Comments on: Science. SCIENCE!!!!

Question: Science. SCIENCE!!!!

amanda — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:46:12 -0800

Looking for child development milestones, with an emphasis on experiments, neural processing goobles, and mad science shenanigans! Tell me what weird experiments I can conduct with my child....

I really enjoy reading about how children develop their individual cognitive processes. It's especially interesting now that I have one of my own.

Here's some recent examples from Radiolab:

• Innate Numbering, starting at minute 13 of that segment, about 2-year-olds and counting.

• Why Isn't the Sky Blue?, about when the color blue got its name historically and then the little home experiment around the 15-minute mark about when the scientist's kid finally recognized the sky as "blue."

What kind of cool "experiments" could I be running or observing in my kid?

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:51:56 -0800

The book, What's Going On In There?, gives the full rundown on the science.

By: true

true — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:02:45 -0800

The marshmallow test.

By: Soliloquy

Soliloquy — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:49:43 -0800

Teach your baby sign language.

By: zoomorphic

zoomorphic — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:52:24 -0800

I like Lise Eliot's What's Going On in There? as well as John Medina's Brain Rules for Baby. Eliot's book is much denser and science-y, which is perhaps why I find Medina's book more enjoyable to read. If you're interesting in gender differences (and similarities) Eliot's Pink Brain, Blue Brain is also fascinating.

By: bender b rodriguez

bender b rodriguez — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:31:42 -0800

Seconding Brain Rules for Baby. Great info and very easy to read. I am halfway through What's Going On In There and it is a bit dry and science-y, as zoomorphic said.

Milestones: you might want to look at The Wonder Weeks or Brazleton's Touchpoints.

I also really enjoyed Bright From The Start. Not much on experiments in there from what I remember, but great stuff regarding development of cognitive processes.

By: CathyG

CathyG — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:53:45 -0800

It's not cognitive, but since you have an interesting little creature handy... you can predict your child's height by measuring the child at 2 years old and then doubling that number. Just make a note of it and save that for 16 years or so.

By: heyforfour

heyforfour — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:56:37 -0800

Piagetian milestones are fun! Most of the explanations Piaget gave for them are out of date, but the phenomena are definitely real and observable. Here's one sequence, and the youtube related videos column should be full of more... If your child is younger, there's more of these tasks for babies and toddlers.

Also, if you live anywhere near any research universities with psychology departments, have you already tried participating in studies there? Sounds like it might be up your alley.

By: j03

j03 — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 23:29:30 -0800

There's a development milestone that's really hilarious. I tried it on my friends little brother once.

There's a certain age, maybe between 3-5, where kids will recognize unfairness.

For example, I give the kid a cookie and give myself two cookies. I'll ask if that's fair and the kid will say "no."

But here's the funny part. You take the kids cookie and break it into two pieces.

Ask the question again, "Is it fair now?" and the kid will say "yes". That is, if they haven't reached that milestone yet.

Eventually that trick will stop working. I don't remember what that milestone is called.. college was a long time ago.

Makes me giggle every time. I guess I'm just easily amused.