Primeros Pasos

It seems that the notion of childhood is not (and has not been) a fixed concept. Actually, it does vary greatly throughout history and cultures. A 1960’s book I’ve been fascinated about, “Centuries of Childhood: a Social History of Family Life” by Ariès, argues that before the seventeenth century, childhood was not a recognized concept. It was only sometime between 1600 and the … [Read more...] about When Mini Adults became Children

In the United States, children in lower income homes are exposed to 30 million fewer words than their wealthier peers by the time they are 3 years . This means that by the time they enter kindergarten, they are behind in literacy and vocabulary. … [Read more...] about Tech that helps children talk, not isolate

by Norbert Schady.       The World Health Organization and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme estimates that, in 2011, 94% of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean had access to an improved drinking water source (up from 85% in 1990); and 82% had access to improved sanitation facilities (up from 68% in 1990). But, does access to better water and sanitation, in … [Read more...] about World Water Day, the Link between Water Access and Better Child Outcomes

Dear readers, As you may have noticed, our posts in the First Steps Blog are less frequent. It is because we’ve moved to a different website. From now on, we’ll be publishing our content in English and Spanish on the same site, right here https://blogs.iadb.org/desarrollo-infantil/ … [Read more...] about We have Moved

By Florencia López-Boo.  I don’t think there’s any better way to ensure that children are bored and disconnected from learning than by shutting them up in a classroom and bombarding them with rules and countless tests. My field observations at child care centers and preschools have led me to think that many times children are treated like lambs in a pen instead of being … [Read more...] about Wild Child