Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Institute for the Future and Lego



I live in Denmark..... I know the power of Lego.

Lego approached the Institute for the Future to conduct a report on technology and the future of kids at play. They created this video from the infographic (found here) illustrating the reports findings. Very interesting (aside from the blatant Mindstorm plug).

The City 2.0

This is very exciting. The people behind TED have created a website called The City 2.0 and rather than paraphrase, I will just directly quote their blurb from their about page.

"The City 2.0 website is a platform created to surface the myriad stories and collective actions being taken by citizens around the world. We draw on the best of what is already being discovered by urban advocates and add grassroots movers and shakers into the mix. What's emerging is a complex picture of the future city--a place more playful, more safe, more beautiful, and more healthy for everyone."

Looks like I might be joining this as well..... 

DIY

I love anything crafty and try and encourage my kids to join in as much as possible. This website is just great. DIY  is a online learning website specifically for kids and about making things.

"DIY is a community where young people become Makers. They discover new skills, make projects in the real world, and share their work online to inspire and learn from each other."


I'm going to join! Might lie about my age so I can be the maker and not the skilled person.....

Google Birdhouse Project

What a nice idea, google birdhouses....

By Shuchun Hsiao.

Via Design Milk.

Monday, January 28, 2013

A colourful Winter

Lovely photos by Florent Tanet.

Who knew fruit and veg could look so good?

Via Colossal.

Kid President



Two words.....

Awesome and Dance!

The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development

"What are the sources in children’s environments that promote early and frequent imaginative play? Research has demonstrated that parents who talk to their children regularly explaining features about nature and social issues, or who read or tell stories at bedtime seem to be most likely to foster pretend play." 
  
From an article on Psychology Today on how imaginative play is a vital component to normal child development.