Childhood and adolescence

A young girl in a pink hoodie lit by a phone screen, lying on a bed in a dimly lit room at night.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA

The kids forgotten by calls to ban phones

Campaigns calling for smartphone-free childhoods might be well meaning, but the choice is not so simple for all families

by Alice Gregory

A young boy smiling, resting his chin on his hands, looking at a marshmallow on a table.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

What the marshmallow test got wrong about child psychology

Self-control, grit, growth mindset – trendy skills won’t transform children’s lives, but more meaningful interventions can

by Tyler W Watts

Illustration of an elderly person in a chair holding a baby touching the child’s finger.
CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE

Humans are uniquely reliant on caregivers. This isn’t a weakness, but a wondrous gift

Video by Aeon

Shadow of a person on crumpled paper in dark setting photo.
TRAUMA AND PTSD

Sent to boarding school, a boy conjures up a friend to soothe his distress

A film by Tony Gammidge

Photo of a young girl in a classroom holding a book with a calendar page, wearing a floral dress and hair accessories.
COMPASSION AND EMPATHY

How do we start learning to ‘read’ other people’s minds?

Studies of young children give us insight into the building blocks of an ability that most of us use every day

by Josephine Ross & Martin Doherty

A child in a yellow shirt and red shorts pushing a tire uphill on a steep, gravelly incline against a clear sky backdrop.
PLAY

A cobalt mine becomes an unlikely playground for children in Congo

A film by Francis Alÿs

Photo of young people sitting on a stone ledge outside a historic building, some using phones, with trees and red phone boxes.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA

Why teenagers are deliberately seeking brain rot on TikTok

Talking to teens reveals a hidden sophistication to their media use. Rather than policing it, maybe we could learn from it

by Emilie Owens

Photo of a young girl doing homework at a table with adult guidance, holding a pencil over an open notebook.
PARENTING AND FAMILIES
8

Why are tiger parents willing to trade love for success?

Growing up under tiger parenting, I’ve seen that pushing a child to succeed often fails – and isn’t worth the emotional cost

by Louis Li

Photo of two people sitting on a rock by a stream surrounded by greenery, one with an arm around the other.
NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Rewilding attachment theory by recognising Earth as a caregiver

We are raised by people, but we are also raised by the Earth – here’s what that means for our emotional development

by Vanessa Chakour

Black and white photo of a child watching large fish swim in an aquarium tank illuminated by beams of light.
TRANSCENDENT EXPERIENCE
5

To thrive, children need to experience awe – and you can help

Alongside love, sleep and play, awe is precious for children. There are small, everyday ways to make it a part of their lives

by Artemisia O’bi & Fan Yang

Photo of a child in green on a motorcycle with an adult’s tattooed arms holding the handlebars.
PERSONALITY

How babies’ and children’s temperament varies around the world

International research reveals intriguing regional differences in temperament – the infant precursor to adult personality

by Matt Huston

Photo of two children visiting Santa Claus in a festive setting with Christmas trees and decorations.
CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE
7

At what point does the Santa myth become a harmful deception?

Exactly when and how children discover they’ve been duped makes an important difference to the revelatory experience

by Shayla Love

Photo of two children sitting on steps in front of a brick house with a bright yellow door, one wearing a hat.
CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE
6

How to support kids to be brave

The desire to protect kids from uncomfortable situations is natural. But they need your help to grow into the unknown

by Sarah Rose Cavanagh

Three girls dancing in a bedroom; one on a bed in blue outfit, others on the floor wearing casual clothes. The room has pink curtains and a blue lamp.
LIFE STAGES

A nostalgic ode to being 15, fearless and in love with the world

Directed by Celia Willis

Photo of children in a classroom interacting with a teacher, sitting at a table with a board game.
LEARNING AND EDUCATION

This is how to nurture curiosity in children (and yourself)

The curiosity that comes naturally to babies and young children can soon wilt – but there are ways to help it grow

by Shayla Love