Slow News

More and more news is coming out about the benefits of free play, outdoor play, slow food, slowing down, un-scheduling, work-life balance, family togetherness, and community spaces and bonds. I try to compile the best. See some interesting Slow News? Please share it with us.

Have American Parents Got it All Backwards?, Christine Gross-Loh, Huffington Post, 5/7/13

Slow Down and Parent: Authors Offer Tips on Minimalist Parenting, Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman. 4/12/13

Researcher’s Theory Explains Everything About How Americans Parent, Nicholas Day, Slate, 4/10/13

The Real Problem with Education, Peter Gray, AlterNet, 4/8/13

Lessons Found in the Mud, Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 3/29/13

Know When to Hold ‘Em, Making Family Time Work for Teens, Bernadette Noll, New York Times, 3/25/13

Children Should be Allowed to Get Bored, Expert Says, Hannah Richardson, BBV, 3/22/13

Overscheduled Kids, Anxious Parents, Josh Levs, CNN.com, 3/8/13

The Decline of Communities Could Explain America’s Health Problem, Lindsay Abrams, Atlantic Cities, 3/6/13

British Children Babied by Intrusive Parents, Says MP, BBC News, 3/2/13

The Politics of Play, Jay Griffiths, Orion Magazine, 3/13

Rx Nature: The Value of Free Time and Play, Lawrence Rosen, Deirdre Imus Institute, 2/13

Bike Lanes Key to Success of Austin Subdivision, People for Bikes, 2/27/13

What We Lose When Kids Can’t Play in their Own Streets, Sarah Goodyear, Atlantic Cities, 2/25/13

14 Things Successful People do on Weekends, Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes, 2/22/113

10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play, NAEYC, 2/20/13

Gym Class Isn’t Just Fun and Games Anymore, Motoko Rich, New York Times, 2/19/13

How Free Play Can Define Kids’ Success, Katrina Schwartz, KQED, 2/15/13

Relax, You’ll be More Productive, Tony Schwartz, New York Times, 2/10/13

Lack of Outdoor Play Spaces for Children over Last 40 Years Highly Regrettable, Richard Howard, Daynurseries.co.uk, 2/7/13

Why Parents Need to Let their Children Fail, Jessica Lahey, The Atlantic, 1/29/13

Tear Down the Swingsets. Here’s How Put the Play Back in Playgrounds, Nicholas Day, Slate, 1/28/13

Six Year Olds Need to Play More than They Need to Spell, Susie Steiner, UK Guardian, 1/28/13

“Car Children” Learn Less in School, Davis Enterprise, 1/25/13

Children’s Play Spaces Becoming Increasingly Artificial, Penny Wilson, Science Daily/ International Journal of Play, 1/24/13

The Sorry State of Neighborhood Design in America, Rethinking Childhood, 1/22/13

Play at School: Recess, and These Games, Boost Child Development, Susan Sachs Lipman, Christian Science Monitor, 1/11/13

To Prevent Injuries, Young Athletes May Need to Play More Just For Fun, Loyola University Health System, 1/11/13

Couple Fined for Having Urban Vegetable Garden, Stephanie Hanes, Christian Science Monitor, 1/9/13

A Public Fruit Park Opens in L.A., Sustainable Cities Collective, 1/7/13

Eva Restaurant Cellphone Discount Gives Los Angeles Patrons Five Percent Off for Surrendering Phone, Hayley Hudson, Huffington Post, 1/3/13

American Academy of Pediatrics: All Work and No Play Bad for Kids. Kids Need Recess, Cole Petrochko, Med Page Today, 1/2/13

Silencing the Smartphone, Tanya Mohn, New York Times, 12/31/12

Help Your Child March to Their Own Beat, Kidspot, Australia, 12/13/12

How to Slow Down as a Busy Parent, Amy Taylor-Kabbaz, Well Being, 11/26/12

The Quiet Ones, Tim Kreider, New York Times, 11/18/12

Reflections on the Connections Between the Sacred, Sacrifice and Sabbbath, Tim Darst and Mark Steiner, Courier-Journal, 10/23/12

That’s Slow Biz, Cara Mae Skin Care, 9/27/12

As Children’s Freedom has Declined, So has Their Creativity, Peter Gray, Psychology Today, 9/17/12

Is Technology Sapping Children’s Creativity, Valerie Strauss, Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Washington Post, 9/13/12

Family Dinner Night: Montclair Schools Clear Calendar, Shelley Emling, Montclair Patch, 9/10/12

Creativity Predicts a Longer Life, Scientific American, 9/9/12

Got Good Parenting? It’s Not Just About Breast Milk or Extracurricular Activities, Polly Palumbo, Psychology Today, 8/29/12

Going on a Techno Fast: Taking a Break from the Virtual World, Richard Louv, The New Nature Movement, 8/15/12

Slow Reading and Recovering Local Cultures of the Book, C. Christoper Smith, Huffington Post, 8/10/12

Old Fashioned Children’s Games Endangered, Yahoo Lifestyle U.K, Ireland, 8/3/12

Advanced Pressure: High School Students are Working Overtime to Take AP Classes. But is it even worth it?, Martha Ross, Diablo, 8/12

America is Safer than Ever, So Why Are Parents so Scared?, Megan Rosker, Huffington Post Parents, 7/30/12

The Rat Race of Childhood: Why We Need to Balance Students’ Lives, Vicki Abeles, Washington Post, 7/20/12

First the Children, John M. Eger, Huffington Post, 7/14/12

Whatever Happened to Slow Mellow Summertime?, Parent to Parent, Tracy Ormsbee, Albany Times-Union, 7/13/12

To Find Fields to Farm in New York City, Just Look Up, Lisa W. Foderaro, New York Times, 7/11/12

Let the Children Play: It’s Good for Them, Alison Gopnik, Smithsonian, 7/12

The Busy Trap, Tim Kreider, New York Times, 6/30/12

Dialog: How Children Play, New York Times, 6/30/12

Vacation Sabotage: Don’t Let it Happen to You, Matt Richtel, New York Times, 6/29/12

Vacation is Necessary, Starre Vartan, Mother Nature Network, 6/22/12

Gardener Sues Tulsa for Cutting Down Her Edible Garden, Trehugger, 6/18/12

Pre-School Graduation: Sad Symptom of Accelerated Childhood, Susan Sachs Lipman, Christian Science Monitor, 6/5/12

Slow Down and Enjoy Life, Jacqui Mott, Herald Sun, Australia, 6/2/12

When One Special Day Grows to a Marathon of Wedding Fetes, Is It Too Much?, Washington Post, 6/1/12

It’s a Kid’s Job: Playing Helps Kids Learn and Grow, NIH News in Health, 6/12

Play Supports Early Brain Development in Impressive Ways, Urban Child Institute, 6/12

Now Coveted: A Walkable, Convenient Place, New York Times, 5/25/12

10 Ways to Create Community Where You Live, Ross Chapin, Pocket Neighborhoods, 5/24/12

Introducing Children to the Sources of Food, New York Times, 5/11/12

Last Child in the Street?, Rethinking Childhood, 5/10/12

Campaigns to Get Children Outdoors Make Progress, Children & Nature Network, 5/10/12

Kids Who are Driven Everywhere Don’t Know Where They’re Going, Sarah Goodyear, Atlantic Cities, 5/7/12

Why Kids Need to Play in the Street, Sarah Goodyear. Atlantic Cities, 5/1/12

What’s Lost When Kids Don’t Ride Bikes to School? NPR, 5/2/12

Is Traffic Making us Lonely?, Atlantic Cities, 4/26/12

Ban Homework Before Third Grade; Support Children’s Play, Christian Science Monitor, 4/24/12

Researchers Find Time in Wild Boosts Creativity, Insight and Problem Solving, University of Kansas, 4/23/12

At Urban L.A. School, Nature Grows, and so do Test Scores, L.A. Times, 4/16/12

A Curbside Food Forest Grows in South L.A., Mother Nature Network, 4/13/12

U.K. National Trust: 50 Things to Do Before You’re 11 3/4,U.K. Telegraph, 4/13/12

Opening the Door to Outdoor Play, Washington Post, 4/11/12

Why Americans are Afraid to Take a Vacation, Mother Nature Network, 4/10/12

Why Kids Need Recess and Exercise, C&NN Health, 4/3/12

Why are Parents Less Likely to Take Little Girls Outside to Play?, Time, 4/3/12

Nearly Half of Preschoolers Not Playing Outside Daily, CNN Health, 4/2/12

Nature Deficit Disorder Gaining Wider Acceptance, Earth Day Network, 4/2/12

Helicopter Moms Hover Over Kids’ Romantic Lives, ABC News, 4/2/12

The True Cost of Unwalkable Streets, Atlantic Cities, 3/28/12

Is Street Play Coming Back into Fashion?, Rethinking Childhood, 3/28/12

Aggressive ‘Helicopter’ Parents Force Egg Hunt Cancellation, AP/USA Today, 3/26/12

A Slow-Books Manifesto, Maura Kelly, The Atlantic, 3/26/12

Creating Play Spaces in Your Home, Local10.com 3/22/12

Imagine That: Fostering Creativity in the Workplace, Jonah Lehrer, NPR, 3/21/12

The Politics of Playgrounds, A History, The Atlantic, 3/14/12

How to Be Creative, Jonah Lehrer, Wall Street Journal, 3/12/12

The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development, Psychology Today, 3/6/12

We Should Prioritize Play in our Children’s Lives, Baltimore Sun, 2/29/12

Why Kids Need Recess and Exercise, Denene Millner, Parenting, 2/28/12

Conference Gets Serious About Playing, Anderson (South Carolina) Independent Mail, 2/26/12

Forest Play Aids Children’s Mediation Skills, BBC News South East Wales, 2/26/12

Should Preschoolers Have Homework?, New York Times Motherlode Blog, 2/22/12

Schoolchildren Banned From Playing Hide and Seek, Rethinking Childhood, 2/16/12

The Importance of Play, Reno News Review, 2/16/12

Parents Want Houston School District to Stop Playing with Recess, Houston Chronicle, 2/8/12

Communities Learn the Good Life Can be a Killer, Jane E. Brody, New York Times, 1/30/12

Why Urban, Educated Parents are Turning to DIY Education, Newsweek, 1/30/12

Reading is Not a Race: The Virtues of the Slow Reading Movement, Washington Post, 1/30/12

Flash Cards or Finger Paints? Should Academics or Play be the Goal of Preschool? Imagination Soup. 1/29/12

The Value of School Recess and Outdoor Play, Kaboose, 1/12

Growing Up: Free-Range Kids or Smother Mother? Time, 1/27/12

The Importance of Child’s Play, Wall Street Journal, 1/27/12

Groups Want to Make NYC Roads Child-Safe for Play, Village Voice, 1/25/12

Adults Finding Fun in Recess Games, South Charlotte News, 1/25/12

Slow Toys Debut at 2012 Toy Fair, eparent, 1/24/12

The Healing Effects of Nature on Children, Hub Pages, 1/23/12

The Games Kids No Longer Play, Christian Science Monitor, 1/22/12

Views vs. Walkability, a Shift in Real-Estate Wish Lists, Domecile (San Francisco), 1/12/12

Moving On From Zero-Risk Childhood, Rethinking Childhood, 1/11/12

Let the Preschoolers Play, Los Angeles Times, 1/9/12

Slow Parenting Let’s Kids Flourish, Advocates Say, CBC News, 1/6/12

Study Shows Preschoolers Spend too Much Time on Sedentary Activities, USA Today, 1/4/12

Playgrounds Too Safe to Keep Little Kids Active, Med Page Today, 1/4/12

Parents are the Biggest Obstacle to Letting Kids Play, Washington Post, 1/4/12

Preschoolers Need to Get a Move On, USA Today, 1/3/12

Let the Kids Play: They’ll Do Better in School, Time, 1/3/12

The Healing Power of Play, Miami Herald, 1/3/12

Just Let Them Play, Kaboom, 1/3/12

Societal Values and Policies Preschool Curtail Children’s Physical Activity American Academy of Pediatrics, 1/2/12

Resolved in 2012: Enjoy the View Without Help From an iphone, New York Times, 1/1/12

The Joy of Quiet, New York Times, 12/29/11

From Finland, An Intriguing School Model, New York Times, 12/13/11

Smartest Toys for Kids Can Be The Simplest, USA Today, 12/12/11

Do Toddlers Really Need Computers to Learn?, USA Today, 12/12/11

Tinkertoys Trump Technology (study), Register-Guard, 12/5/11

Battling the Nature Deficit with Play, American Journal of Play, 12/11

The New Domesticity: Fun, Empowering or a Step Back for American Women?, Washington Post, 11/27/11

The Power of Play, Play Lays the Groundwork for Complex Lessons, The Missourian, 11/16/11

How Children’s Play is Being Sneakily Redefined, Washington Post, 11/16/11

Kids Learn Best Through Play, Toledo Blade, 11/13/11

Learning From the Word Go, EuroNews, 11/3/11

I Failed Recess .. Because I Don’t Play, Education Week, 10/25/11

All Work and No Play, Why Your Kids are Anxious and Depressed, The Atlantic, 10/12/11

Slow Family Movement Argues Less is More, USA Today, 10/9/11

Adults Play Just for Kicks, Post-Tribune, 10/4/11

Kids Need Child-Driven Play Time, KVUE.com, 9/30/11

Every Child is a Scientist, Jonah Lehrer, Wired, 9/28/11

Slow Parenting, Aleney de Winter, Well Being, 9/26/11

Less Play Time Equals More Troubled Kids, Experts Say, USA Today, 9/23/11

Judge Wages War Against Memphis Urban Gardener, Mother Nature Network, 9/20/11

Recess is Making a Comeback in Schools, New York Times, 9/17/11

Parents Who Hover Impede Kids’ Activity, Time, 9/16/11

Slow Family Living in a Fast Family Society, Playborhood, 9/9/11

Want Your Kids to Get into Harvard? Tell ‘Em To Go Outside, Richard Louv, The New Nature Movement, 8/25/11

Are Today’s Youth Less Creative and Imaginative?, Live Science, 8/12/11

Children Being Taught How to Climb Trees, UK Telegraph, 8/11/11

All School, No Play: Kids’ Learning Suffers Without Recess, Experts Say, Stephanie Pappas, Today Parenting, 8/11/11

How to Land your Kid in Therapy (the case for letting them fail) Lori Gottlieb, The Atlantic, 7-8/11

Can a Playground be Too Safe?, New York Times, 7/18/11

When S’Mores Aren’t Enough: The New Economics of Summer Camp, 7/9/11

Physicians Speak Out on the Importance of Play for Children’s Health (video) , YouTube, 6/30/11

Why Kids Explore Nature Better Than We Do, Wildlife Promise, 6/13/11

Doctors Write Park Prescriptions to Get Patients Moving, Canadian Spectator, 6/4/11

Fast-Tracking to Kindergarten?, New York Times, 5/13/11

Why Preschool Shouldn’t Be Like School, Alison Gopnik, Slate, 3/16/11

Classroom and Playground all Rolled into One, New York Times, 3/16/11

Silent Schoolyards: Recess Linked to Academic Success, Medill Reports, 3/11/11

Why Parents Should Stop Overprotecting their Kids and Let them Play: An Interview with Hara Estroff Marano and Lenore Skenazy, Journal of Play, 3/11

We Can All Afford to Slow Down: Investment Dressing Costs Less than Fast Fashion, Kelly Drennan, EcoSalon, 2/22/11

JoCo Parents Find Success in Backing Off, Kansas City Star, 2/14/11

Is Creativity the Number One Skill for the 21st Century?, Psychology Today, 2/7/11

The 5 Best Toys of All Time, Wired Magazine, 1/31/11

Movement to Restore Free Play Gains Momentum, Slow Family Online, 1/6/11

Want to Get Your Kids into College? Let Them Play, Erika Christakis and Nicholas Christakis, CNN.com, 12/29/10

How to Encourage Your Kid’s Creativity, Meryl Davids Landau, U.S. News & World Report,

Central Park Party Will Highlight Kids’ Need to Play, American Psychological Association, 9/10

Too Much TV for Kids Means Poorer Health, Lilian Presti, Los Angeles Times, 9/24/10

The Creativity Crisis, Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, Newsweek, 7/10/10

Slow Reading: An Antidote for a Fast World?, Newsweek, 6/22/10

Slow Parenting Gaining Steam: It’s About Time, Slow Family Online, 4/5/10

Children Opt for Box Over Toy, Slow Family Online, 4/6/10

If Your Kids are Awake, They’re Probably Online, Tamar Lewin, New York Times, 1/20/10

Kindergarten Tests and the Importance of Play, U.S. News & World Report, 4/7/09

Play Author Stuart Brown: Why Playtime Matters to Kids’ Health and Minds, Nancy Shute, U.S. News & World Report, 3/9/09

10 Reasons Play Can Make You Happy, Healthy and More Productive, Nancy Shute, U.S. News & World Report, 3/9/09

The Joys of Doing Nothing, Scholastic Magazine, 2009

Why Kids Need a Big Dose of Nature, Adam Voiland, U.S. News & World Report, 2/13/08

Gratitude at Work, Charles D. Kerns, Graziadio Business Review, 2006.

Childhood Revisited, the changing nature of childhood play, American Psychological Association, 3/06

How We Learn, Alison Gopnick, New York Times, 1/16/05

Creativity in Young Children, University of Missouri, Sara Gable, 2000

The Importance of Play, The Atlantic, 3/87

Photos by Susan Sachs Lipman