The Pica Perspective

The Academics-vs.-Play Decision

This Thursday I'll be interviewing Joan Almon of the Alliance for Childhood for one of my upcoming podcasts. One of the primary missions of the Alliance is the return of play to children's lives -- particularly as far as their educations are concerned. Because of that, I designed my questions around the issue of academics versus play in preschool and kindergarten. But when I submitted them to my producer, he was puzzled. He asked me to reconsider my focus because, as he wrote, "It's inconceivable to me that any significant number of parents would wonder whether play is okay at this stage of life."

Unfortunately, I had to reassure him that a great many parents are worried about just this issue. Early childhood directors all around the country tell me stories about being rejected by parents because their programs are the traditional, play-based kind. These parents prefer more emphasis on letters and numbers than on sorting and stacking blocks or growing plants from seeds. They favor seatwork and worksheets that show "evidence" of what their children are learning, believing that this is what will best prepare their children for elementary school.

Of course, if you're one of these parents, it's not at all surprising. As the "earlier-is-better" syndrome has taken control of our society, parents have become convinced that unless they ensure their children a "head start" on academics (and athletics, too; but that's another blog), they'll be failing them. And nobody wants to fail their children!

What are your thoughts on this issue? If you're the parent of a preschooler, have you chosen a program that's play-based or academics-oriented? What determined your decision? If you're an early childhood educator, have your policies changed in recent years? If so, what precipitated the change?

I'd love to hear from you on this!

Skin to Skin Bonding

Quick post today...

Before I played "tag" with The Mentor Mom, I wrote about "containerized kids" and tummy time for babies. Lisa G. posted a comment about bonding, and that got me thinking about skin-to-skin bonding -- which American parents don't do that much of. In fact, compared to other cultures in which babies are held for hours, stroked when in need of soothing, and carried close to the bodies of their mothers, America is a pretty "low-touch" society. And that's a shame. Because numerous studies have proven that touch isn't just something "nice" for baby; it's absolutely essential -- to bonding, to growth and development, and to present and future emotional well-being.

I've got an article about this on my website if you'd like to read more. It's called "Skinship: Better Bonding with Baby."

The word "skinship?" It's the term the Japanese use to describe the closeness between mother and child.

8 Random Things about Rae Pica

It seems I've been "tagged" by Jill Urbane, "The Mentor Mom," to share eight random things about myself. So here goes:

1. Being fairly new to the blogosphere, I had no idea what it meant to be tagged and had to write Jill to ask. (Apparently it's not so different from the game of tag. In this instance, someone had tagged her to post 8 random things about herself; she in turn tagged me; and I'll tag somebody at the end of this post.)
2. I'm quite sure my white hair is the result of 27 years as a children's physical activity specialist. Even now that we have a childhood obesity crisis on our hands, it's not always easy to make people understand the role of physical activity in a child's life and education!
3. Carla Hannaford, neurophysiologist and author of Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head, is my idol. After I'd been toiling in the movement field for 15 years, Dr. Hannaford's book arrived on the scene to validate my work and inspire me to keep going.
4. I've joined with Jackstreet Media to create a series of podcasts. I couldn't have imagined hosting my own radio program would be so much fun! In fact, I interviewed Dr. Hannaford last week! (Details are still in the works, but the title of my program is "Body, Mind, & Child: Preparing Your Child's Body & Mind for Life.")
5. I'm a football freak. That comes as a surprise to people who know my stance on competition versus cooperation. However, I never said competition is a complete no-no. My stance is and always has been that it's not developmentally appropriate for young children and that the world would be better served if we focused more on cooperation and less on winning (especially winning at all costs). However, when it comes to my New England Patriots, the more they win the happier I am!  : )
6. In my 20s I could do whirling splits. (I can't describe them, so you'll just have to use your imagination.) Now I make the bed very carefully. (My first dance teacher was 64 and could slide her leg up the side of a door jamb, so I know flexibility can be retained if we work at it. Unfortunately, I spend more time at the computer these days than I do stretching.)
7. Animals are what I love above all else in this world. Some passions you choose, some you fall into, and some you're born with. My love for animals falls into the latter category. (Believe me, I wouldn't have chosen something that hurts so much!) And because I think we'd be a lot closer to utopia if everyone could feel empathy for everyone and everything else, I make sure my feelings about animals are known to the teachers and children I work with. (Of all the lyrics I've written for my teacher resources, "It's Their World, Too" is the most important to me.)
8. My husband of 26 years, Richard Gardzina, is a musician/composer...which makes for an interesting life! One of the definite perks is that, when I write lyrics for my teacher resources, he creates the music that accompanies it!

Well, that was harder than I would have thought. And now I'm going to tag Stacy DeBroff at Mom Central, and see what she comes up with!

Tummy Time

As an addendum to my last two posts -- and in light of the comments received -- I thought I'd offer a bit more information about tummy time. If you've read both the posts and the comments, you know that a lack of tummy time for babies is creating problems with muscle, motor, visual, and even brain development! Moreover, the more time a baby spends on his back, the greater the likelihood that he'll develop a flattened skull and torticollis, which causes a child's chin to be rotated to one side and his head to the other side.

Obviously, the solution is to ensure babies get plenty of tummy time. Not when you put them down to sleep, of course, but every other time it's possible!

What do you do, however, if yours is one of the many babies who simply doesn't enjoy being on the tummy?

First, it's important to acclimate your infant to this position as early in life as possible. Right from the start, following a nap or diaper change, two to three times a day, you should place her on her tummy for a brief play period. You can gradually increase the length of these periods as your baby becomes used to them. Also, whenever possible, lie on your back and place your baby facedown on your chest. This not only helps her adapt to this position; it will also give her a reason to lift her head: to look at you!

But even if you didn't begin tummy time the day you brought him home from the hospital, it's not too late to start! Following are some ideas for making tummy time a fun time:

• Get "down and dirty" with baby. Lie side by side with your baby and have a "conversation!" Coo and sing and make funny sounds. There's no one else's voice she'd rather hear. When your baby is ready to start lifting her head, you can also lie head-to-head with her. She'll eventually lift her head and push up on her arms because she wants to look at you. Make it worth her effort by making her favorite funny faces!
• Tempt him with a toy. Place a favorite toy or stuffed animal just out of your baby's reach and encourage him to get it! Mirrors and rattles work well, too.
• Circle the wagons. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing toys in a circle around the baby. Reaching in different directions helps develop the muscles needed to roll over, scoot, and crawl.
• Give her a lift. If all else fails and your baby still fusses while facedown, place a pillow or a boppy under her chest, with her arms in front of her. Or lay her across your lap, raising one of your legs to create a slight incline. This will make it easier for her to see what's going on around her and should stop the fussing. Then, as she develops upper body strength, she'll no longer need the lift.
• Remember: The policy is "Back to Sleep. Tummy to Play!"

"Educational" DVDs -- Part II

It's fascinating. Despite the fact that the story about so-called educational videos appeared in newspapers all around the world -- and was reported on such TV shows as Good Morning America -- there's been very little "buzz" about it. Or maybe I should say that I've found very few of the many blogging moms "talking" about it. Am wondering why that is...

In the meantime, I personally can't stop thinking about it. In my last post I wrote a bit about how babies' brains, intellect, and language develop. In short, it's not by watching DVDs. But as I considered this issue over the weekend, it occurred to me that there's another, very important aspect that no one has addressed yet; and that's the aspect concerning "containerized" babies.

"Containerized" is the term coined by a colleague of mine to describe the fairly recent trend of keeping babies in things: high chairs, car seats, carriers, and the like. A year or so ago, on another segment of Good Morning America, a pediatrician reported that infants are spending upward of 60 waking hours a week being confined by such things. So the chances are good that if 40% of babies and 90% of two-year-olds are regularly watching TV, DVDs, or videos, as the authors of the DVD study found, they're doing it in "containers." And that's bad news for babies.

Among other things, it means fewer opportunities for them to strengthen their muscles -- to lift and turn their heads, to push up on their arms, to develop optimal balance, stability, and motor skills. It means fewer opportunities for the cross-lateral (right arm/left leg, left arm/right leg) experience gained from crawling and creeping. And because cross-lateral movement activates both hemispheres of the brain and stimulates communication between the two, too much time being containerized affects much more than motor development; it also impacts brain development and can later result in problems with reading and writing.

When a child's natural desire -- and need -- to move is thwarted, upper torso strength, rotation of the head, visual tracking, motor development, and other physical skills become much more difficult to achieve, and in extreme cases, require intervention from such professionals as physical and occupational therapists.

We all know that parents only want the best for their children. For a look at how parents came to believe "educational" products are the best for their little ones, read "Educational Toys Prey on Parents' Fears" and "Extreme Parenting."

I wish I could remember who said it, but I recall reading that it's a lot easier to spread a bad idea than a good one. Am also wondering why that is...

The Word Is Out on "Educational" DVDs

Reading my local paper at lunchtime today, I flipped over the front section and nearly jumped off the couch. There, in a bold headline, I read: "'Baby Einstein' videos may actually make kids dumber: Study says programs don't help baby brains."

Hallelujah! The piece, originally written for the Los Angeles Times, reports on a study published today in the Journal of Pediatrics, which determined that, among babies ages 8 to 16 months, every hour spent daily watching programs such as "Brainy Baby" or "Baby Einstein" translated into six to eight fewer words in their vocabularies as compared with other children their age. The researchers, from the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, commented that even watching American Idol would be more beneficial because there was a greater chance that parents would watch with them, likely offering contact and interaction that would have developmental benefits.

Ah, the validation. As I -- and many others -- have long contended, a baby's brain and intellectual development rely on nurturing relationships, the sound of a parent's voice, physical contact, and movement. As far as language development is concerned, nature has conveniently created us to develop language through interaction with others. Babies learn to communicate by communicating, and they can't communicate with two-dimensional materials.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not opposed to all two-dimensional materials. I even consulted with Sesame Street on a movement DVD for babies and toddlers. The difference between that DVD and the "Brainy Baby" ilk is that the former is intended for both baby and parents. It's meant to demonstrate to parents how they can interact with their little ones and to provide them with movement ideas. That parent involvement, to me, makes all the difference in the world.

Anyway, there's finally a news report that should be helpful to parents, who are often terrified they'll be failing their little ones if they don't purchase the latest and greatest "educational" products -- products purportedly backed by research on what babies need in order to learn. Interestingly enough, this news report is really making the rounds. After cutting the article from the newspaper and heading to my computer, a quick Google search indicated that the story had been spread, not only from sea to shining sea in this country but also across the sea to, among other places, the UK, Australia, and India! The only ones not talking are the marketers of "Brainy Baby" and "Baby Einstein," who couldn't be reached for comment.

Curiosity, Pleasure, and Play

I've just read one of the most wonderful articles on the need for play in children's lives! Titled "Curiosity, Pleasure and Play: A Neurodevelopmental Perspective," it explores the relationship between play and brain development.

Yes, I know that sounds a bit scientific -- as does the subtitle -- but the authors did a wonderful job of explaining their points so the non-scientist (be it parent or educator) can get them. I printed the article and then started highlighting  but found so much of it important that all the yellow became laughable! Here's just some of what the authors had to say:

• If the child's world is safe, nurturing and rich in social, emotional and cognitive opportunities, he or she will flourish. And central to a child's healthy development is the opportunity to act on their natural curiosity -- to explore, to play and, thereby, to learn.
• Play, more than any other activity, fuels healthy development of children.
• Curiosity, a neurobiological feature of many primates, drives exploratory play. Play can satisfy curiosity as the child explores her environment, thereby expanding her catalogue of experience. When the child explores, she discovers. A wonderful cycle of learning is driven by the pleasure in play. A child is curious; she explores and discovers. The discovery brings pleasure; the pleasure leads to repetition and practice. Practice brings mastery; mastery brings the pleasure and confidence to once again act on curiosity. All learning -- emotional, social, motor and cognitive -- is accelerated and facilitated by repetition fueled by the pleasure of play.

What I also liked was the figure showing the hierarchical development of the human brain. The brain, the authors explain, "organizes and grows in a sequential fashion, starting from the lowest, most regulatory regions of the brain and proceeding up through the more complex parts of the brain responsible for more complex functions." In the figure, we can see that the lowest region of the brain is the brainstem -- with peek-a-boo and tactile play needed to establish state regulation. Above that is the midbrain -- with large-motor, fine motor and music activities necessary to incorporate the somato-sensory integration.

Take a look at the whole article. If you're a parent who wants to better understand why play matters, this is a great place to start. If you're an educator in need of information to help you advocate for play, this piece is what you need!

Jumping for Joy

Yesterday I received word that my latest book, Jump into Literacy: Active Learning for Preschool Children, has won two awards! I'm thrilled, of course, about the recognition. But more than that, I'm thrilled by the recognition that this book serves a valuable purpose!

Let me explain: With so much emphasis on academics and accountability making its way down to even the preschool level, seatwork has become more and more prevalent for the little guys. Early childhood professionals were telling me -- far too often -- "We don't have time for movement anymore; we've got all these literacy standards to meet." And, depending on the circumstances, I would either think to myself or say out loud: But you can meet those literacy standards through movement!

After all, the research shows that

• movement is the young child's preferred mode of learning.
• lessons that are physically experienced have more immediate and longer-lasting impact.
• the integration of body systems allows for optimal learning to take place.
• the more senses used in the learning process, the more information is retained.

It only makes sense, therefore, to use movement and active learning to help children understand literacy concepts. After all, when children take on the straight and curving lines of letters with their bodies or body parts, they're acquiring the spatial orientation needed to read and write letters. When children move over, under, around, through, beside, and near objects, these prepositions take on greater significance. When children perform a "slow" walk or skip "lightly," adjectives and adverbs become much more than abstract concepts. When given a chance to demonstrate the meaning of words, the words take on greater relevance for children.

Eric Jensen labels this kind of active learning implicit, like learning to ride a bike. At the opposite end of the spectrum is explicit learning, like being told the capital of Peru. Jensen asks, if you hadn't ridden a bike in five years, would you still be able to do it? And if you hadn't heard the capital of Peru for five years, would you remember it? Explicit learning may be quicker than learning through physical experience, but the latter has greater meaning for children and stays with them longer...

Well, I could go on and on. In short, if Earlychildhood NEWS and iParenting think the book is worth an award, then maybe the movement message is getting out there after all!