UConn ECE Human Development & Family Science20-21

  When it comes to children in the 21st century, “playing” is not what it used to be. There are new technologies like phones and video games to keep children busy. Some may say video games are the worst choice for children as they promote violence and you stare at a screen all day. As that may be very true, there is a way that video games could be useful to the child's brain. That is when it is matched with a healthy diet and physical activity. In this article, it explains how video games were originally meant to make behavior changes to healthier children. Therefore, two group RCT assessments were ordered with 133 children aged 10-12 years old to see a survey. They had servings of fruit, vegetables, and water and had minutes of vigorous exercise. Children playing these specific games ended up indeed eating more vegetables and fruits, however they lacked in physical activity. In other words, video games are not good for the physical development of children and instead they should s...

  In today’s society, kids are being handed ipads and watch tv shows, movies, and play games. Many people frown upon the use of ipads at such a young age, however, there are some positive contributing factors. It is said that Ipads calm nerves, and according to new research it is just as effective as anesthesia. In a study conducted 115 children that were awaiting surgeries were split into two groups. Sixty were given iPads that allowed them to play games, featuring familiar animals like cats, dogs and frogs, and puzzles. The popular app Angry Birds was also an option. The other 55 were given a low dose of the sedative midazolam. A conclusion was made claiming that the drug and the iPads worked equally well at soothing nerves, however, the parents of the kids that were playing with iPads were less anxious than those in the other group. A researcher named Dominique Chassard, states that "All forms of distraction decrease anxiety. Tablets are very familiar for children and thus the ...

   Coping is a strategy employed to manage and adapt  to stressful and ever-changing environments and situation. The role of play has often been neglected in coping researched, Play is often not mentioned , or when it is, is only seen as an attempted by the child to distance themselves from the stressor or delay the need to face the situation. The main limitations of current studies into children's coping strategies is the tendency for children's strategies be regarded in those same way as those of adults. Given the characteristics of these two constructs, the three main areas where play and coping encounter are cognitive, social and emotional. Coping is a a great way for children developement..as children develop play increases in complexity, reflecting the maturation of the brain and its function 

  Video Game Play, Child Diet, and Physical Activity Behavior Change : A Randomized Clinical Trial

   In this article, the particular study that was conducted was done with the purpose of testing a model of adult-child play interactions found in preschool classrooms. These studies were based on the work and theories of Vygotsky as well as neo-Vygotskian scholars. The reason behind this study was due to concerns that have been expressed in the past on direct adult involvement in children’s play. Researchers believe that when teachers and parents don’t interact with children at play, they are missing opportunities to foster early development. More specifically they are not helping enhance social, cognitive, and language growth. Contrastingly, other theorists argue that adult-child play does more harm than good in a child. Some theorists believe that play training imposes on children a single, correct way to play that may be incongruous with their interests, needs, and cultural traditions. Several studies conducted previously also show greater adult interaction is related to...

              The middle childhood, with the children's ages range from 7 years old to 11 years old, is an important period of childhood for children as they develop social relationships, and sense of citizenship. Where the author explains that children in the early years have identified how play serves an important concept in promoting these factors. Theorist Piaget suggests that play in middle childhood reflects the development of operational thought, which is logical reasoning about situations. In addition to Piaget, theorists Parten and Erikson stress the importance of social skills in middle childhood, and how play promotes negotiation and the knowledge of cultural trends. These theories are more concerned with what children in middle childhood are going to be able to do, rather than what they actually do. The author conveys that some studies about play in middle childhood rely on adult’s memories of childhood experiences, where adults s...

The author discusses a study performed in Melbourne, Australia which explored how parents from different socio-economic areas chose where their child would play. The article talks about the key environmental and social factors that contributed to the parents' decisions, as well as the overall importance of play to a child's development. The author discusses present obesity issues in developed countries, and the effect of this circumstance on children. He believes this predicament is partially due to the decrease in physical activity as a mode of transportation in these nations. The author reasons that physical activity is especially important now in the form of active free-play, as physically demanding modes of transportation like walking and biking have been replaced by motorized vehicles. The author relays the importance of the study, explaining how knowledge of the locations where play occurs can help encourage further physical activity and deter obesity. The author also exp...

Childhood obesity is a worldwide issue that can be easily solved through play. Not just any play though, outdoor and unstructured play seems to be more effective. But when adults structure a play and emphasize the need for physical activity it decreases the child's want to play. Whereas when children are given the freedom to play they successfully accomplish the task of getting their physical activity in. Not only does natural/ outdoor play positively affect the child physically, it also contributes to their overall wellbeing. The theory of play affordances expands on the environment of play and the Seven Cs - a practical evidence-based approach for designing children's play spaces that promote diverse play . The Seven Cs promote more diverse play environments that reach the heart of play which is unstructured and joyful, and this was attained through research and testing. There has been a link between natural elements in play spaces and structured environments to physical acti...

 Individual and Group Child-Centered Play Therapy  Post by Grace Solomita The author talks about a large need for services regarding the mental health of children in schools today. About 14% to 20% of young children in school encounter social-emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders that can be very severe and affect their functioning. Many of those children do not receive treatment. According to the CSMH (Center for School Mental Health), 50% to 70% of both children and adults experiencing social-emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders do not receive treatment. Some child behaviors that can negatively impact adults are withdrawing, refusing to participate, having poor relationships with those adults, poor relationships with peers, not doing well academically, engaging in criminal activity or violence. When children are not able to function, it can make things difficult for those around them including their peers, teachers, caregivers, parents, etc. Majority of children l...