Slow News

More and more news is coming out about the benefits of free play, outdoor play, slow food, slowing down, un-scheduling, work-life balance, family togetherness, and community spaces and bonds. I try to compile the best. See some interesting Slow News? Please share it with us.

The New Preschool is Crushing Kids, Erika Christakis, Atlantic, 1/16

Protect Your Child’s PDF: Playtime, Downtime and Family Time, K.J. Dell’Antonia, New York Times, 1/4/16

Eight More Ways to Say “No”, Christine Carter, 1/4/16

Is the Drive for Success Making our Children Sick?, Vicki Abeles, New York Times, 1/2/16

Electronic Baby Toys Associated with Decrease in Quality and Quantity of Language in Infants, Neuroscience News, 12/31/15

Preschool Without Walls, Lillian Mongeau, New York Times, 12/29/15

Why It’s Better to Give Experiences, Not Things, Adele Peters, Fast CoExist, 12/18/15

You’ll Wish You Did This Instead of Black Friday Shopping, Katherine Fung, Oprah.com, 11/27/15

How Twisted Early Childhood Education has Become – from a child development expert, Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, 11/24/15

School Start Times are Too Early, and It’s Harmful to Kids, CDC Warns, Maggie Fox, Today, 8/7/15

Allow Children to Roam Outdoors, Wendy Cox, Dayton Parent, 6/1/15

Preschoolers are More Likely to Sit Around at School, K.J. Dell’Antonia, New York Times, 5/27/15

Free-Range Kids: The Upside of Relaxed Parenting, Martha Ross, San Jose Mercury News, 5/27/15

Out of the Classroom and Into the Woods, Emily Hanford, NPR, 5/26/15

Let the Kids Learn Through Play, David Kohn, New York Times, 5/16/15

How Slow Can You Go? Moving Smart Now, 4/23/15

8 Science-Backed Reasons for Letting Your Kids Play Outdoors, Edward Shepard, Parent.Co, 4/18/15

The Role of Risk in Play and Learning, Joan Almon, Community Playthings, 4/15

We Live in an Age of Irrational Parenting, Jennifer Senior, Science of Us, 3/13/15

Is Your First Grader College Ready?, Laura Pappano, New York Times, 2/4/15

In Praise of Pootling, Tom Hodgkinson, UK Telegraph, 2/4/15

Mindfulness Exercises Improve Kids’ Math Scores, Mandy Oaklander, TIME, 1/26/15

The Best Way to Support Your Child’s Development? Let Them Lead the Way, Sara Smeaton, Canada Globe and Mail, 1/21/15

Ours the Last Generation to Play Outside?, Tim Martin, Eureka Times Standard, 1/17/15

Parents Investigated for Neglect After Letting Kids Walk Home Alone, Donna St. George, Washington Post, 1/14/15

Oxford Junior Dictionary’s Replacement of ‘Natural’ Words with 21st-century Terms Sparks Outcry, The U.K. Guardian, 1/13/15

Making Your Kid Play Organized Sports Could Cost Them Their Creativity, Matthew Bowers, Quartz, 12/28/14

The Great Fear of the Great Outdoors, Gary Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 12/19/14

Focus on Play in Kindergarten May Improve Grades Later On, Kathryn Doyle, Huffington Post Parents, 11/17/14

The Disease of Being Busy, Omid Safi, On Being, 11/6/14

Don’t Hurry, Be Happy, Shikha Shah, Times of India, 10/28/14

Three Ways to Close the ‘Play Gap’ Between Rich and Poor Kids, Jordan Shapiro, Forbes, 10/24/14

In Praise of Middle of the Road Parenting, Audrey D. Brashich, Washington Post, 10/22/14

The Building Blocks of a Good Pre-K, Shael Polakow-Saransky and Nancy Nager, New York Times, 10/21/14

The Only Time of Day Kids Think Parents Will Put Down Their Cell Phones, Rebecca Adams, Huffington Post Parents, 10/13/14

A Cure for Hyper Parenting, Pamela Druckerman, New York Times, 10/12/14

Buy Experiences, Not Things, James Hamblin, The Atlantic, 10/7/14

Why Daydreaming is Critical to Effective Learning, Katrina Schwartz, KQED MindShift, 10/6/14

Harvard, Schmarvard: Why Getting Your Kids Into College Should be the Least of Your Concerns, Michelle Rose Gilman, Huffington Post Parents, 9/28/14

Study: Hiking Makes Your Happier, Lauren Steele, Outside, 9/25/14

CPS Called on Mom for Letting Child Play Outside, Woman’s Day, 9/19/14

Keeping Heirloom Apples Alive Is ‘Like A Chain Letter’ Over Many Centuries, Melissa Block, NPR, 9/19/14

Parenting Fail: The Root Cause of So Many Distressed Kids, Tim Elmore, Huffington Post Parents, 9/10/14

Steve Jobs was a Low-Tech Parent, Nick Bilton, New York Times, 9/10/14

Are Today’s Kids Overprotected?, KQED, 9/5/14

Skip the Instagram and Enjoy Being in the Moment With Your Family, Jenny Rapson, Together Counts, 9/4/14

Is Summer Different Now? New York Times, 8/16/14

When Sports and Family Time Conflict, Speak Up, K.J. Dell’Antonia, New York Times, 8/15/14

Why has U.S. Academic Success Dropped? The answer may be on the playground, Eric Schulzke, Deseret News, 8/10/14

Hit the Reset Button on Your Brain, Daniel J. Levitin, New York Times, 8/9/14

How Play Wires Brains for Social and Academic Success, KQED MindShift, 8/7/14

Scientists Say Child’s Play Helps Build a Better Brain, NPR, 8/6/14

Go Take a Hike!, Nicholas Kristof, New York Times, 8/2/14

How Minimalism Helps Bring the Family Closer Together, Raising Minimalism, 7/30/14

All Played Out, Ron J. Turker, New York Times, 7/27/14

No Time to Think, Kate Murphy, New York Times, 7/25/14

Banish the Playdate, Chris Bernholdt, Huffington Post Parents, 7/24/14

3 Words I Wish All Parents Would Remember, Michele Gilman, Huffington Post Parents, 7/24/14

Are Gadgets Ruining Summer Family Time and Stopping Kids From Playing Outdoors?, Local London, 7/24/14

Shinrin Yoku: The Japanese Practice That Could Transform Your Day, Nicole Frehsee, Huffington Post OWN, 7/23/14

8 Ways to Teach Mindfulness to Kids, Sarah Rudell Beach, Huffington Post Third Metric, 7/23/14

This 3-Year-Old Spends Every Day With His 89-Year-Old Best Friend, Sarah Barness, Huffington Post, 7/10/14

Let ‘Em Eat Dirt, Timothy Egan, New York Times, 7/10/14

10 Habits You Should Pick Up From Your Grandmother, Melissa Breyer, Mother Nature Network, 7/9/14

Why So Many Kids Can’t Sit Still in School Today, Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, 7/8/14

Most Men Would Rather Shock Themselves Than Be Alone With Their Thoughts, Rachel Feltman, Washington Post, 7/3/14

Can Free Play Prevent Depression and Anxiety in Kids?, Katrina Schwartz, KQED MindShift, 6/29/14

Why Free Play is the Best Summer School, Jessica Lahey, The Atlantic, 6/20/14

Kids Whose Time is Less Structured are Better Able to Meet Their Own Goals, University of Colorado, Boulder, 6/19/14

Less-Structured Time in Children’s Daily Lives Predicts Self-Directed Executive Functioning, Frontiers in Psychology, 6/17/14

Specializing in Sport Could Fast-Track Your Kids to the Hospital, Stephanie Rogers, Active for Life, 6/11/14

Sweat Shop Kindergarten: It’s Maddening, Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, 6/8/14

Kids Need Outdoor Play, Not Just Sports, Say Experts, Lauren La Rose, The Canadian Press, 6/3/14

Let Kids Run Wild in the Woods, Emma Marris, Slate, 5/25/14

The Value of Unstructured Play Time for Kids, Tom Jacobs, Pacific Standard, 5/9/14

Soccer Practice, or Else!, KJ Dell’Antonia and Bruce Feiler, New York Times, 5/5/14

Do Our Kids Get Off Too Easy?, Alfie Kohn, New York Times, 5/3/14

Has Technology Killed Downtime?, Nancy Collier, Psychology Today, 3/31/14

The Overprotected Kid, Hanna Rosin, Atlantic, 3/19/14

About 3.5 hours of homework a day for high schoolers? That’s too much, Los Angeles Times Opinion, 3/1/14

Stressed Out America: 5 Reasons to Let Your Kids Play, Katie Hurley, Huffington Post Parents, 2/28/14

Summer Camp is the Social Supplement for Modern Society, Andy Pritikin and Peg Smith, Atlanticville, 2/20/14

Want Your Child to be a Success? Quit Scheduling and Let Them Play Freely, Dr. David Whitebread, UK Telegraph, 2/17/14

The Benefits of Digging in the Dirt, Laura Wright Treadway, OnEarth, 2/12/14

School Ditches Rules and Loses Bullies, TVNZ, 1/26/14

7 Crippling Behaviors That Keep Children From Growing Into Leaders, Kathy Caprino, Forbes, 1/16/14

Slow Parenting, Kim Knull, CBC Radio, 1/14/14

When Preventing Hinders Parenting, Tim Elmore, Huffington Post Parents, 1/14/14

PJs, Cheerios and Saturday Mornings, Mechele Pruitt, Parents Place, 1/13/14

Give Childhood Back to Children, Peter Gray, UK Independent, 1/12/14

Nine Ways to Enjoy Nature in Winter, Susan Sachs Lipman, Parents Place, 1/6/14

Overscheduled Kids, Shelley Hawes Pate, Dallas Child, 1/14

7 Things Americans Can Learn from Italians, Lisa Miller, Huffington Post Travel, 12/28/13

Parents are Buying their Kids all the Wrong Toys, Jenn Choi, Quartz, 12/11/13

Beyond Thanksgiving: How to Cultivate Gratitude in our Families, Susan Sachs Lipman. Parents Place, 12/3/13

The Kids Don’t Play Anymore, Margaret Wente, The Globe and Mail, 11/16/13

Create Meaningful Holidays and Minimize Stress, Bonnie Romanow, Parents Place, 11/11/13

Do YOU Play?, Elizabeth Rieke, Center for Childhood Creativity, 11/8/13

When Toys “R” Us Pits Toys Against Nature, the Children and Nature Movement Wins, Suz Lipman, New Nature Movement, 11/7/13

Celebrating Seasons Helps Promote Family Bonding, Susan Sachs Lipman. Parents Place, 10/7/13

Is Walking to School the Secret to Success? Kerry Crisley, The Nature Conservancy, 10/3/13

12 (Not So) Surprising Benefits of Play, Michelle Borba, MichelleBorba.com, 10/1/13

Autumn and the Outdoors: Experiencing Nature’s Benefit with your Children, Suz Lipman. Center for Childhood Creativity, 9/23/13

It’s Time to Get Back to Nature at Summer Camp, Richard Louv, New York Times, 9/13/13

I Forgot my Phone, My Science Academy, 8/25/13

Nine Life Lessons Learned from Playing with Legos, Brian Gresko, Babble, 8/16/13,

Parents, Back Off and Give Your Kids Some Space, Barbara Ellen, The Observer, 8/3/13

The Long, Lazy Days of Summer: The Importance of Downtime for Children, Mechele Pruitt, Parents Place, 6/17/13

The Driving Boom is Over, Charles Marohn, Strong Towns, 5/14/13

Have American Parents Got it All Backwards?, Christine Gross-Loh, Huffington Post, 5/7/13

Slow Down and Parent: Authors Offer Tips on Minimalist Parenting, Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman. 4/12/13

Researcher’s Theory Explains Everything About How Americans Parent, Nicholas Day, Slate, 4/10/13

The Real Problem with Education, Peter Gray, AlterNet, 4/8/13

Why Fewer Toys Will Benefit Your Kids, Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist, 4/14

Lessons Found in the Mud, Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 3/29/13

Know When to Hold ‘Em, Making Family Time Work for Teens, Bernadette Noll, New York Times, 3/25/13

Children Should be Allowed to Get Bored, Expert Says, Hannah Richardson, BBV, 3/22/13

10 Ways to Play with Your Child When Play is the Last Thing on Your Mind, Little Hearts Books, 3/16/13

Overscheduled Kids, Anxious Parents, Josh Levs, CNN.com, 3/8/13

The Decline of Communities Could Explain America’s Health Problem, Lindsay Abrams, Atlantic Cities, 3/6/13

British Children Babied by Intrusive Parents, Says MP, BBC News, 3/2/13

12 Ways to be a Less Distracted Parent, Bonnie Harris, Christian Science Monitor, 3/13

The Politics of Play, Jay Griffiths, Orion Magazine, 3/13

Rx Nature: The Value of Free Time and Play, Lawrence Rosen, Deirdre Imus Institute, 2/13

Bike Lanes Key to Success of Austin Subdivision, People for Bikes, 2/27/13

What We Lose When Kids Can’t Play in their Own Streets, Sarah Goodyear, Atlantic Cities, 2/25/13

14 Things Successful People do on Weekends, Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes, 2/22/13

10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play, NAEYC, 2/20/13

Gym Class Isn’t Just Fun and Games Anymore, Motoko Rich, New York Times, 2/19/13

How Free Play Can Define Kids’ Success, Katrina Schwartz, KQED, 2/15/13

Relax, You’ll be More Productive, Tony Schwartz, New York Times, 2/10/13

Lack of Outdoor Play Spaces for Children over Last 40 Years Highly Regrettable, Richard Howard, Daynurseries.co.uk, 2/7/13

Why Parents Need to Let their Children Fail, Jessica Lahey, The Atlantic, 1/29/13

Tear Down the Swingsets. Here’s How Put the Play Back in Playgrounds, Nicholas Day, Slate, 1/28/13

Six Year Olds Need to Play More than They Need to Spell, Susie Steiner, UK Guardian, 1/28/13

“Car Children” Learn Less in School, Davis Enterprise, 1/25/13

Children’s Play Spaces Becoming Increasingly Artificial, Penny Wilson, Science Daily/ International Journal of Play, 1/24/13

The Sorry State of Neighborhood Design in America, Rethinking Childhood, 1/22/13

Top 10 Skills Children Learn from the Arts, Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, 1/22/13

Play at School: Recess, and These Games, Boost Child Development, Susan Sachs Lipman, Christian Science Monitor, 1/11/13

To Prevent Injuries, Young Athletes May Need to Play More Just For Fun, Loyola University Health System, 1/11/13

Couple Fined for Having Urban Vegetable Garden, Stephanie Hanes, Christian Science Monitor, 1/9/13

A Public Fruit Park Opens in L.A., Sustainable Cities Collective, 1/7/13

Eva Restaurant Cellphone Discount Gives Los Angeles Patrons Five Percent Off for Surrendering Phone, Hayley Hudson, Huffington Post, 1/3/13

American Academy of Pediatrics: All Work and No Play Bad for Kids. Kids Need Recess, Cole Petrochko, Med Page Today, 1/2/13

Silencing the Smartphone, Tanya Mohn, New York Times, 12/31/12

Help Your Child March to Their Own Beat, Kidspot, Australia, 12/13/12

How to Slow Down as a Busy Parent, Amy Taylor-Kabbaz, Well Being, 11/26/12

The Quiet Ones, Tim Kreider, New York Times, 11/18/12

Reflections on the Connections Between the Sacred, Sacrifice and Sabbbath, Tim Darst and Mark Steiner, Courier-Journal, 10/23/12

Exhaustion is Not a Status Symbol, Lillian Cunningham, Washington Post, 10/3/12

That’s Slow Biz, Cara Mae Skin Care, 9/27/12

As Children’s Freedom has Declined, So has Their Creativity, Peter Gray, Psychology Today, 9/17/12

Is Technology Sapping Children’s Creativity, Valerie Strauss, Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Washington Post, 9/13/12

Family Dinner Night: Montclair Schools Clear Calendar, Shelley Emling, Montclair Patch, 9/10/12

Creativity Predicts a Longer Life, Scientific American, 9/9/12

Got Good Parenting? It’s Not Just About Breast Milk or Extracurricular Activities, Polly Palumbo, Psychology Today, 8/29/12

Going on a Techno Fast: Taking a Break from the Virtual World, Richard Louv, The New Nature Movement, 8/15/12

Slow Reading and Recovering Local Cultures of the Book, C. Christoper Smith, Huffington Post, 8/10/12

Old Fashioned Children’s Games Endangered, Yahoo Lifestyle U.K, Ireland, 8/3/12

Advanced Pressure: High School Students are Working Overtime to Take AP Classes. But is it even worth it?, Martha Ross, Diablo, 8/12

America is Safer than Ever, So Why Are Parents so Scared?, Megan Rosker, Huffington Post Parents, 7/30/12

The Rat Race of Childhood: Why We Need to Balance Students’ Lives, Vicki Abeles, Washington Post, 7/20/12

Why Alone Time is So Important for Kids, Peggy Drexler, Huffington Post, 7/17/12

But .. Isn’t it Dangerous? Reward and Risk in Nature Play, Ken Finch, Green Hearts, 7/17/12

First the Children, John M. Eger, Huffington Post, 7/14/12

Whatever Happened to Slow Mellow Summertime?, Parent to Parent, Tracy Ormsbee, Albany Times-Union, 7/13/12

To Find Fields to Farm in New York City, Just Look Up, Lisa W. Foderaro, New York Times, 7/11/12

Let the Children Play: It’s Good for Them, Alison Gopnik, Smithsonian, 7/12

The Busy Trap, Tim Kreider, New York Times, 6/30/12

Dialog: How Children Play, New York Times, 6/30/12

Vacation Sabotage: Don’t Let it Happen to You, Matt Richtel, New York Times, 6/29/12

Vacation is Necessary, Starre Vartan, Mother Nature Network, 6/22/12

Gardener Sues Tulsa for Cutting Down Her Edible Garden, Trehugger, 6/18/12

Pre-School Graduation: Sad Symptom of Accelerated Childhood, Susan Sachs Lipman, Christian Science Monitor, 6/5/12

Slow Down and Enjoy Life, Jacqui Mott, Herald Sun, Australia, 6/2/12

Why Daydreaming Isn’t a Waste of Time, Annie Murphy Paul, KQED MindShift, 6/1/12

When One Special Day Grows to a Marathon of Wedding Fetes, Is It Too Much?, Washington Post, 6/1/12

It’s a Kid’s Job: Playing Helps Kids Learn and Grow, NIH News in Health, 6/12

Play Supports Early Brain Development in Impressive Ways, Urban Child Institute, 6/12

Now Coveted: A Walkable, Convenient Place, New York Times, 5/25/12

10 Ways to Create Community Where You Live, Ross Chapin, Pocket Neighborhoods, 5/24/12

Introducing Children to the Sources of Food, New York Times, 5/11/12

Last Child in the Street?, Rethinking Childhood, 5/10/12

Campaigns to Get Children Outdoors Make Progress, Children & Nature Network, 5/10/12

Kids Who are Driven Everywhere Don’t Know Where They’re Going, Sarah Goodyear, Atlantic Cities, 5/7/12

Why Kids Need to Play in the Street, Sarah Goodyear. Atlantic Cities, 5/1/12

What’s Lost When Kids Don’t Ride Bikes to School? NPR, 5/2/12

Is Traffic Making us Lonely?, Atlantic Cities, 4/26/12

Ban Homework Before Third Grade; Support Children’s Play, Christian Science Monitor, 4/24/12

Researchers Find Time in Wild Boosts Creativity, Insight and Problem Solving, University of Kansas, 4/23/12

At Urban L.A. School, Nature Grows, and so do Test Scores, L.A. Times, 4/16/12

A Curbside Food Forest Grows in South L.A., Mother Nature Network, 4/13/12

U.K. National Trust: 50 Things to Do Before You’re 11 3/4,U.K. Telegraph, 4/13/12

Opening the Door to Outdoor Play, Washington Post, 4/11/12

Why Americans are Afraid to Take a Vacation, Mother Nature Network, 4/10/12

Why Kids Need Recess and Exercise, C&NN Health, 4/3/12

Why are Parents Less Likely to Take Little Girls Outside to Play?, Time, 4/3/12

Nearly Half of Preschoolers Not Playing Outside Daily, CNN Health, 4/2/12

Nature Deficit Disorder Gaining Wider Acceptance, Earth Day Network, 4/2/12

Helicopter Moms Hover Over Kids’ Romantic Lives, ABC News, 4/2/12

The True Cost of Unwalkable Streets, Atlantic Cities, 3/28/12

Is Street Play Coming Back into Fashion?, Rethinking Childhood, 3/28/12

Aggressive ‘Helicopter’ Parents Force Egg Hunt Cancellation, AP/USA Today, 3/26/12

A Slow-Books Manifesto, Maura Kelly, The Atlantic, 3/26/12

Creating Play Spaces in Your Home, Local10.com 3/22/12

Imagine That: Fostering Creativity in the Workplace, Jonah Lehrer, NPR, 3/21/12

The Politics of Playgrounds, A History, The Atlantic, 3/14/12

How to Be Creative, Jonah Lehrer, Wall Street Journal, 3/12/12

The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development, Psychology Today, 3/6/12

We Should Prioritize Play in our Children’s Lives, Baltimore Sun, 2/29/12

Why Kids Need Recess and Exercise, Denene Millner, Parenting, 2/28/12

Conference Gets Serious About Playing, Anderson (South Carolina) Independent Mail, 2/26/12

Forest Play Aids Children’s Mediation Skills, BBC News South East Wales, 2/26/12

Should Preschoolers Have Homework?, New York Times Motherlode Blog, 2/22/12

Schoolchildren Banned From Playing Hide and Seek, Rethinking Childhood, 2/16/12

The Importance of Play, Reno News Review, 2/16/12

Parents Want Houston School District to Stop Playing with Recess, Houston Chronicle, 2/8/12

Communities Learn the Good Life Can be a Killer, Jane E. Brody, New York Times, 1/30/12

Why Urban, Educated Parents are Turning to DIY Education, Newsweek, 1/30/12

Reading is Not a Race: The Virtues of the Slow Reading Movement, Washington Post, 1/30/12

Flash Cards or Finger Paints? Should Academics or Play be the Goal of Preschool? Imagination Soup. 1/29/12

The Value of School Recess and Outdoor Play, Kaboose, 1/12

Growing Up: Free-Range Kids or Smother Mother? Time, 1/27/12

The Importance of Child’s Play, Wall Street Journal, 1/27/12

Groups Want to Make NYC Roads Child-Safe for Play, Village Voice, 1/25/12

Adults Finding Fun in Recess Games, South Charlotte News, 1/25/12

Slow Toys Debut at 2012 Toy Fair, eparent, 1/24/12

The Healing Effects of Nature on Children, Hub Pages, 1/23/12

The Games Kids No Longer Play, Christian Science Monitor, 1/22/12

Views vs. Walkability, a Shift in Real-Estate Wish Lists, Domecile (San Francisco), 1/12/12

Moving On From Zero-Risk Childhood, Rethinking Childhood, 1/11/12

Let the Preschoolers Play, Los Angeles Times, 1/9/12

Slow Parenting Let’s Kids Flourish, Advocates Say, CBC News, 1/6/12

Study Shows Preschoolers Spend too Much Time on Sedentary Activities, USA Today, 1/4/12

Playgrounds Too Safe to Keep Little Kids Active, Med Page Today, 1/4/12

Parents are the Biggest Obstacle to Letting Kids Play, Washington Post, 1/4/12

Preschoolers Need to Get a Move On, USA Today, 1/3/12

Let the Kids Play: They’ll Do Better in School, Time, 1/3/12

The Healing Power of Play, Miami Herald, 1/3/12

Just Let Them Play, Kaboom, 1/3/12

Societal Values and Policies Preschool Curtail Children’s Physical Activity American Academy of Pediatrics, 1/2/12

Resolved in 2012: Enjoy the View Without Help From an iphone, New York Times, 1/1/12

The Joy of Quiet, New York Times, 12/29/11

Poor Kids Miss Out on Playtime, Pediatricians Say, Amy Norton, Reuters, 12/28/11

From Finland, An Intriguing School Model, New York Times, 12/13/11

Smartest Toys for Kids Can Be The Simplest, USA Today, 12/12/11

Do Toddlers Really Need Computers to Learn?, USA Today, 12/12/11

Tinkertoys Trump Technology (study), Register-Guard, 12/5/11

Battling the Nature Deficit with Play, American Journal of Play, 12/11

The New Domesticity: Fun, Empowering or a Step Back for American Women?, Washington Post, 11/27/11

The Power of Play, Play Lays the Groundwork for Complex Lessons, The Missourian, 11/16/11

How Children’s Play is Being Sneakily Redefined, Washington Post, 11/16/11

Kids Learn Best Through Play, Toledo Blade, 11/13/11

Why Letting Your Kids Get Dirty Reduces the Risk of Them Getting Sick, UK Daily Mail, 11/4/11

Learning From the Word Go, EuroNews, 11/3/11

I Failed Recess .. Because I Don’t Play, Education Week, 10/25/11

All Work and No Play, Why Your Kids are Anxious and Depressed, The Atlantic, 10/12/11

Slow Family Movement Argues Less is More, USA Today, 10/9/11

Adults Play Just for Kicks, Post-Tribune, 10/4/11

Kids Need Child-Driven Play Time, KVUE.com, 9/30/11

Every Child is a Scientist, Jonah Lehrer, Wired, 9/28/11

Slow Parenting, Aleney de Winter, Well Being, 9/26/11

Less Play Time Equals More Troubled Kids, Experts Say, USA Today, 9/23/11

Judge Wages War Against Memphis Urban Gardener, Mother Nature Network, 9/20/11

Recess is Making a Comeback in Schools, New York Times, 9/17/11

Parents Who Hover Impede Kids’ Activity, Time, 9/16/11

Slow Family Living in a Fast Family Society, Playborhood, 9/9/11

Want Your Kids to Get into Harvard? Tell ‘Em To Go Outside, Richard Louv, The New Nature Movement, 8/25/11

Are Today’s Youth Less Creative and Imaginative?, Live Science, 8/12/11

Children Being Taught How to Climb Trees, UK Telegraph, 8/11/11

All School, No Play: Kids’ Learning Suffers Without Recess, Experts Say, Stephanie Pappas, Today Parenting, 8/11/11

How to Land your Kid in Therapy (the case for letting them fail) Lori Gottlieb, The Atlantic, 7-8/11

Can a Playground be Too Safe?, New York Times, 7/18/11

When S’Mores Aren’t Enough: The New Economics of Summer Camp, 7/9/11

Physicians Speak Out on the Importance of Play for Children’s Health (video) , YouTube, 6/30/11

Why Kids Explore Nature Better Than We Do, Wildlife Promise, 6/13/11

Doctors Write Park Prescriptions to Get Patients Moving, Canadian Spectator, 6/4/11

Fast-Tracking to Kindergarten?, New York Times, 5/13/11

Why Preschool Shouldn’t Be Like School, Alison Gopnik, Slate, 3/16/11

Classroom and Playground all Rolled into One, New York Times, 3/16/11

Silent Schoolyards: Recess Linked to Academic Success, Medill Reports, 3/11/11

Why Parents Should Stop Overprotecting their Kids and Let them Play: An Interview with Hara Estroff Marano and Lenore Skenazy, Journal of Play, 3/11

We Can All Afford to Slow Down: Investment Dressing Costs Less than Fast Fashion, Kelly Drennan, EcoSalon, 2/22/11

JoCo Parents Find Success in Backing Off, Kansas City Star, 2/14/11

Is Creativity the Number One Skill for the 21st Century?, Psychology Today, 2/7/11

The 5 Best Toys of All Time, Wired Magazine, 1/31/11

Movement to Restore Free Play Gains Momentum, Slow Family Online, 1/6/11

Want to Get Your Kids into College? Let Them Play, Erika Christakis and Nicholas Christakis, CNN.com, 12/29/10

How to Encourage Your Kid’s Creativity, Meryl Davids Landau, U.S. News & World Report,

Central Park Party Will Highlight Kids’ Need to Play, American Psychological Association, 9/10

Too Much TV for Kids Means Poorer Health, Lilian Presti, Los Angeles Times, 9/24/10

The Creativity Crisis, Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, Newsweek, 7/10/10

Slow Reading: An Antidote for a Fast World?, Newsweek, 6/22/10

Slow Parenting Gaining Steam: It’s About Time, Slow Family Online, 4/5/10

Children Opt for Box Over Toy, Slow Family Online, 4/6/10

If Your Kids are Awake, They’re Probably Online, Tamar Lewin, New York Times, 1/20/10

Kindergarten Tests and the Importance of Play, U.S. News & World Report, 4/7/09

Play Author Stuart Brown: Why Playtime Matters to Kids’ Health and Minds, Nancy Shute, U.S. News & World Report, 3/9/09

10 Reasons Play Can Make You Happy, Healthy and More Productive, Nancy Shute, U.S. News & World Report, 3/9/09

The Joys of Doing Nothing, Scholastic Magazine, 2009

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills, Alex Spiegel, NPR, 2/21/08

Why Kids Need a Big Dose of Nature, Adam Voiland, U.S. News & World Report, 2/13/08

The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Promoting Strong Parent-Child Bonds, Kenneth R. Ginsburg, MD, MSE, Pediatrics, 1/07

Gratitude at Work, Charles D. Kerns, Graziadio Business Review, 2006.

Childhood Revisited, the changing nature of childhood play, American Psychological Association, 3/06

In Praise of Slowness, Carl Honore, TED Talk, 7/05

How We Learn, Alison Gopnick, New York Times, 1/16/05

Creativity in Young Children, University of Missouri, Sara Gable, 2000

The Importance of Play, The Atlantic, 3/87

Photos by Susan Sachs Lipman