to these questions.

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Posted in Child development, Education, Risk

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Child reads own school report that says she cannot read

Posted on July 16, 2012 | 14 Comments

Poster with words "you cannot read this sentence"Last Friday I spoke with a parent from a local primary school about her 6-year-old daughter’s school report. The report stated that her daughter “has not met the expected standard for the Year 1 phonics screening check.” The parent told me how puzzled they both were by this, because her daughter could confidently read lots of written material by herself – including this very statement from her report.

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Posted in Child development, Education, Learning

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More ordinary magic

Posted on May 30, 2012 | 5 Comments

Cyril sitting on a benchThis image is from an exhibition of photographs taken by children who attend C & K Kindergartens. It was on display at C & K’s annual conference in Brisbane last weekend. Here is what first Jake, then his parent, say about the photo.

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Posted in Child development, Risk

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When did you last go to the edge of your comfort zone?

Posted on March 21, 2012 | 8 Comments

Last week on Facebook, a friend posted a link to this youtube clip, of a nine- or ten-year-old girl doing her first proper ski jump. The clip, filmed from her point of view, is remarkable to watch.

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The outdoor child: doomed to extinction?

Posted on March 15, 2012 | 8 Comments

Shrinking horizons of childhoodEvery year since 1979 there has been a Big Garden Bird Watch, a UK-wide survey organised by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. I can’t help wondering about a survey of a different species: a Big Outdoor Child Watch.

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Posted in Child development, Nature, Outdoor play, Parenting

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