March 5, 2021March 2, 2021

5 Screen-Free Activities for Kids: National Day of Unplugging

The ongoing pandemic has prevented many children from learning and playing face-to-face with their peers, leading to a big increase in screen time. Most classes and activities have transitioned to an online format—no avoiding screens there—but there are still SO many screen-free ways kids can play and learn at home. In celebration of #NationalUnpluggingDay, here are some fun, screen-free activities to help engage your child in in-person playtime!

June 15, 2020February 16, 2021

Working from Home with Kids: Summer is here! Now what?

The end of the school year is upon us. We made it through. Or did we? Usually this time of year we’re looking forward to summer fun: days for slowing down, get togethers with friends and family, camp adventures, time off, the general vacation daze ahead. But while businesses begin to reopen and life slowly returns to some semblance of “normal,” as a working parent, normal still feels a long way off.

May 11, 2020February 16, 2021

Your everyday parenting skills are what your child needs most

As the Health and Wellness Educator, I’ve been part of many conversations about how to best support children’s mental health during this difficult time. Parents, caregivers, and even educators are desperate for tips to meet the social and emotional needs of their children, who are missing their friends, teachers, extended families, and everyday freedoms. I’d like to provide an objective view on some of the tips and resources so many organizations have been sharing to help support children’s well-being during the pandemic.

April 27, 2020February 16, 2021

Working from Home with Kids: Anyone Else Freaking Out?

When you’re working from home with kids, it’s hard to separate work life and family life. I entered into this new social construct with all the optimism I could muster, for which I blame my midwestern roots. I give myself a gold star for having a mindful approach to this new unknown. My daughter and I made a schedule and brainstormed activity ideas, but unfortunately, the reality isn’t matching up to our initial sunny outlook. If you, too, are working remotely with your kids as your new coworkers, maybe you can relate.

April 21, 2020February 16, 2021

Silver Linings for STEAM Learning

As the Senior Director of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) at Boston Children’s Museum, I often find myself looking for the STEAM connections in any given situation, and these connections abound within our current global health crisis. Amid the sobering statistics and updates, there are some brilliant glimmers of hope. Here are my thoughts on some of the silver linings that this time may have on the future of STEAM education.

March 4, 2020February 16, 2021

Can We Talk?

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.