The Blog of Boston Children's Museum
What are they thinking?! If you found yourself observing and wondering about what’s going on in young children’s minds – you’re not alone! Learn about MIT’s Early Childhood Cognition Lab’s research work at Boston Children’s Museum.
I was so pleased to sit down with Sherry Turkle’s thought-provoking new book, “Reclaiming Conversation.” Through her research, Turkle, an author, professor, and member of Boston Children’s Museum’s advisory board, explores in the book how quick “sips” of conversation— texts, emails, Tweets, posts, etc.—are replacing meaningful conversations, and the negative effects of this shift are becoming more and more evident. I was particularly struck by the consequences the decline in conversation is having on children.
To encourage a lifelong love of reading, books should be present in a child’s life from infancy. Reading should be considered a form of play and not simply an educational necessity. When reading becomes something one does for enjoyment, children are more likely to opt for a good book in favor of an hour on the iPad— at least every now and then.
The Power of Play 