Tagged: children

Improving ventilation in schools: a key protection against Covid-19 outbreaks and an enduring legacy for healthier learning - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Sep 10, 2021 •

• children,
• COVID-19,
• New Zealand stories,
• schools,
• ventilation

Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Julie Bennett, Dr Jin Russell, Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Leah Grout, Prof Michael Baker, and Prof Nick Wilson* As much of the country moves down Alert Levels, children are returning to in-person learning with little or no protection against the potential spread of Covid-19 infection in schools. It is therefore critical that ventilation is improved in … Read More

Taking the circus to school: How kids benefit from learning trapeze, juggling and unicycle in gym class - Hot off the press

Guest Author • Aug 06, 2021 •

• children,
• circus skills,
• physical education

Marion Cossin, Université de Montréal   Twelve public schools in Winnipeg are currently operating circus programs in physical education. Circus arts have been gaining popularity in schools around the world. Added to physical education programs, circus arts instruction not only seems to motivate children to exercise, but also has the potential to develop other abilities beyond the physical. My … Read More

Kids set free to roam on their own feel more confident navigating in adulthood - Hot off the press

Guest Author • Jul 30, 2021 •

• children,
• COVID-19,
• navigating,
• roaming

Vanessa Vieites, Rutgers University   The distance from home that kids are allowed to roam and play has shrunk significantly over the last 50 years. That’s largely due to parents’ concerns over safety, especially in cities. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has further restricted children’s independent activity. As a Ph.D. student in psychology, I studied factors … Read More

Best evidence suggests antidepressants aren’t very effective in kids and teens. What can be done instead? - Hot off the press

Guest Author • May 25, 2021 •

• adolescents,
• children,
• Depression,
• New Zealand stories

Sarah Hetrick, University of Auckland; Joanne McKenzie, Monash University; Nick Meader, University of York, and Sally Merry, University of Auckland   Even before COVID-19 lockdowns, school closures and strict social distancing, depression was on the rise in children and teenagers around the globe. By the age of 19, around 25% of adolescents are estimated to have experienced a … Read More

Time to make nature studies a compulsory school subject – before it’s too late - The Changing Climate

Guest Author • Mar 22, 2021 •

• Biodiversity,
• children,
• education,
• Environment,
• Nature

Matthew Adams, University of Brighton The UK government is reported to be seriously considering making “nature studies” a compulsory subject for all pupils. It’s a move that was recommended in the recent government-commissioned Dasgupta review, a detailed analysis of the “economics of biodiversity”. The review is long and technical, but in among the tables and statistics, there are … Read More

The demise of Project Energize in the Waikato - Guest Work

Guest Author • Feb 04, 2021 •

• children,
• Exercise,
• Health,
• nutrition,
• schools

Emeritus Professor Elaine Rush, Auckland University of Technology New Zealand is a world leader in many things, but health promotion and disease prevention, particularly for children, is not one of them. One exception is the long-running Project Energize programme in the Waikato.  Every year for the last sixteen years, Project Energize worked with up to 240 schools attended by 40,000 … Read More

The SMC Video Competition: The DREAM Study - Guest Work

Guest Author • Aug 27, 2020 •

• children,
• Diet,
• Exercise,
• Obesity,
• science communication,
• sleep,
• video competition

Recently, the Science Media Centre ran the first round of its 2020 SAVVY Video Competition for science researchers. With twelve entries, ranging from infant nutrition to the science of bell-ringing, we judges were incredibly impressed by the creativity and quality of submissions. This week, we’re featuring the work of runner-up prize winner, Dr Cherie Stayner. Introducing the Diet, … Read More

Lockdown: the effect on children’s learning and wellbeing - COVID-19

Guest Author • May 12, 2020 •

• children,
• coronavirus,
• COVID-19,
• lockdown,
• Pandemic,
• school

Ron Crawford Lockdown hasn’t seemed too bad. I’m well set up to work from home, it’s been easy for me to take a walk on our nearby beach, and the weather has been mostly calm and sunny. Beach bubble – James Soligo I’ve noticed many families enjoying the opportunity to spend time together over the last few weeks – here … Read More

Helpful tips for parents during lockdown - COVID-19

Guest Author • Apr 02, 2020 •

• child development,
• children,
• coronavirus,
• COVID-19,
• quarantine

Dr Kirsty Ross Children and young people can respond differently in times of distress. This also varies by age and developmental stage, with younger children having more magical and imaginative thinking, and older children having more awareness and knowledge of the issues our communities are facing (which brings up a lot of emotions for them). So, depending … Read More

The physics of maiming a child (repost because of “those” scooters) - Kidney Punch

John Pickering • Oct 26, 2018 •

• children,
• footpath,
• lime scooter,
• mobility scooter,
• physics,
• scooter

Dear Driver, When you backed out of a driveway and did not even see how I swerved around behind your car to avoid T-boning you, how dare you have the temerity to tell me you were careful!  I was 7 feet tall, dressed in bright yellow and traveling at no more than 10 km/h.  Perhaps a simple lesson in physics … Read More