Inspiring Mobile Apps for Youth Mental Health from Child Mind Institute Research Assistants

May 16th was the final presentation and judging for the Mobile App Development Competition from the Child Mind Institute’s MATTER Lab and Healthy Brain Network. The competition saw the development of new and helpful mobile apps for youth mental health read more

X Best Shows to Stimulate Your Child's Brain

The old attitudes of TV melting kids' brains are a thing of the past. While parents should always control their young one's screen time, there are plenty of fantastic Apple TV kids shows for them to enjoy! Marrying entertainment and education, these shows can teach your youngster important lessons and essential skills that further their development.

Not sure what programs you should let your kid watch? We have you covered!

Teletubbies

Teletubbies is a top-rated show with a knack for capturing young imaginations. It's a whimsical program full of quirky characters with distinct personalities. While not based in reality, the program receives praise for its ability to teach empathy and help youngsters connect with their emotions.

Turn the show on, and it won't be long until your child is laughing along!

Dora the Explorer

Here's a program that's perfect for keeping your child engaged. Dora is a cartoon adventurer. Along with her monkey sidekick, backpack, and talking map, she journeys through a magical land solving puzzles and getting over obstacles.

The unique thing about this show is that it's all about audience participation. The characters speak to children through the screen, encouraging them to respond, dance, and emote.

Sesame Street

Who doesn't love Sesame Street? There's a good chance you grew up with this show! It's full of iconic puppet characters who help your child learn everything from colors to counting!

There's a reason why this show is one of the longest-running in TV history. It's beloved by kids and parents alike!

Barney and Friends

Barney and Friends is one of the most popular Apple TV kids Shows, and it's not hard to see why! The lovable purple dinosaur and his mascot pals interact with real child actors. Together they play games, tell stories, and learn about the beauty of friendship.

Shows That Benefit Your Child

There are plenty of mindless shows on the air today. But these programs can stimulate your kid's minds and keep them entertained. They make learning fun and can become a memorable part of your kid's childhood.

Read a similar article about Roku kids channels here at this page.

How Listening to Music Impacts Your Child's Brain Development

Music has unmeasurable power in the lives of humans. It tells stories, evokes emotions, and helps people worldwide connect with a shared experience.

Believe it or not, music can also impact your child's brain development! In this blog, we'll tell you how!

Music and Spatial Awareness

Did you know that classical music triggers the same neural pathways that you use for spatial reasoning? It's a unique phenomenon that you can test yourself. Try turning on some classical music while doing a puzzle! You should be able to get it done quickly and efficiently.

Kids have a lot to gain from listening to classical music early on. It can boost their ability to complete any spatial task. That includes activities requiring movement, memorization, colors, locations, and more.

The Magic of Classical Music

Listening to any type of music can help develop different learning skills. That includes current Top 40 radio and Super Simple Songs music videos. But classical music seems to have the most impact. It's the go-to for strengthening spatial reasoning skills.

Children who learn how to play an instrument can develop new neural pathways in the brain. Not only does it help with spatial awareness and reasoning, but it can help expand creative thinking, motor skills, and more.

Classical music has a more complex structure than most other genres. Its inherent intricacy helps the brain pick up on subtle nuances that can improve many areas of brain development.

Language and Rhythm

There are many ways to expose your young one to music. You can turn on Super Simple Songs music videos or play works by Mozart or Beethoven as they sleep.

You can even consider singing to your child. Singing can help your child learn language and rhythm. Kids can identify patterns in songs, eventually learning to repeat them.

Meanwhile, songs with words can help them understand word pronunciations. Some experts think that music can encourage infants to speak sooner.

Turn Up the Radio

It's never too late to let the music play! Music can become a valuable part of their life that contributes to brain development and inspiration in the future.

Read a similar article about the singing walrus videos here at this page.

The Importance of Laughter in a Child's Life

There's nothing better than a young child's laugh. It's like music to a parent's ears! Whether your youngster starts cracking up because of the Aquabats videos or a silly face you made, those giggles are valuable.

Laughter is beneficial to your kid's mental well-being. Not only that, but it contributes to their overall development.

Managing Emotions

The most significant benefit of laughing is the effect on emotions. Children can be little bundles of unpredictability. One moment they might be happy and calm. But in an instant, they're wailing and crying their eyes out!

Laughter helps to diffuse tension and manages stress levels. As they grow older, laughing can stave off depression, anxiety, and other mental problems you want to avoid.

It's not just hearsay, either. Laughter releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones you want your child to have.

Physical Fortitude

Believe it or not, laughing also boosts a child's physical health! We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine. But in a child's case, there's some truth to that!

Experts say that laughter can improve sleep, reduce stress hormones, improve oxygen intake, relax the muscles, and reenergize the body. All of that plus more can happen from a simple giggle fit!

Building Bonds

Laughter can do wonders to help your child socialize, too. Think about how your kid reacts in a group setting. There's a good chance they gravitate towards the people they can laugh with the most!

When two kids lose it watching the Aquabats videos, they automatically establish a shared interest. They have similar senses of humor and will likely have tons of fun together.

Laughter is a universal language. It doesn't matter if your child's friend shares any other similarities. If they can laugh together, that's a bond worth cherishing!

Keep the Laughs Coming

Those are just a few reasons laughter is so crucial to a child's development. Keep your little tyke's fun-loving demeanor as intact as possible. Life is full of unpredictable turns, so cherish that innocent laughter and do what you can to keep your child happy!

Read a similar article about Molang videos here at this page.

What Were the First Hot Wheels Cars?

Hot Wheels is one of the most recognized and beloved toy brands around! These tiny diecast cars are enjoyed by kids and adults alike and lend themselves well to creative stunts and imaginative play. Just look at Hot Wheels videos to see the amazing things people do with them!

But how did Hot Wheels start, and what cars made the brand what it is today? Read on to find out!

The Start of the Hot Wheels Craze

The very first line of Hot Wheels cars came out in 1968. The toys are the brainchild of Elliot Handler, the co-founder of the toy company Mattel.

Toy cars were nothing new when Hot Wheels came out. But Mattel developed game-changing innovations that would forever change the face of diecast toys. The most notable? That would be the low-friction wheels and axels.

Strategic engineering led to the creation of both cars and tracks. The unique design of Hot Wheels Cars lets them roll smoothly along the orange tracks at a staggering 200 scale miles per hour! That was unheard of at the time and continues to be one of Hot Wheels Biggest selling points.

The Original Lineup

The first line of Hot Wheels cars in 1968 had 16 models. The toy product numbers ranged from 6205 to 6220. The cars included:

• Custom Cougar
• Custom Mustang
• Custom T-Bird
• Custom Camero
• Silhouette
• Deora
• Custom Barracuda
• Custom Firebird
• Custom Fleetside
• Ford J-Car
• Custom Corvette
• Python
• Beatnik Bandit
• Custom El Dorado
• Hot Heap
• Custom Volkswagen Cheetah

As you can imagine, these cars fetch a pretty penny on the secondary market. They're highly sought-after by collectors.

Mattel continued to release cars after existing real-world vehicles, futuristic concepts, and even rides from film and TV. However, these 16 were the cars that started it all!

A Continuing Legacy

The Hot Wheels line is still going strong to this day! Hot Wheels videos are more popular than ever, garnering millions of views as people relive their childhoods and watch creative players complete amazing feats. With a continued dedication to creating high-quality toys, the future is bright for Hot Wheels!

Read a similar article about educational shows for kids here at this page.

Why Watch TV With Your Tween Or Teen

Teens are now watching “TV” on their phones, iPads, and computers as well as TVs. This can make it hard for parents to know what exactly their teen is watching. They may be watching shows you don’t approve of. But when parents make the effort to watch with their tween or teen, it can have big benefits for both of you read more

Five Effective Ways to Foster Emotional Skills in Your Child

In the not too distant past, mental health was a taboo subject — for both kids and adults. Thankfully, results from social and scientific studies have turned the damaging tide. Today’s parents and teachers understand that promoting mental health and emotional skills is as vital as physical and educational pursuits.

With that in mind, today, we’re exploring five effective ways to foster emotional skills in your child.

Use Children’s Books and Videos

Children’s books introduce the concept of emotions to kids. They help little people learn how to respond when they become overwhelmed by feelings. Streaming options, like Max Steel videos, which teach kids the importance of emotional connections and health, are also available.

Coach on the Spot

If you see something, say something! When children behave in concerning ways, immediately address the situation and lovingly explain what they could do better and why. Yelling is rarely effective. After all, they’re still learning how to be humans.

Give Appropriate Praise

Conversely, when you notice your child going the extra mile to be kind, generous, or sensitive to another person’s emotions, lather on the praise. Positive reinforcement drives home the importance of prioritizing mental health awareness in ourselves and others.

Model Appropriate Behavior

Kids mimic the behavior of friends, teachers, and especially parents. What you say and do at home on Sunday night will find its way to the playground on Monday afternoon. So be mindful about how you act around the children, and try to model healthy behavior related to emotional well being.

Be Loving — Even on Bad Days

Perhaps the most important thing to remember, though, is that kids are unformed sponges. So try not to blow up when they do something wrong. Instead, take a deep breath and calmly explain what went awry and why. In other words, be gentle and loving even in the face of adversity. When the teenage years roll around, there will be plenty of time to punish unacceptable actions. With preschoolers, focus on the teaching.

Well-adjusted children with compassionate attitudes toward emotional health will likely go on to forge deep, meaningful friendships and be a positive force in the world. So get started early and start watching Max Steel videos or commit to being a role model on mindfulness and thoughtfulness lessons!

Read a similar article about kids TV show app here at this page.