School Age Fun & Play Related Articles & Blog Posts

Over the years, I have observed that as our technology has become more sophisticated, parents are allowing their young children to interface more with their smart phones and tablet devices. I frequently see parents wanting to placate their energetic children in the waiting room by handing them mobile devices to play with.  While it may [...]

Campaigns such as the “Let’s Move” initiative by First Lady Michelle Obama, have brought to light an important topic: there are a resounding number of American children that obtain very limited amounts of daily exercise. However, what many parents may not know is that physical activity is important even for your newborn.  Simple activities such [...]

Sure, recycling is good.  But upcycling is better.  It’s not enough to use a product once and recycle it.  It’s so much better to use it again and again before heading to the recycling or compost heap.  Whether you’re a crafter or just enjoy unique artwork and decor, you might find that products made from [...]

The CDC issued an advisory on June 18, 2008, alerting consumers about the danger to children from lead on some (not all) synthetic turf fields – especially for young children on older fields with visible wear or dust. This advisory is still in effect. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) speedily conducted their own evaluation [...]

A fun, practical, affordable way to help overweight kids? My friend and colleague, Dana Weintraub, MD, from the Division of General Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine and the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, led a team that studied the effect of an after school soccer team on weight. The results of SPORT (the Stanford [...]

As summer weather is fading, many families consider taking advantage of the shorter lines at theme parks for one last family outing.  A day at the theme park often involves miles of walking without kids or parents much noticing.  What a fun way to have an active day!  I have fond memories of these trips [...]

March 10 to 16 is Brain Awareness Week. One important way to take care of your child’s brain is to protect it from injury. Thankfully, wearing helmets has become common and cool while riding bikes. I hope helmets become just as natural during other fun activities, such as skateboarding, scootering, horseback riding, ATV or dirtbike [...]

Roller coasters are fun! Nevertheless, a study in the January 2002 issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine reported a disturbing trend in the rate of thrill ride injuries.