Mary Manz Simon's Blog, page 44

Breakfast isn’t boring

Looking at the large amount of real estate yogurt now owns in the grocery store, I’m not surprised that some cereal companies might be worried.

Health conscious moms, who want their kids to have energy instead of a mere sugar rush, are looking for cereal alternatives this fall.

As school opens, popular choices will include breakfast sandwiches and wraps, smoothies customized to children’s preferences, hot grains (a mom choice!) and Greek yogurt. (Toppings chosen by kids.)

Privacy boundaries

A child’s digital footprint often begins with a sonogram posted online by proud parents-to-be.

But ten years later, the tween might not be happy with how his parents have shaped his online image.

This issue is still emerging, but there’s no question that kids want to control their digital identities, even though those same kids don’t always act wisely when posting.

Every family sets their own rules, but an increasing number of parents ask their child’s permission before posting on Facebook, Instagram and other sites. Sounds like a common sense way to contribute to that all-important parent-child trust relationship.

Pokemon Go makes a mark

We’ve wondered how this first smartphone generation would be different, but thanks to Pokemon Go, now we know.

Mobile is huge.

Personal platforms like Snapchat have more value than public meeting places like Facebook.

Gaming isn’t going away; it’s going everywhere.

What’s trending in schools

How will these three trends I’ve observed in elite private schools be reflected this fall in your child’s school?

strong service opportunities for students and community engagement

that connect academics with real life application

personalized and more specialized educational experiences for all students, not merely those in gifted or remedial tracks

creative expression and play-based learning, a welcome shift from rote memorization and test prep

“Lego Ideas” take off

The fan-fueled Lego Ideas crowdsourcing platform continues to soar.

Lego builders contribute to the Ideas program, then vote for their favorites on the Lego Ideas website. Concepts that collect 10,000 votes within a specific time window are judged by a review panel. Winning ideas become products.

If summer is getting “old,” share an idea, introduce a concept, give feedback or see new Lego products at https://ideas.lego.com/

Mommy brain

New moms often complain their brains feel like “mush.” Although it might feel that way, new research shows that hormonal changes might cause the brain to reshape in good ways.

At least one study indicates that giving birth triggers active brain building.

Before anyone can say, “Grow more gray matter: have a baby” larger studies and longer term research needs to be done. I admit, though, it’s an intriguing thought.

Studying postpartum depression and adoptive moms could certainly be offshoots of this initial research.

Pokemon re-visited

Pokemon is still around.

The game that began on Gameboy twenty years ago is thriving. For that, the company can thank the boys who grew up to become dads.

The collecting, battling and trading now have generational appeal.

So if your kids are getting bored with summer vacation, break out the cards you stashed away.

Looking for Potter magic?

Searching for an HP celebration?

Click the link below to locate one of the 5,000 bookstores and libraries will host midnight parties to celebrate the July 31 release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at 12:01 am.

http://harrypotterbooks.scholastic.com/

Tech partners with play

This is the first summer I’ve seen tech significantly enhance and extend play, not merely replace it.

Now that we’ve moved into more mature integration of tech into play, it’s been exciting to children use inexpensive virtual reality (VR) cardboard glasses and other simple tech-enhanced toys.

Just a little tech can totally change a play experience.

Geocatching is probably the hands-down winner for using tech for outdoor family fun this summer.

Curious George on the road

If you live in California, there’s still time to catch the Curious World Tour.

With upcoming dates in Oakland, San Franciso and Los Angeles, what’s billed as a “playful, immersive learning experience” has attracted crowds in several locations for the past several weeks.

Featuring Curious George activities, the trailer sponsored by publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt unfolds to reveal rocket ship building, story time, dancing and gardening options.