Clinicians

Welcome to LearningWorks for Kids

The lives of 21st century kids are increasingly defined by their use of technology. If you are a clinician, educator, or medical professional who works with children, their captivation with technology is inescapable. Whether you like it or not, it is your obligation to understand the video games, apps, and technology that 21st century kids use. You do not need to be an expert gamer yourself, nor do you need to be a whiz with your smartphone. But if you want to connect with 21st century kids in their world, you have to know enough to ask thoughtful questions and to use technology for learning, communication, and collaboration.

Scroll down to find lots of information that will help you to:

  • talk to kids about games, apps, and social media.
  • talk to parents about screen time.
  • find the best games and apps to improve academics.
  • use games and apps to build social and emotional skills. 

Clinician Essentials

Clinicians who want to further their understanding of children’s use of screen-based technologies have come to the right place. There is so much to learn. If you want to immerse yourself (like a kid playing Minecraft) you might want to move directly to our Research tab below. However, if you want to start with the basics, we suggest that you take a few minutes and peruse our essential pages. We’d appreciate your thoughts and suggestions to make these pages more useful to to other professionals and encourage you to comment below or write to us directly.

Clinician Update: What Kids are Doing on Screens 2018

When you work with kids it’s crucial to know what they are doing with their time, particularly how they spend their screen time. Popular technology becomes viral and obsolete very […]

Are Video Games OK for my Kids?

Parents routinely ask child care professionals if video games are OK for their kids. They are rightfully confused about the impact of 8-10 hours of daily digital media on their […]

Advice on Screen Time for Parents

Parents routinely ask clinicians how much screen time they should allow their children to have. Click on the link below to find our handy one-page guide for setting limits on […]

How to Choose and Use Video Games, Apps, and Social Media: A Guide for Clinicians

Clinicians can use a variety of methods to employ video games and other digital media in their therapeutic practice with children. Technology can be helpful in developing therapeutic relationships, preferably […]

A Guide to the Science of Video Games and Learning: Generalization and Far Transfer

There is a wealth of scientific evidence that video games and other digitally-based brain-training tools can enhance learning. However, clinicians should be aware that while these tools are not the […]

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Kids and screen-based technology

Clinicians and other child care professionals need to have a basic knowledge about what kids are doing with technology in the 21st century. They should be aware of issues such as how much time kids spend in front of a screen; the pros and cons of technology on brain development; and the impact of social media on communication, family, and emotional functioning. Twenty-first century child care clinicians also need to be aware of the impact of technology on education and to recognize how children’s play, which has always been a core element in their learning and development, has changed due to the pervasiveness of digital media and screen-based technologies.

Below you will find articles that provide you with both a basic and an advanced knowledge of topics involving kids and screen-based technology.

Why Parents Should Play Video Games With Their Children

Have you ever played your child’s favorite video game with them?

Conversations often take place around how involved parents and caregivers should be in the lives of their […]

Whom Should We Believe about Screen Time: American or British Pediatricians?

There appears a difference in screen time guidelines put forth in America and the UK

In a recent statement published by the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health in […]

Is virtual reality (VR) a better way to teach social skills?

Improving social skills is a difficult task for educators and clinicians. It’s difficult to transfer the trained skills to the real world. Traditional methods of teaching social skills involve modeling, […]

How much Screen Time Is Good for My Kids?

Pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists, clinicians, and educators are expected to be experts on all types of childhood issues. As a result , parents who have questions about the impact of screen […]

Understanding Children’s Screen Time: Books for Parents and Professionals

Children’s screen time is a major mental and physical health concern for parents.  As a result, childcare professionals including pediatricians, child psychologists and psychiatrists, social workers, family health specialists, and […]

Virtual Reality as a Tool to Treat ADHD in Children

The most common method for treating children with ADHD is through the use of psycho-stimulant medications. Medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta can be highly effective in reducing impulsivity […]

A Kid’s Guide to Slow Processing Speed

Some kids move fast, and others move slowly. If you are one of those kids who moves slowly, you might have what psychologists call slow processing speed. If you are […]

Video Games and Processing Speed – Research and Recommendations

Our team at LearningWorks for Kids is exploring how games and apps that support and promote skills such as time management, visual spatial processing, and working memory can improve processing […]

Beyond Games: 6 Easy Ways to Improve Visual Working Memory

It is common for people to easily remember much of what they have seen but have more difficulty recalling what they have read or heard. While the research on learning […]

The Recess Recession: Can Free Play and Technology Co-Exist?

Two of the biggest talking points in the world of early childhood education are “free play” and “technology,” terms that are usually at odds with each other.

Blended learning is […]

Christmas-Worthy Games That Help ADHD? Bonus!

If you are the parent, grandparent, teacher or relative of a kid with ADHD, you’ve probably noticed that this kid loves video games. Video games have many of the qualities […]

Electronic Readers or Traditional Books — Reading is Reading, No Matter the Medium

When I was in high school, my dad bought me a Kindle. The year was 2009 and the Kindle (any electronic reader for that matter) was brand new technology. My […]

The Soul of a SOLE Classroom

In my last blog post, I encouraged parents and teachers to share their concerns and questions about education in the digital age. As a graduate student working on my Masters […]

4 Tried and True Ways to Get A Child to Try New Things

Does your child have a very limited diet and a preference for a few specific foods? Does he insist on playing the same game day after day? Is he reluctant […]

Why Child Therapists Need To Use Technology In Treatment

Clinicians who work with kids know that they are tied closely to their technology. The same goes with parents. However, how often does a parent answer a phone call or […]

What Is Digital Play? Why Is It Important?

Digital play can be described as a voluntary, energizing activity that involves the use of digital technologies. This includes activities related to video and computer games, Internet sites and search […]

Why Clinicians and Educators Need to Know about Kids’ Technology

When was the last time you walked into your waiting room to introduce yourself to a child in your practice, and she unplugged her headphones from her iPod, her parent […]

How Much Time Do Kids Spend With Technology?

Twenty-first century children growing up in the United States spend an enormous amount of time with digital media. How much time do kids spend with technology? According a Kaiser Foundation […]

Using Video Games in Therapy and Education

Have you ever seen the Verizon television advertisement where the father informs the kids that they need to spend a few hours at grandma’s house?  This is bad news, because […]

Games and Apps for ADHD, ASD, Anxiety, Depression and LD

Video games and apps are routinely used as tools to help kids with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities. Selected technologies can be used by clinicians in […]

Minecraft, Executive Functioning and ADHD

Minecraft is a wildly popular game with a huge virtual world for children to explore, build and play in. With no clearly set goals, players are free to set their […]

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How to find the best Games and Apps

There are millions of games and apps available for kids to play, and thousands more are being created on a daily basis. This wealth of resources makes it virtually impossible for clinicians and parents to narrow down the best games and apps to help kids improve executive-functioning, academic, and social/emotional learning skills. Even after you have found games and apps that may be helpful, it can be difficult to understand the best ways to help kids translate their technology engagement into real-world skills. Fortunately, that is our mission at LearningWorks for Kids, to help generalize game-based skills into real-world ones.

 

 

 

 

On this page you will find articles that provide you with both a basic and an advanced knowledge of how to find the best games and apps for patients. 

Games, Apps, & Positive Psychology – A Guide for Clinicians

One of the more exciting uses of digital media is the combination of apps and the promotion of positive psychology. Positive psychology is a psychological approach that emphasizes strengths, resilience, […]

The Psychologist’s Guide to Children’s Social Media

Social media is a vital lifeline for most 21st century teenagers and is becoming more important for preteens, as well. The use of texting is ubiquitous among the 95% of […]

The Best Technologies to Benefit Kids with Special Needs: Notability

We’re fortunate to live in an age where technology can help individuals with disabilities overcome obstacles, or even make those obstacles disappear. There are many people who might be considered […]

Games and Apps for Kids with Slow Processing Speed

Do you use a calculator to help you with math problems? Do you search the internet to do research instead of going to the library and looking through books?

Most […]

Video Games and Processing Speed – Research and Recommendations

Our team at LearningWorks for Kids is exploring how games and apps that support and promote skills such as time management, visual spatial processing, and working memory can improve processing […]

Tools Your Fellow Clinicians Use to Build Thinking Skills

This past spring I had the opportunity to conduct six continuing education sessions for PESI, a non-profit organization at the forefront of continuing education for psychologists, clinical social workers, speech […]

Using Video Games in Working With Children

Clinicians who work with kids have traditionally used board games and toys as tools to develop therapeutic relationships; engage a child in the therapeutic process; and explore dynamics of home, […]

How Do Video Games and Apps Lead to Learning?

How do video games and apps lead to learning? At the most basic level, play equals learning. When kids play, they learn. Play is helpful in teaching about problem solving, […]

Games and Apps for ADHD, ASD, Anxiety, Depression and LD

Video games and apps are routinely used as tools to help kids with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities. Selected technologies can be used by clinicians in […]

How To Find The Best Apps for Children

LearningWorks for Kids has made it easy to find apps that will help your child learn. This is how to find the best apps for children with ADHD, ASD, anxiety, […]

Games, Apps, and Technology, in your office

Clinicians working in the 21st century cannot avoid the use of technology in their work. At the most basic level, you need to be aware of issues such as electronic billing, using email, helping patients research the Internet for treatment approaches, accessing electronic health records, and having a website. Clinicians who want to take it a bit further will want to know about online therapy, using social media to communicate with other professionals, or innovative neurotechnologies that help kids with learning and attention issues. Beyond these common uses of technology, there are many other innovative opportunities for using technology in your clinical work with children.

On this page you will find articles that provide you with both a basic and an advanced knowledge of using games, apps, and technology in your office.

Using Video Games and Technologies in a Clinical Practice: The Power of Technology for Kids with Autism

Parents of kids with ASDs are concerned with their children’s digital media use. In general, kids affected by  Autism Spectrum Disorders are very engaged with technology albeit in a different […]

Using Video Games and Technologies in a Clinical Practice

There is a legitimate reason that many parents of kids with ADHD are concerned with their digital media use. In general, these kids appear to love their digital media time […]

The Frustration Index – Slow Processing Speed in School

Consider the definition of frustration: the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of an inability to change or achieve something; an event or circumstance that causes one to […]

Why Child Therapists Need To Use Technology In Treatment

Clinicians who work with kids know that they are tied closely to their technology. The same goes with parents. However, how often does a parent answer a phone call or […]

Why Clinicians and Educators Need to Know about Kids’ Technology

When was the last time you walked into your waiting room to introduce yourself to a child in your practice, and she unplugged her headphones from her iPod, her parent […]

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Providing Information to Parents and Professionals

Clinicians who work with children need to provide parents and educators with guidance about a variety of topics. Pediatricians, psychologists, social workers, counselors, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and educators are bombarded by questions about children’s involvement with screen-based technologies and digital media. Parents want to know if video games are good for their kids, if they should allow them to have a cell phone, and if social media is ruining relationships. The limited guidance available, provided primarily by pediatricians, simply suggests that we attempt to limit kids’ engagement with screen-based technologies. In today’s world, where learning, communication, and social engagement are increasingly transmitted by way of electronics, a far more complex understanding of these topics is required for clinicians.

On this page you will find articles that provide you with both a basic and an advanced information to share with parents about technology.

PESI Adult Checklist for Executive Functions Strengths and Weaknesses

Why Parents Should Play Video Games With Their Children

Have you ever played your child’s favorite video game with them?

Conversations often take place around how involved parents and caregivers should be in the lives of their […]

Working Memory, Processing Speed, and Taking Notes

Many parents and teachers know a child who seems incapable of taking notes in class. As hard as the student might try, their notes are a jumbled mess; incomplete, disorganized, […]

Recommended Websites for Parents about Children’s Mental Health

Clinicians and pediatricians are often the first experts consulted by parents when they have questions about their children’s mental health.  Twenty years ago it required an appointment or a phone […]

Understanding Children’s Screen Time: Books for Parents and Professionals

Children’s screen time is a major mental and physical health concern for parents.  As a result, childcare professionals including pediatricians, child psychologists and psychiatrists, social workers, family health specialists, and […]

Online Help to Improve Your Child’s Organization

Organization of homework and schoolwork is a common difficulty for children. The demands from school become increasingly problematic as they get older, and some kids simply can’t keep up – […]

Whom Should We Believe about Screen Time: American or British Pediatricians?

There appears a difference in screen time guidelines put forth in America and the UK

In a recent statement published by the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health in […]

Can Medication Improve Slow Processing Speed?

Many kids with slow processing speed take medication designed to help children with ADHD. Given that more than 60% of children with ADHD display slow processing speed, this is no […]

Is virtual reality (VR) a better way to teach social skills?

Improving social skills is a difficult task for educators and clinicians. It’s difficult to transfer the trained skills to the real world. Traditional methods of teaching social skills involve modeling, […]

Singing the Right Tune for Kids with Slow Processing Speed

The most important attributes of teachers of kids with slow processing speed are patience and a supportive attitude. Keeping the kids upbeat and working hard can be a challenge. What […]

How Parents Cause Slow Processing Speed in Kids

Parenting a child with slow processing speed can be frustrating. Particularly in the months (or even years) before a diagnosis, it may seem that you’re dealing with a child who […]

Can Tabletop Games Improve Processing Speed?

Of course you know by now that we here at LearningWorks for Kids support the use of video games to improve processing speed in children. Though it seems fewer families […]

Recommended Websites for Parents about Children’s Mental Health

Clinicians and pediatricians are often the first experts sought by parents when they have questions about their children’s mental health. Twenty years ago it required an appointment or a phone […]

Can depression cause slow processing speed?

What does it mean if a child is sluggish, slow to get started on homework and chores, or lacks energy to take on daily routines? Is this depression? Or are […]

Classroom Strategies to Improve Executive Functions: Progressing from Accommodations to Mastery

Historically, disorders of executive functioning were thought to be a direct result of some form of mild brain disorder. From this perspective, activities, strategies, and training in executive skills had […]

Video Games That Promote Purpose and Finding Meaning

Can playing a video game or using social media help a child to feel a sense of purpose and meaning? Can game play help an individual to practice caring skills […]

Beyond Games: How to Help a Frustrated Child

Does your child fall apart when frustrated? Avoid situations that carry the risk of failure? Children who cannot tolerate frustration often do not take on the types of challenges that […]

Virtual Reality as a Tool to Treat ADHD in Children

The most common method for treating children with ADHD is through the use of psycho-stimulant medications. Medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta can be highly effective in reducing impulsivity […]

Virtual Reality (VR) Assessment of ADHD

Assessing and diagnosing ADHD in children is a complex process that involves more than the observation of a specific number of its symptoms. Making a definitive diagnosis of ADD is […]

ADHD and Screen Time – Research, Reality, Benefits, and Concerns

Dr. Randy Kulman, president of Learningworks for Kids, was recently asked to give a pre-conference presentation at the CHADD Annual International Conference on ADHD. The workshop–directed to clinicians, educators and […]

The Frustration Index – Slow Processing Speed in School

Consider the definition of frustration: the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of an inability to change or achieve something; an event or circumstance that causes one to […]

Explaining Slow Processing Speed to a Child

Imagine you are the parent of an elementary or middle school student who has been struggling in school for years. They have difficulty completing homework in a timely fashion, following […]

Teaching a Child with Slow Processing Speed

We’ve been writing a lot for parents about what a slow processing speed diagnosis means for their children and what can be done to help kids be as successful as […]

Games and Apps for Kids with Slow Processing Speed

Do you use a calculator to help you with math problems? Do you search the internet to do research instead of going to the library and looking through books?

Most […]

Executive Functions in the Classroom – A Guide for Teachers

Modern educators do not deny that thinking skills, social skills, and emotional skills play a role in children’s learning. Executive functions are particularly important to the education of children with […]

How Video Games Can Improve Social Emotional Learning, Resilience, and Positive Psychology Skills

Can playing video games and using technologies produce a sense of well-being and meaningful satisfaction for kids?

21st-Century technology has the potential to enrich the quality of people’s lives, not […]

Classroom Accommodations for Executive Function Difficulties

Teachers, your problem students may be kids who struggle with executive functions.

Most students with executive functioning struggles really want to be more organized, manage their time better, and have […]

Questionnaire – Does Your Child Have Slow Processing Speed?

The following questionnaire was developed developed by LearningWorks for Kids to help parents determine the likelihood that their child may have slow processing speed. You are can learn more about […]

In Depth Information About Slow Processing Speed for Parents and Teachers

If your child or student has been identified with slow processing speed you’re probably trying to become an expert on the subject as quickly as you can. Developing strategies to […]

Help Kids with Slow Processing Speed Show What They Know

Children with slow processing speed are often frustrated that they can’t keep up with other students at school, spend way too much time trying to get stuff done, and get […]

A Parent’s Guide to Processing Speed

If you have a child who takes forever to do their homework, can’t seem to get ready for school on time, and doesn’t seem to care about getting things done, […]

Video Games and Processing Speed – Research and Recommendations

Our team at LearningWorks for Kids is exploring how games and apps that support and promote skills such as time management, visual spatial processing, and working memory can improve processing […]

What Causes Slow Processing Speed?

Are kids with slow processing speed unmotivated to get things done? Could they really move quicker if they only wanted to? What causes slow processing speed? Is there a cure?

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What’s the Science Behind Fidget Spinners?

Fidget spinners seem to have appeared magically in the hands of virtually every kid in the U.S. over the past two months. But where did they come from and why […]

Do Fidget Spinners Really Work? Taking a Closer Look at the “Focus” Toy

In recent months, many of the parents who have previously expressed concern about screen time have a new worry — their children’s obsession with fidget spinners. I first became aware […]

How Do We Measure Processing Speed?

In today’s classrooms, slow processing speed is being increasingly identified as a major cause of poor academic performance. For many capable students who are motivated to do well, slow processing […]

Games and Activities That Improve Processing Speed

Processing Speed describes how efficiently a child can perform a cognitive task. It accounts for the speed at which the child takes in information, processes it, and then acts on […]

Targeted Strategies That Help Children with Slow Processing Speed

Kids with slow processing speed tend to do everything slowly. Whether it’s getting ready for school in the morning or finishing homework at night, things just take longer to do. […]

Using Videos to Explain Slow Processing Speed to Kids

If you have a child or student who has been recently diagnosed with slow processing speed, it is extremely important to help them understand what this means. And if you […]

5 Ways to Improve Processing Speed in Children

Many parents and teachers who see capable kids falling behind in their schoolwork find that slow processing speed is the underlying cause. In the recent past, many educators and parents […]

How To Use Movies to Improve Executive Functioning Skills

Developing and improving executive functioning skills comes naturally to some children. For these kids, simple human interaction — observing others and interacting with their family members — is all they […]

What is Slow Processing Speed in Children?

Slow processing speed is one of the most common difficulties observed in children who struggle with ADHD and other executive functioning and learning issues. But slower processing speed isn’t a […]

Teens and Social Media: The Highlight Reel Effect

Think for a moment about how you, as an adult, use social media. Do you post about a failure on Facebook, or do you keep it to yourself? How many […]

ADHD and College: Three Important Considerations

Whatever you feel is behind the modern rise in ADHD diagnoses, there’s no denying that more and more of our children are having to navigate life with a learning difference […]

How to Help the Child Who Just Can’t Seem to Get Started

Do you have a child whose smarts and skills amaze you, but they have a procrastination problem? Have you read a paper or looked at a visual for a school […]

Executive Functions and School Skills: Following Directions

“Why don’t they listen?”

“How come they can’t follow directions?”

Parents at home and teachers in the classroom get frustrated when kids seem unable to listen or follow directions. But […]

Beyond Games: Four Ways to Improve Your Child’s Efficiency

You see the effort. You see the time put in. You see the frustration and the tears. Your child is not slacking. She works hard. But sometimes working hard is […]

Computer Skills Are Thinking Skills

In a speech during a recent visit to Rhode Island, Mary Snapp, Microsoft vice president of philanthropy, made the assertion that computer skills are thinking skills. And we couldn’t agree […]

Beyond Games: Self-Awareness and Self-Assessment

It can be frustrating when a child seems unwilling or unable to follow directions, and even more so when they seem not to learn from their mistakes. This lack of […]

Success for Kids with ADHD

Dr. Ned Hallowell is the co-author of Driven to Distraction, a book widely considered to be the ADHD bible for more than two decades. Dr. Hallowell is still championing ADHD […]

Ways to Improve Memory for Kids

Wouldn’t it be great if a fun card game or a healthy activity like yoga could help your child do better at school?

They can. These are just two ways […]

A Video Game to Treat ADHD

Psychologists, physicians, parents, and educators have attempted a variety of strategies to treat ADHD. Treatment strategies include varying combinations of behavioral, educational, social, and medication therapy, the last of which […]

What Is Gamification?

Gamification is a term you might have noticed us using a lot lately. You may not know exactly what gamification is, but if you’ve ever “checked in” with FourSquare, worked […]

Beyond Games: 3 Strategies That Encourage Flexibility

Kenny Rogers sang, “You‘ve got to know when to hold ’em. Know when to fold ’em…” Whoops, am I showing my age? I’ll make up for it with a picture […]

Beyond Games: 3 Ways to Improve Verbal Working Memory

Have you ever headed toward the kitchen and placed your hand on the fridge only to realize you have no idea what you were going to grab? The idea in […]

Trouble with Transitions: Flexibility and Academic Success

For some people, being mentally flexible comes naturally. A change of plans, an unexpected obstacle, or a new method of doing something are all taken in stride. But for many […]

Assessing Digital Literacy in Today’s Classrooms

Educators, I need your help.

In my last post, with the help of Dr. Diane Kern of the University of Rhode Island, I took a look at educational assessment in […]

The Recess Recession: Can Free Play and Technology Co-Exist?

Two of the biggest talking points in the world of early childhood education are “free play” and “technology,” terms that are usually at odds with each other.

Blended learning is […]

Assessment vs. Evaluation: What’s the Difference and Why Are They Important?

Right now, assessment is more than just a buzzword in the Education field. It’s a talking point, a point of contention, and an anxiety trigger for many students (and even […]

Christmas-Worthy Games That Help ADHD? Bonus!

If you are the parent, grandparent, teacher or relative of a kid with ADHD, you’ve probably noticed that this kid loves video games. Video games have many of the qualities […]

Electronic Readers or Traditional Books — Reading is Reading, No Matter the Medium

When I was in high school, my dad bought me a Kindle. The year was 2009 and the Kindle (any electronic reader for that matter) was brand new technology. My […]

The Soul of a SOLE Classroom

In my last blog post, I encouraged parents and teachers to share their concerns and questions about education in the digital age. As a graduate student working on my Masters […]

5 Signs Your Child Needs Video Game Therapy

Video games as therapy has been a hot topic in the news recently. This has a lot to do with Akili Interactive Labs’ Project: EVO, which is breaking new ground […]

4 Tried and True Ways to Get A Child to Try New Things

Does your child have a very limited diet and a preference for a few specific foods? Does he insist on playing the same game day after day? Is he reluctant […]

How to Talk to Your Child About Video Games

You probably don’t need to be told that video games have moved out of subculture status to become an everyday part of life. Gaming devices are no longer hidden away […]

How to Talk to Teens and Young Adults About Executive Functions

Do you know a high-schooler or college student who just “can’t get it together?” Maybe they struggle to reach potential, wanting to do well but getting easily overwhelmed by the […]

Why Child Therapists Need To Use Technology In Treatment

Clinicians who work with kids know that they are tied closely to their technology. The same goes with parents. However, how often does a parent answer a phone call or […]

Why Clinicians and Educators Need to Know about Kids’ Technology

When was the last time you walked into your waiting room to introduce yourself to a child in your practice, and she unplugged her headphones from her iPod, her parent […]

Setting Screen Time Limits For Children

Setting limits on screen time is one of the most common concerns expressed by parents of 21st century children. Parents look to childcare experts for guidance on this controversial topic […]

Using Video Games in Working With Children

Clinicians who work with kids have traditionally used board games and toys as tools to develop therapeutic relationships; engage a child in the therapeutic process; and explore dynamics of home, […]

How Do Video Games and Apps Lead to Learning?

How do video games and apps lead to learning? At the most basic level, play equals learning. When kids play, they learn. Play is helpful in teaching about problem solving, […]

Games and Apps for ADHD, ASD, Anxiety, Depression and LD

Video games and apps are routinely used as tools to help kids with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities. Selected technologies can be used by clinicians in […]

Pros and Cons of Video Games For Children

There is no question that video games and other technologies are having both a positive and a negative impact on the lives of 21st century children. In our estimation, those […]

4 Tips for Helping Your Teen Improve Visual Working Memory

We use the term “photographic memory” to describe someone with a better-than-average ability to recall visual details. While the evidence of people with actual eidetic memories is limited, we all […]

Minecraft, Executive Functioning and ADHD

Minecraft is a wildly popular game with a huge virtual world for children to explore, build and play in. With no clearly set goals, players are free to set their […]

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Research on Games, Apps, and Mental Health

Research exploring the impact of technology on children’s learning and social/emotional functioning is in its infancy. While there is an increasing amount of data suggesting that modest amounts of screen-based technology are actually beneficial for children’s growth and development, we still have a great deal to learn in this regard. Fortunately you do not need to go back to graduate school in order to become knowledgeable about this research, as we have developed summaries of the research on topics that examine children, mental health, and technology use. Each of the summaries also includes links to the original research for those of you who want to explore further. 

On this page you will find articles that provide you with both a basic and an advanced knowledge of a variety of research topics. 

Video Games and Psychotherapy

Psychologists, social workers, and other clinicians are beginning to recognize the value of video games and other technologies in therapeutic interventions. For some clinicians who work with kids, it may […]

Is virtual reality (VR) a better way to teach social skills?

Improving social skills is a difficult task for educators and clinicians. It’s difficult to transfer the trained skills to the real world. Traditional methods of teaching social skills involve modeling, […]

Bibliography: Video Games and Learning

Childcare professionals are often unsure about the impact of games and technology on children. The following bibliography is an excellent place to find readable and informative books on this topic:

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Can Video Games Teach Academic Skills?

Video games are beginning to be used in the classroom environment in many school settings, from universities to elementary schools, to teach in an interactive style that can be more […]

ADHD and Video Games Research Summary

Most of the research examining the impact of video games on children with ADHD is consistent with what we know about typically developing children. There are positive findings as well […]

Learning Disabilities and Video Games

Children with learning disabilities are some of the major beneficiaries of digital tools for learning. Engaging games and apps promote increased opportunities for learning and continued practice. Many kids with […]

Can video games improve social skills and relationships?

Video games are often perceived as a solitary activity, but this stereotype is far from accurate. Information from a 2015 study conducted by the Pew Research Center indicated that 83% […]

Using Video Games for Teaching Executive Functions in a Clinical Setting: A Description of Pilot Studies at LearningWorks for Kids

Video games are powerful tools for learning, and it is widely accepted that video games are helpful teachers of academic skills. But they can also be powerful tools for learning […]

How Do Video Games Impact Parent-Child Relationships?

More than 95% of children play video games; however, their parents often do not know much about the games they play. Approximately one-third of parents report that they occasionally play […]

Are Video Games OK for my Kids?

Parents routinely ask child care professionals if video games are OK for their kids. They are rightfully confused about the impact of 8-10 hours of daily digital media on their […]

DO VIDEO GAMES CHANGE OUR PHYSICAL BRAINS?

Video games are changing our brains. This is actually not a great revelation, as current neuroscience research informs us about the way many daily activities change the structure and biochemistry […]

Video Games and Apps for ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, and Learning Disabilities

Video games and apps are routinely used as tools to help kids with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities. Selected technologies can be used by clinicians in […]

Can depression cause slow processing speed?

What does it mean if a child is sluggish, slow to get started on homework and chores, or lacks energy to take on daily routines? Is this depression? Or are […]

Research on Violence and Video Games

There have been long-standing concerns in the field of psychology regarding the impact of media on violent behavior. It seems that every time there is another act of random violence […]

Virtual Reality as a Tool to Treat ADHD in Children

The most common method for treating children with ADHD is through the use of psycho-stimulant medications. Medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta can be highly effective in reducing impulsivity […]

A Guide to the Science of Video Games and Learning: Generalization and Far Transfer

There is a wealth of scientific evidence that video games and other digitally-based brain-training tools can enhance learning. However, clinicians should be aware that while these tools are not the […]

ADHD and Screen Time – Research, Reality, Benefits, and Concerns

Dr. Randy Kulman, president of Learningworks for Kids, was recently asked to give a pre-conference presentation at the CHADD Annual International Conference on ADHD. The workshop–directed to clinicians, educators and […]

The Frustration Index – Slow Processing Speed in School

Consider the definition of frustration: the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of an inability to change or achieve something; an event or circumstance that causes one to […]

A Video Game to Treat ADHD

Psychologists, physicians, parents, and educators have attempted a variety of strategies to treat ADHD. Treatment strategies include varying combinations of behavioral, educational, social, and medication therapy, the last of which […]

Assessing Digital Literacy in Today’s Classrooms

Educators, I need your help.

In my last post, with the help of Dr. Diane Kern of the University of Rhode Island, I took a look at educational assessment in […]

Debunking the Dialogue About Digital Learning

I am not an expert. I am not a “real” teacher (yet). I admit that I have lived a relatively charmed life as an Education student.

Sure, I’ve fought some […]

Tools Your Fellow Clinicians Use to Build Thinking Skills

This past spring I had the opportunity to conduct six continuing education sessions for PESI, a non-profit organization at the forefront of continuing education for psychologists, clinical social workers, speech […]

What Is the Impact of Video Games on Autism and Attention?

There have been a few recent studies relating higher use of video games to inattention in children with autism and ADHD. These studies are “correlation” in nature, meaning that […]

What is the Newest Research on Autism and Video Games?

Video games for children with autism or ADHD are a potential source of great learning opportunities. However, at the same time, video game play can present a host of […]

Understanding Technology and Autism

There has been a lot of recent news about how technology and video games impact children with autism. Much of what has been written has raised legitimate concerns about […]

Yes, Video Games Do Improve Spatial Reasoning Skills

Spatial reasoning — the skills that a creative child might display when taking apart a bike and putting it back together, or when designing and building structures in Minecraft — […]

Understanding the Latest Research on ADHD and video games

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics details serious concerns about the use of video games with children with ADHD. This study suggests that children with ADHD who […]

Building Self-Awareness Skills image 1

Non-tech strategies for improving Executive Functions

As great as technology can be for improving academic, executive- functioning, and social/emotional skills, clinicians should not forget the ways that traditional approaches can also improve these skills. It is often the combination of the use of new technological approaches with older classroom and home-based accommodations that results in the most substantial real-world improvements. While many technological interventions can practice or even support skills such as organization, planning, time management, study skills, and social awareness, it is the real-world practice that may come with traditional strategies that leads to long-term improvement in the skills of alternative learners. 

On this page you will find articles that provide you with both a basic and an advanced knowledge of non-tech topics.

The Clinician’s Guide to Executive Functions

The phrase “executive functions” is becoming an increasingly common term in discussions of children with attention, learning, and psychosocial disorders. As there are varying definitions of executive functions, clinicians are encouraged […]

Beyond Games: 3 Ways to Improve Verbal Working Memory

Have you ever headed toward the kitchen and placed your hand on the fridge only to realize you have no idea what you were going to grab? The idea in […]

Beyond Games: 6 Easy Ways to Improve Visual Working Memory

It is common for people to easily remember much of what they have seen but have more difficulty recalling what they have read or heard. While the research on learning […]

4 Tried and True Ways to Get A Child to Try New Things

Does your child have a very limited diet and a preference for a few specific foods? Does he insist on playing the same game day after day? Is he reluctant […]

Tools Your Fellow Clinicians Use to Build Thinking Skills

This past spring I had the opportunity to conduct six continuing education sessions for PESI, a non-profit organization at the forefront of continuing education for psychologists, clinical social workers, speech […]

Exercises & Activities for Helping Kids with ADHD Improve Attention

A New York Times article by Gretchen Reynolds entitled “How Exercise Fuels the Brain” describes how prolonged exercise significantly lowers the brain’s stores of energy during exercise, but subsequently brings […]

Latest Posts

Why Parents Should Play Video Games With Their Children

Have you ever played your child’s favorite video game with them?

Conversations often take place around how involved parents and caregivers should be in the lives of their […]

Working Memory, Processing Speed, and Taking Notes

Many parents and teachers know a child who seems incapable of taking notes in class. As hard as the student might try, their notes are a jumbled mess; incomplete, disorganized, […]

4 Executive Functions Improved by Learning to Dictate

I have seen far too many kids in my clinical practice who are really smart, thoughtful, and expressive kids who can’t get their ideas into writing. They have amazing vocabularies […]

Five Reasons to Teach Social-Emotional Learning Skills to Homeschoolers

Homeschooling has become increasingly popular in the United States. Current estimates suggest that nearly 1,800,000 students are being homeschooled, approximately 3.4% of the school-age population. Parents choose to homeschool their […]

Six Tips for Getting Your Kids Away from Screens

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, parents were very concerned about the amount of time their kids were spending in front of screens. In many first world countries, screen time was […]

Homeschooling Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Parents of kids diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder often report how engaged their children are with almost all technology and screens. Anecdotal reports and recent research describe how kids with […]

Making Video Games into Learning during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Are your kids at home playing (or begging you to let them play) video games all day long? I have a word of advice: say “Yes!” – not to day-long […]

Three Activities for Homeschoolers to Improve Executive Functions

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, I had noticed that an increasing number of my patients are being homeschooled. In the southern part of Rhode Island where I live, the majority […]

Recommended Websites for Parents about Children’s Mental Health

Clinicians and pediatricians are often the first experts consulted by parents when they have questions about their children’s mental health.  Twenty years ago it required an appointment or a phone […]

Executive-functioning Strategies: The Antidote to Stress in School

I will have the honor of speaking at the 35th Annual Learning Differences Conference on March 20 and 21, 2020 at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The title of […]

Growing Up With Technology: Navigating the Digital Landscape at School and at Home

I will have the honor of presenting at the​ 2020 Complex Learners Conference sponsored by the Wolf School on March 7, 2020 (​215 Ferris Avenue, East Providence, RI). The conference […]

Games, Apps, & Positive Psychology – A Guide for Clinicians

One of the more exciting uses of digital media is the combination of apps and the promotion of positive psychology. Positive psychology is a psychological approach that emphasizes strengths, resilience, […]

Video Games and Psychotherapy

Psychologists, social workers, and other clinicians are beginning to recognize the value of video games and other technologies in therapeutic interventions. For some clinicians who work with kids, it may […]

Understanding Children’s Screen Time: Books for Parents and Professionals

Children’s screen time is a major mental and physical health concern for parents.  As a result, childcare professionals including pediatricians, child psychologists and psychiatrists, social workers, family health specialists, and […]

Online Help to Improve Your Child’s Organization

Organization of homework and schoolwork is a common difficulty for children. The demands from school become increasingly problematic as they get older, and some kids simply can’t keep up – […]

Whom Should We Believe about Screen Time: American or British Pediatricians?

There appears a difference in screen time guidelines put forth in America and the UK

In a recent statement published by the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health in […]

Can Medication Improve Slow Processing Speed?

Many kids with slow processing speed take medication designed to help children with ADHD. Given that more than 60% of children with ADHD display slow processing speed, this is no […]

Screen Time is Not Harmful to Children

Contrary to what American pediatricians have been reporting for years, in a statement just released by British pediatricians, they suggest that screen time use is not harmful to children. While […]

Is your child playing too much Fortnite?

The most frequent concern voiced by parents in my clinical practice is that their kids spend too much time on their screens. This worry is particularly noticeable amongst the parents […]

How Poverty Can Affect Executive Functions in Children

Executive functioning skills are the essential capacities that help kids make better decisions, learn from their mistakes, and set goals. However, these skills often aren’t as fully developed in children […]

Is virtual reality (VR) a better way to teach social skills?

Improving social skills is a difficult task for educators and clinicians. It’s difficult to transfer the trained skills to the real world. Traditional methods of teaching social skills involve modeling, […]

How much Screen Time Is Good for My Kids?

Pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists, clinicians, and educators are expected to be experts on all types of childhood issues. As a result , parents who have questions about the impact of screen […]

Bibliography: Video Games and Learning

Childcare professionals are often unsure about the impact of games and technology on children. The following bibliography is an excellent place to find readable and informative books on this topic:

[…]

Understanding Children’s Screen Time: Books for Parents and Professionals

Children’s screen time is a major mental and physical health concern for parents.  As a result, childcare professionals including pediatricians, child psychologists and psychiatrists, social workers, family health specialists, and […]

Using Video Games and Technologies in a Clinical Practice: The Power of Technology for Kids with Autism

Parents of kids with ASDs are concerned with their children’s digital media use. In general, kids affected by  Autism Spectrum Disorders are very engaged with technology albeit in a different […]

Can Video Games Teach Academic Skills?

Video games are beginning to be used in the classroom environment in many school settings, from universities to elementary schools, to teach in an interactive style that can be more […]

The Clinician’s Guide to Executive Functions

The phrase “executive functions” is becoming an increasingly common term in discussions of children with attention, learning, and psychosocial disorders. As there are varying definitions of executive functions, clinicians are encouraged […]

ADHD and Video Games Research Summary

Most of the research examining the impact of video games on children with ADHD is consistent with what we know about typically developing children. There are positive findings as well […]

Using Video Games and Technologies in a Clinical Practice

There is a legitimate reason that many parents of kids with ADHD are concerned with their digital media use. In general, these kids appear to love their digital media time […]

Learning Disabilities and Video Games

Children with learning disabilities are some of the major beneficiaries of digital tools for learning. Engaging games and apps promote increased opportunities for learning and continued practice. Many kids with […]

Can video games improve social skills and relationships?

Video games are often perceived as a solitary activity, but this stereotype is far from accurate. Information from a 2015 study conducted by the Pew Research Center indicated that 83% […]

Clinician Update: What Kids are Doing on Screens 2018

When you work with kids it’s crucial to know what they are doing with their time, particularly how they spend their screen time. Popular technology becomes viral and obsolete very […]

Singing the Right Tune for Kids with Slow Processing Speed

The most important attributes of teachers of kids with slow processing speed are patience and a supportive attitude. Keeping the kids upbeat and working hard can be a challenge. What […]

What Can Teens Do About Stress?

Feeling anxious or stressed is part of normal development. So, What can teens do about stress? Teenagers who find themselves feeling worried about their friendships, concerned about how they look, […]

The Psychologist’s Guide to Children’s Social Media

Social media is a vital lifeline for most 21st century teenagers and is becoming more important for preteens, as well. The use of texting is ubiquitous among the 95% of […]

Using Video Games for Teaching Executive Functions in a Clinical Setting: A Description of Pilot Studies at LearningWorks for Kids

Video games are powerful tools for learning, and it is widely accepted that video games are helpful teachers of academic skills. But they can also be powerful tools for learning […]

How Do Video Games Impact Parent-Child Relationships?

More than 95% of children play video games; however, their parents often do not know much about the games they play. Approximately one-third of parents report that they occasionally play […]

Are Video Games OK for my Kids?

Parents routinely ask child care professionals if video games are OK for their kids. They are rightfully confused about the impact of 8-10 hours of daily digital media on their […]

How Parents Cause Slow Processing Speed in Kids

Parenting a child with slow processing speed can be frustrating. Particularly in the months (or even years) before a diagnosis, it may seem that you’re dealing with a child who […]

Can Tabletop Games Improve Processing Speed?

Of course you know by now that we here at LearningWorks for Kids support the use of video games to improve processing speed in children. Though it seems fewer families […]

Recommended Websites for Parents about Children’s Mental Health

Clinicians and pediatricians are often the first experts sought by parents when they have questions about their children’s mental health. Twenty years ago it required an appointment or a phone […]

DO VIDEO GAMES CHANGE OUR PHYSICAL BRAINS?

Video games are changing our brains. This is actually not a great revelation, as current neuroscience research informs us about the way many daily activities change the structure and biochemistry […]

Video Games and Apps for ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, and Learning Disabilities

Video games and apps are routinely used as tools to help kids with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities. Selected technologies can be used by clinicians in […]

Advice on Screen Time for Parents

Parents routinely ask clinicians how much screen time they should allow their children to have. Click on the link below to find our handy one-page guide for setting limits on […]

What’s the Connection between Slow Processing Speed and ADHD?

Slow processing speed is very common in children who are diagnosed with ADHD. You may think of kids with ADHD as naturally quick thinking — “too” quick perhaps — but […]

ADHD Classroom Management

The vast majority of kids with ADHD are active learners who want to do well academically. However, the behavior of some of these kids is so disruptive that they require […]

Can depression cause slow processing speed?

What does it mean if a child is sluggish, slow to get started on homework and chores, or lacks energy to take on daily routines? Is this depression? Or are […]

The Best Technologies to Benefit Kids with Special Needs: Notability

We’re fortunate to live in an age where technology can help individuals with disabilities overcome obstacles, or even make those obstacles disappear. There are many people who might be considered […]

Research on Violence and Video Games

There have been long-standing concerns in the field of psychology regarding the impact of media on violent behavior. It seems that every time there is another act of random violence […]

How to Choose and Use Video Games, Apps, and Social Media: A Guide for Clinicians

Clinicians can use a variety of methods to employ video games and other digital media in their therapeutic practice with children. Technology can be helpful in developing therapeutic relationships, preferably […]

Classroom Strategies to Improve Executive Functions: Progressing from Accommodations to Mastery

Historically, disorders of executive functioning were thought to be a direct result of some form of mild brain disorder. From this perspective, activities, strategies, and training in executive skills had […]

Video Games That Promote Purpose and Finding Meaning

Can playing a video game or using social media help a child to feel a sense of purpose and meaning? Can game play help an individual to practice caring skills […]

The Best Apps and Games for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Positive Psychology in Teenagers

Twenty-first century teenagers may be more sophisticated than their parents and grandparents when it comes to understanding their world and themselves. They are more apt to ask questions about how […]

Does Slow Processing Speed Cause Dyslexia?

Many kids with dyslexia read slowly. I find this in my clinical work, when I use tests such as the Gray Oral Reading Test 5 (GORT 5), the Test of Word […]

Beyond Games: How to Help a Frustrated Child

Does your child fall apart when frustrated? Avoid situations that carry the risk of failure? Children who cannot tolerate frustration often do not take on the types of challenges that […]

How Virtual Reality Can Improve the Generalization of Skills

Can VR enhance executive-functioning and problem-solving skills? Here’s how virtual reality can improve the generalization of skills.

Twenty-first century kids are learning something when they play video games, and not […]

My Child Has Trouble Processing

As a practicing child clinical psychologist, one of the most common concerns I hear from parents is, “My child has trouble processing.” I suspect they are referring to the speed […]

How does slow processing speed impact self-esteem?

How does slow processing speed impact self-esteem? Low self-esteem is one of the rarely-talked-about side effects of slow processing speed. As they struggle with lower grades and difficulty completing work, […]

Is Digital Play Bad? Dr. Kulman on the Parenting ADHD Podcast with Penny Williams

Is digital play really bad for kids? Is an MMORPG as good for kids as the playground? What does digital play offer kids that old schoolyard games can’t give them? […]

Virtual Reality as a Tool to Treat ADHD in Children

The most common method for treating children with ADHD is through the use of psycho-stimulant medications. Medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta can be highly effective in reducing impulsivity […]

A Guide to the Science of Video Games and Learning: Generalization and Far Transfer

There is a wealth of scientific evidence that video games and other digitally-based brain-training tools can enhance learning. However, clinicians should be aware that while these tools are not the […]

Virtual Reality (VR) Assessment of ADHD

Assessing and diagnosing ADHD in children is a complex process that involves more than the observation of a specific number of its symptoms. Making a definitive diagnosis of ADD is […]

ADHD and Screen Time – Research, Reality, Benefits, and Concerns

Dr. Randy Kulman, president of Learningworks for Kids, was recently asked to give a pre-conference presentation at the CHADD Annual International Conference on ADHD. The workshop–directed to clinicians, educators and […]

The Frustration Index – Slow Processing Speed in School

Consider the definition of frustration: the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of an inability to change or achieve something; an event or circumstance that causes one to […]

Explaining Slow Processing Speed to a Child

Imagine you are the parent of an elementary or middle school student who has been struggling in school for years. They have difficulty completing homework in a timely fashion, following […]

Teaching a Child with Slow Processing Speed

We’ve been writing a lot for parents about what a slow processing speed diagnosis means for their children and what can be done to help kids be as successful as […]

Games and Apps for Kids with Slow Processing Speed

Do you use a calculator to help you with math problems? Do you search the internet to do research instead of going to the library and looking through books?

Most […]

A Kid’s Guide to Slow Processing Speed

Some kids move fast, and others move slowly. If you are one of those kids who moves slowly, you might have what psychologists call slow processing speed. If you are […]

Executive Functions in the Classroom – A Guide for Teachers

Modern educators do not deny that thinking skills, social skills, and emotional skills play a role in children’s learning. Executive functions are particularly important to the education of children with […]

How Video Games Can Improve Social Emotional Learning, Resilience, and Positive Psychology Skills

Can playing video games and using technologies produce a sense of well-being and meaningful satisfaction for kids?

21st-Century technology has the potential to enrich the quality of people’s lives, not […]

Classroom Accommodations for Executive Function Difficulties

Teachers, your problem students may be kids who struggle with executive functions.

Most students with executive functioning struggles really want to be more organized, manage their time better, and have […]

Questionnaire – Does Your Child Have Slow Processing Speed?

The following questionnaire was developed developed by LearningWorks for Kids to help parents determine the likelihood that their child may have slow processing speed. You are can learn more about […]

In Depth Information About Slow Processing Speed for Parents and Teachers

If your child or student has been identified with slow processing speed you’re probably trying to become an expert on the subject as quickly as you can. Developing strategies to […]

Help Kids with Slow Processing Speed Show What They Know

Children with slow processing speed are often frustrated that they can’t keep up with other students at school, spend way too much time trying to get stuff done, and get […]

A Parent’s Guide to Processing Speed

If you have a child who takes forever to do their homework, can’t seem to get ready for school on time, and doesn’t seem to care about getting things done, […]

Video Games and Processing Speed – Research and Recommendations

Our team at LearningWorks for Kids is exploring how games and apps that support and promote skills such as time management, visual spatial processing, and working memory can improve processing […]

What Causes Slow Processing Speed?

Are kids with slow processing speed unmotivated to get things done? Could they really move quicker if they only wanted to? What causes slow processing speed? Is there a cure?

[…]

What’s the Science Behind Fidget Spinners?

Fidget spinners seem to have appeared magically in the hands of virtually every kid in the U.S. over the past two months. But where did they come from and why […]

Do Fidget Spinners Really Work? Taking a Closer Look at the “Focus” Toy

In recent months, many of the parents who have previously expressed concern about screen time have a new worry — their children’s obsession with fidget spinners. I first became aware […]

How Do We Measure Processing Speed?

In today’s classrooms, slow processing speed is being increasingly identified as a major cause of poor academic performance. For many capable students who are motivated to do well, slow processing […]

Games and Activities That Improve Processing Speed

Processing Speed describes how efficiently a child can perform a cognitive task. It accounts for the speed at which the child takes in information, processes it, and then acts on […]

Targeted Strategies That Help Children with Slow Processing Speed

Kids with slow processing speed tend to do everything slowly. Whether it’s getting ready for school in the morning or finishing homework at night, things just take longer to do. […]

Using Videos to Explain Slow Processing Speed to Kids

If you have a child or student who has been recently diagnosed with slow processing speed, it is extremely important to help them understand what this means. And if you […]

5 Ways to Improve Processing Speed in Children

Many parents and teachers who see capable kids falling behind in their schoolwork find that slow processing speed is the underlying cause. In the recent past, many educators and parents […]

How To Use Movies to Improve Executive Functioning Skills

Developing and improving executive functioning skills comes naturally to some children. For these kids, simple human interaction — observing others and interacting with their family members — is all they […]

What is Slow Processing Speed in Children?

Slow processing speed is one of the most common difficulties observed in children who struggle with ADHD and other executive functioning and learning issues. But slower processing speed isn’t a […]

Teens and Social Media: The Highlight Reel Effect

Think for a moment about how you, as an adult, use social media. Do you post about a failure on Facebook, or do you keep it to yourself? How many […]

ADHD and College: Three Important Considerations

Whatever you feel is behind the modern rise in ADHD diagnoses, there’s no denying that more and more of our children are having to navigate life with a learning difference […]

How to Help the Child Who Just Can’t Seem to Get Started

Do you have a child whose smarts and skills amaze you, but they have a procrastination problem? Have you read a paper or looked at a visual for a school […]

Executive Functions and School Skills: Following Directions

“Why don’t they listen?”

“How come they can’t follow directions?”

Parents at home and teachers in the classroom get frustrated when kids seem unable to listen or follow directions. But […]

Beyond Games: Four Ways to Improve Your Child’s Efficiency

You see the effort. You see the time put in. You see the frustration and the tears. Your child is not slacking. She works hard. But sometimes working hard is […]

Computer Skills Are Thinking Skills

In a speech during a recent visit to Rhode Island, Mary Snapp, Microsoft vice president of philanthropy, made the assertion that computer skills are thinking skills. And we couldn’t agree […]

Beyond Games: Self-Awareness and Self-Assessment

It can be frustrating when a child seems unwilling or unable to follow directions, and even more so when they seem not to learn from their mistakes. This lack of […]

Success for Kids with ADHD

Dr. Ned Hallowell is the co-author of Driven to Distraction, a book widely considered to be the ADHD bible for more than two decades. Dr. Hallowell is still championing ADHD […]

Ways to Improve Memory for Kids

Wouldn’t it be great if a fun card game or a healthy activity like yoga could help your child do better at school?

They can. These are just two ways […]

A Video Game to Treat ADHD

Psychologists, physicians, parents, and educators have attempted a variety of strategies to treat ADHD. Treatment strategies include varying combinations of behavioral, educational, social, and medication therapy, the last of which […]

What Is Gamification?

Gamification is a term you might have noticed us using a lot lately. You may not know exactly what gamification is, but if you’ve ever “checked in” with FourSquare, worked […]

Beyond Games: 3 Strategies That Encourage Flexibility

Kenny Rogers sang, “You‘ve got to know when to hold ’em. Know when to fold ’em…” Whoops, am I showing my age? I’ll make up for it with a picture […]

Beyond Games: 3 Ways to Improve Verbal Working Memory

Have you ever headed toward the kitchen and placed your hand on the fridge only to realize you have no idea what you were going to grab? The idea in […]

Trouble with Transitions: Flexibility and Academic Success

For some people, being mentally flexible comes naturally. A change of plans, an unexpected obstacle, or a new method of doing something are all taken in stride. But for many […]

Beyond Games: 6 Easy Ways to Improve Visual Working Memory

It is common for people to easily remember much of what they have seen but have more difficulty recalling what they have read or heard. While the research on learning […]

Assessing Digital Literacy in Today’s Classrooms

Educators, I need your help.

In my last post, with the help of Dr. Diane Kern of the University of Rhode Island, I took a look at educational assessment in […]

The Recess Recession: Can Free Play and Technology Co-Exist?

Two of the biggest talking points in the world of early childhood education are “free play” and “technology,” terms that are usually at odds with each other.

Blended learning is […]

Assessment vs. Evaluation: What’s the Difference and Why Are They Important?

Right now, assessment is more than just a buzzword in the Education field. It’s a talking point, a point of contention, and an anxiety trigger for many students (and even […]

Christmas-Worthy Games That Help ADHD? Bonus!

If you are the parent, grandparent, teacher or relative of a kid with ADHD, you’ve probably noticed that this kid loves video games. Video games have many of the qualities […]

Electronic Readers or Traditional Books — Reading is Reading, No Matter the Medium

When I was in high school, my dad bought me a Kindle. The year was 2009 and the Kindle (any electronic reader for that matter) was brand new technology. My […]

The Soul of a SOLE Classroom

In my last blog post, I encouraged parents and teachers to share their concerns and questions about education in the digital age. As a graduate student working on my Masters […]

Debunking the Dialogue About Digital Learning

I am not an expert. I am not a “real” teacher (yet). I admit that I have lived a relatively charmed life as an Education student.

Sure, I’ve fought some […]

5 Signs Your Child Needs Video Game Therapy

Video games as therapy has been a hot topic in the news recently. This has a lot to do with Akili Interactive Labs’ Project: EVO, which is breaking new ground […]

4 Tried and True Ways to Get A Child to Try New Things

Does your child have a very limited diet and a preference for a few specific foods? Does he insist on playing the same game day after day? Is he reluctant […]

How to Talk to Your Child About Video Games

You probably don’t need to be told that video games have moved out of subculture status to become an everyday part of life. Gaming devices are no longer hidden away […]

How to Talk to Teens and Young Adults About Executive Functions

Do you know a high-schooler or college student who just “can’t get it together?” Maybe they struggle to reach potential, wanting to do well but getting easily overwhelmed by the […]

Why I Use Minecraft As a Teaching Tool

The following post was written by one of our contributors, Jeffrey Brusini, who—in addition to being an attorney and progressing towards his Ph.D in psychology—is the Director of Mount Pleasant […]

The Best Places On the Web To Do Homework

Getting on the Web to do homework is a double-edged sword for many kids. Whether they are looking for guidance on simple math homework or material for a semester-long science […]

Tools Your Fellow Clinicians Use to Build Thinking Skills

This past spring I had the opportunity to conduct six continuing education sessions for PESI, a non-profit organization at the forefront of continuing education for psychologists, clinical social workers, speech […]

Why Child Therapists Need To Use Technology In Treatment

Clinicians who work with kids know that they are tied closely to their technology. The same goes with parents. However, how often does a parent answer a phone call or […]

What Is Digital Play? Why Is It Important?

Digital play can be described as a voluntary, energizing activity that involves the use of digital technologies. This includes activities related to video and computer games, Internet sites and search […]

Why Clinicians and Educators Need to Know about Kids’ Technology

When was the last time you walked into your waiting room to introduce yourself to a child in your practice, and she unplugged her headphones from her iPod, her parent […]

Setting Screen Time Limits For Children

Setting limits on screen time is one of the most common concerns expressed by parents of 21st century children. Parents look to childcare experts for guidance on this controversial topic […]

How Much Time Do Kids Spend With Technology?

Twenty-first century children growing up in the United States spend an enormous amount of time with digital media. How much time do kids spend with technology? According a Kaiser Foundation […]

Using Video Games in Working With Children

Clinicians who work with kids have traditionally used board games and toys as tools to develop therapeutic relationships; engage a child in the therapeutic process; and explore dynamics of home, […]

Using Video Games in Therapy and Education

Have you ever seen the Verizon television advertisement where the father informs the kids that they need to spend a few hours at grandma’s house?  This is bad news, because […]

How Do Video Games and Apps Lead to Learning?

How do video games and apps lead to learning? At the most basic level, play equals learning. When kids play, they learn. Play is helpful in teaching about problem solving, […]

Games and Apps for ADHD, ASD, Anxiety, Depression and LD

Video games and apps are routinely used as tools to help kids with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities. Selected technologies can be used by clinicians in […]

How To Find The Best Apps for Children

LearningWorks for Kids has made it easy to find apps that will help your child learn. This is how to find the best apps for children with ADHD, ASD, anxiety, […]

Pros and Cons of Video Games For Children

There is no question that video games and other technologies are having both a positive and a negative impact on the lives of 21st century children. In our estimation, those […]

4 Tips for Helping Your Teen Improve Visual Working Memory

We use the term “photographic memory” to describe someone with a better-than-average ability to recall visual details. While the evidence of people with actual eidetic memories is limited, we all […]

Minecraft, Executive Functioning and ADHD

Minecraft is a wildly popular game with a huge virtual world for children to explore, build and play in. With no clearly set goals, players are free to set their […]

Exercises & Activities for Helping Kids with ADHD Improve Attention

A New York Times article by Gretchen Reynolds entitled “How Exercise Fuels the Brain” describes how prolonged exercise significantly lowers the brain’s stores of energy during exercise, but subsequently brings […]

What Is the Impact of Video Games on Autism and Attention?

There have been a few recent studies relating higher use of video games to inattention in children with autism and ADHD. These studies are “correlation” in nature, meaning that […]

What is the Newest Research on Autism and Video Games?

Video games for children with autism or ADHD are a potential source of great learning opportunities. However, at the same time, video game play can present a host of […]

Understanding Technology and Autism

There has been a lot of recent news about how technology and video games impact children with autism. Much of what has been written has raised legitimate concerns about […]

Yes, Video Games Do Improve Spatial Reasoning Skills

Spatial reasoning — the skills that a creative child might display when taking apart a bike and putting it back together, or when designing and building structures in Minecraft — […]

Understanding the Latest Research on ADHD and video games

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics details serious concerns about the use of video games with children with ADHD. This study suggests that children with ADHD who […]