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Can a Playground be Too Safe? - In recent decades, playgrounds have transformed from complex, towering jungle gyms on black tops to short, plastic structures surrounded by rubber or wood chips. Many parents have applauded the increased safety features in their neighborhood playgrounds, but studies have found that "boring" playground equipment may hurt children's psyche worse than the physical injury they may have fallen victim to by older equipment.
A large part of the growing process is what psychology professor Dr. Ellen Sandseter calls "risky play." After studying children in playgrounds in multiple countries, Dr. Sandseter suggests that children need play structures that challenge their comfort zones and help them test their own limits. Risky play cognitively mimics therapy of anxiety, and it teaches kids how to work through their phobias, meaning the occasional fall off the monkey bars is a good thing!
Surprisingly, the emphasis on safety features may even lead to more injuries since parents and kids alike have a false sense of security, and therefore take more risks. Psychologists suggest that parents become aware of the true risk associated with their local playground equipment, and do the best they can with the given equipment to help their children climb to new heights, physically and emotionally.
Children and Technology
Children's Book Uses iPad Interactivity to Teach Open Mindedness - Artist Raghava KK has created an interactive children's book called Pop It that truly shakes up the concept of family. The plot of the book follows parents doing daily tasks with their child like taking a bath (to the right). However, upon shaking the iPad, the visual of the parents changes from a homosexual couple, to a lesbian couple, to a heterosexual couple while the story line remains the same. "It’s a metaphor for shaking from one perspective to another,” said Raghava.
Hot New Devices
New, Faster Macbook Airs Launced, Old Plastic Macbook Killed Off - Apple launched new Macbook Airs that are lighter, have longer battery life, backlit keyboards, and the brand new OS X 10.7 Lion operating system, which was also launched today. For those of you with plastic cover Macbook's: Beware! Apple has just discontinued your model!
Photoshop Fun
The Best 30 Photo Manipulation Tutorials for Photoshop -Whether you want to know how to simulate an approaching tornado or to create a robotic frog, these tutorials will help you reach your artistic vision.
Grab Bag
My Blackberry's Not Working - Brought to you by The One Ronnie Show on BBC, here is a great satire about the current technology named after fruits. See how long it takes you to start giggling!
