A new module on children’s causal learning was developed by former I-LABS postdoctoral research associate, Anna Waismeyer. In “Learning to Make Things Happen: How Children Learn Cause-and-Effect,” Dr. Waismeyer discusses how learning to use cause-and-effect is a critical part of a child’s cognitive development. The module also includes information on how to support children as they learn about cause-and-effect relations in … Read More
Learning from Nature
Now that summer is in full swing, children are spending more and more time outdoors riding bikes, swinging, and making up new games, we wanted to explore what children are actually learning from all of this time in outside. This Ask I-LABS Outreach post focuses on exactly that: What do children learn from playing outdoors and exploring nature? In recent … Read More
New Outreach Modules: “The Foundation of Literacy” and “The Development of Literacy.”
I-LABS is pleased to announce the launch of two modules on children’s literacy development. The modules were developed by I-LABS researcher Jason Yeatman, who worked closely with the I-LABS Outreach team as aHearst Fellow. Patrick Donnelly, Yeatman’s graduate student, also contributed to both modules. The Hearst Fellowship Program brings the scientific expertise of I-LABS researchers together with the translation and dissemination skills of the outreach team. … Read More
New I-LABS Training Module
Have you ever wondered what is happening in a baby’s brain as you bounce them to the beat of your favorite song? The latest online module from the I-LABS outreach team, called Early Music Experience explores the intersection of music and early learning. The module was developed by I-LABS researcher T. Christina Zhao, who worked closely with the I-LABS Outreach team as … Read More
Ask I-LABS Outreach: How Do I Talk to My Kids About Race?
Having open, honest conversations about race with children helps counteract racism. Here’s how. We may want to live in a “colorblind” or “post-racial” society where race doesn’t matter, but the reality is that stereotypes do matter and they affect all of us. I study racial stereotypes in children and teens. I see how they grapple with stereotypes and how they … Read More
Ask I-LABS Outreach: How Do Babies Play?
We explore the ways that babies play and how you can join them in this installment of “Ask I-LABS Outreach.” Imagine a child playing: what images come to your mind? Perhaps a child running and giggling, or stacking blocks one by one, or crafting an elaborate game of make-believe? But what about a baby? What do you think of when … Read More
Sarah Lytle on High-Quality Interactions with Children
I-LABS’ Dr. Sarah Lytle spoke about effective early learning interactions at a Birth-to-Three Policy Meeting on October 5. I-LABS Director of Outreach and Education, Dr. Sarah Lytle, recently spoke at a Birth-to-Three Policy Alliance meeting. Dr. Lytle provided an overview of how the brain develops in the first 2,000 days of a child’s life (birth to age 5) and explained how the important wiring takes … Read More
I-LABS Library of Training Modules
Check out the latest Outreach Module! I-LABS has created a library of free online training modules. These resources offer a space for the early learning community to engage with the latest science of child development. Modules present cutting-edge research in a way that is relevant, accessible, and useable. Each module takes 20-25 minutes to complete, and discusses a specific topic in child development. … Read More
Ask I-LABS Outreach: What are the Benefits of Reading to Babies?
Story time is brain-building time, even for babies who aren’t speaking yet. When it comes to the importance of reading to kids, Dr. Seuss explains it well: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go,” the beloved author wrote in The Cat in the Hat. And literacy … Read More
Ask I-LABS Outreach: How Early Does Learning Begin?
It’s common to want to give babies the best possible start in life, and many parents wonder how early they can begin giving their child enriching, brain-building experiences. Photo: Flickr, Jlhopgood In this edition of Ask I-LABS Outreach we turn to a topic that fascinates most people: how early does learning begin? I’ve been studying very early learning for decades. I started … Read More