Al-Amn Magazine

Certain social media platforms: For teens, certain social media platforms can foster a sense of community and connectedness. Common Sense Media recommends Pinterest, Sit With Us, and Signal (a secure, private messaging app) for kids ages 13 and up. Enhances Critical Thinking  Some apps and games test critical thinking skills. “There are games that absolutely teach resilience, resource management, cooperation, strategic thinking, spatial thinking, reasoning,” says Miner. “You try, you learn from your mistakes, you try again.” «A lot of these games won›t even feel like learning,» says Caroline Knorr, senior parenting editor at Common Sense Media. «But parents know time playing is time well spent with puzzles and games that challenge kids to experiment and find creative ways to solve problems.» Programmes that promote critical thinking skills include: Online «board» games: Chess.com, Cardgames.io, and other programs take old-fashioned games from the family card table to the small screen. Your child can even enter competitions through some of the platforms. Puzzle games: Digital tools make puzzles even more entertaining. Good Job! (for ages 8 and up) and The Last Campfire (for ages 9 and up) offer logical tests and rewards for players. Encourages creativity  There are more online tools than ever to encourage design thinking in kids. Even some video games can get children›s creative juices flowing, too. Research shows that video games that get players in a state of «flow» by providing clear goals, ongoing feedback, and creative control in the playing environment spark creative thinking.2 Look into these programs to enhance kids› creativity: Design websites and apps: Sites like Canva have free tools that allow kids to design everything from digital greeting cards to original artwork. Older kids and teens can experiment with CAD (computer-aided design) software programs that allow them to develop 3D-printable models. World-building video games: From Minecraft (and Minecraft spin-offs) to kid-friendly simulations like Moving Out and Railway Empire (both for ages 8 and up), certain games can inspire tweens and teens to design their own homes, neighborhoods, businesses, and even worlds. Promotes school readiness  While the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend screen usage for infants, high-quality apps and programs can be a great learning tool for preschoolers and older kids.3 «[If you] want to introduce digital media, [you] should choose high-quality programming/apps and use them together with [your] children,» the AAP explains. «Co-view or co-play with your children, and find other activities to do together that are healthy for the body and mind.» Here are some examples of screen tools that can prepare or enhance school readiness: E-books: You can download picture and chapter books straight to a tablet through Kindle and other apps, or look into a subscription plan like Epic, which includes more than 40,000 well-loved titles spanning read-aloud books, audiobooks, graphic novels, and more. Learning apps for tablets or phones: Academic skill- building apps abound. Some parent favorites include ABC Mouse, Brain Pop Jr., Duolingo, Khan Academy Kids, and Prodigy. Develops motor skills  Working with and on computers and playing video