Tooled Up Education

Researcher of the Month: Is Heavy Gaming Detrimental to Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing? Dr Simona Skripkauskaite Fills Us In

Should we worry if our teens spend hours a day gaming? New research shows that for the majority of teens, heavy gaming is not detrimental to their wellbeing and might even have a positive relationship with it. However, it also shows that there are a small number of teens for whom heavy gaming is associated with poor wellbeing. Dr Simona Skripkauskaite, our Researcher of the Month for February 2023, chats to us about her new study and what these findings mean for parents.

Researcher of the Month: Dr Rachel Nesbit Discusses Adventurous Play in Schools

Our researcher of the month, Dr Rachel Nesbit, talks to Dr Weston about her recent paper which explores the importance of adventurous play to children’s mental health and development. She talks about barriers to play and gives specific advice on how adventurous play can be successfully facilitated in school settings.

The Importance of Play: Tip Sheet

Play is essential to children’s social, emotional and intellectual development. Read our top tips on facilitating high quality play for children of all ages.

Why is Play So Important?

Play is considered so essential to children’s wellbeing, that it is defined as a basic human right by the United Nations. Play is not just for fun. It’s the principle way in which children learn about themselves and discover what they are capable of. Watch Dr Weston’s top tips on how to facilitate high quality play for your children, especially during the current periods of lockdown and Covid disruption.

Dr Weston Talks with Professor Helen Dodd: The Importance of Play

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks to Professor Helen Dodd about the crucial importance of play in children’s development. They examine the relationship between adventurous play and anxiety, and discuss how parents can facilitate effective play. As a leading expert on children’s mental health, Professor Dodd also describes the main features of anxiety and when parents should worry.