September babies less likely to be criminals, study finds
If you want to give your child the best start in life, try to conceive around Christmas time. According to new research published in the National Bureau of Economic Research, …
Should you take your child with you to vote?
Election Day is upon us, and provides us with a great opportunity to teach our children about the importance of playing an active role in our democracy. But should you take …
General Election 2017: Labour Pains or Labour Gains for UK mums?
Yesterday, Institute of Mums surveyed 1,162 mums online about their voting intentions ahead of tomorrow’s General Election. The good news is that turnout among mums should be high, with 93% planning …
Two thirds of British children will catch head lice during school years, study finds
Two thirds of children can expect to catch head lice at least once during childhood, new research by the Institute of Mums has revealed. Over 1.6 million head lice …
How to talk to your children about terrorism
When terrible events happen, such as yesterday’s terror attack in London, parents’ immediate instinct is to shield their children from the news. While this is perfectly natural, it may not always be …
Female primary teachers have higher risk of suicide, statistics show
Female nursery and primary school teachers have a significantly higher risk of suicide than the average woman, statistics show, amid warnings it is ‘one of the most highly stressed occupations …
The X-Plan that all parents should teach their children
Blogger and father of three Bert Fulks has come up with a clever way to get kids out of tough situations. In a recent blog post, Fulks, who lives …
Should I let my 6-year-old change his rather unusual name?
A mother has asked Reddit users if she and her husband are “crazy” to consider letting their adopted son legally change his name. The mum explained that the couple adopted …
Bullying: what to do when your child is the bully
It’s a call no parent wants to receive. “There’s been a case of bullying involving your child,” the voice on the other end explains. You demand answers. You want …
5 ways to help your child succeed at school – without being a pushy parent
In just a few weeks’ time Year 6 pupils will find out at which school they’ll be spending the next few crucial years of their education. This will end months, …
Teenager’s new book aims to teach children about mental health
A teenage girl from Wiltshire has discovered success as an author after writing a book about mental health, aimed at young children. Scrambled Heads is aimed at children aged 5-11 …
Girls start believing they are less smart than boys as early as age 6, study finds
“There are lots of people at the place where I work, but there is one person who is really special. This person is really, really smart. This person figures out …
10-year old autistic girl wows Internet with Christmas version of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’
A 10-year-old’s rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has gone viral. Kaylee Rodgers, a student who has autism and ADHD, gave a remarkable solo performance of the famous song during her …
School grades its parents on their level on involvement in children’s education
A primary school in Nottinghamshire is grading its pupils’ parents based on the support they give to their children. Greasley Beauvale primary school marks parents from A to D based …
Had spots as a teenager? We have some good news
Teenagers cursed with acne could have the last laugh over their peers with “perfect skin” as they will stay looking youthful for longer, new research suggests. Experts claim it’s because …
40% of children not going to dentist, NHS figures show
Over two fifths of children in England have not visited an NHS dentist in the past year, figures show, despite official health advice urging regular check-ups. More than 6.7 million …
Leading private school offers bursaries for children of parents who earn £120k a year
Families earning up to £120,000 a year receive bursaries if they send their children to a leading independent school, it has emerged. St Paul’s School in south London, which is …
Study reveals cost of buying a house near a high-performing state school
Parents seeking to buy a house within the catchment area of a good school can expect to pay a premium of up to £630,000, new research has revealed. Lloyds Bank …
Robotic babies used in sex ed classes found to increase number of teen pregnancies
One might think that caring for a robotic baby doll — one that cries and sleeps like a regular human baby — might discourage teenage girls from getting pregnant. According …
School with 7 pupils on a tiny, remote Scottish island seeks new teacher
With a registered population of just 30, the Isle of Muck, Scotland, is not exactly bursting with career opportunities. However, a new position has become available at Muck Primary School …
NSPCC’s new dancing dinosaur Pantosaurus proves a hit
After years of relying on shock tactics to get their message across, children’s charity NSPCC is trying to put a positive spin on its branding. The charity recently teamed up …
A-level results day: Record number of UK university places awarded
A record number of UK university places has been awarded to students this year, it has been revealed. Thousands of teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their A-level …
Lazy school holidays causing children’s health and fitness levels to fall ‘dramatically’
Lack of physical activity during the summer holidays is having a detrimental effect on children’s fitness levels, a major study has found. The study – the first of its kind …
Move over James Bond! MI6 invites schoolchildren to play spymaster for the day
MI6 opened its doors to schoolchildren for the first time earlier this month, in a bid to dispel the perception that Secret Intelligence Service staff are only chosen via a …
School bans clapping and encourages pupils to silent cheer or punch the air instead
A primary school in Sydney has banned clapping out of respect for children who are “sensitive to noise”. Instead, the school is asking its pupils to “silent cheer”, “pull excited …
A simple DNA test could predict how well your child does in school
A person’s academic ability can be determined simply by looking at their DNA, research has found. Researchers at King’s College London have developed a new genetic scoring technique that explains …
Brighton introduces two week half term to help parents keep holiday costs down
Schools in Brighton and Hove are extending the October half-term break to allow parents to access cheaper holidays. The city council said the new two-week October half-term, to begin in …
Sex education in British schools is “unfit for the smartphone generation,” survey finds
HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust has released the findings of a major new survey of over 900 young people about sex and relationship education provisions in schools. …
School population rises by 121,000
The school population in England increased by 121,000 since last year, according to annual figures from the Department for Education. The number of children enrolled in schools in England has …
Google unveils ‘smart blocks’ that teach kids as young as 5 to programme
Google has unveiled a new product that is intended to teach kids how to programme without having to learn traditional coding.
Headteacher tells parents to stop using social media to spy on their kids
Children no longer have independence because their parents are able to monitor their activities through social media, a headteacher has claimed. In a passionate plea to parents to stop their …
Teacher highlights the damaging effect of bullying using just 2 red apples
Using nothing but two shiny red apples, a teacher from Staffordshire has successfully managed to convey to her class the damaging effect of bullying. Before the class began, teacher Rosie …
Fashion makeover games shown to ‘significantly’ lower children’s body confidence
Ten minutes spent playing on a children’s internet game is enough to lower girls’ self-esteem, a study suggests. Research by the University of West London has shown that some popular online games …
Heartrbreaking photo of three-year-old practising mass shooting lockdown drill goes viral
A mother has described how she broke down in tears after taking a picture of her three-year-old daughter standing on a toilet ‒ only to discover that she was practicing …
British children favour staying in the EU, a new poll suggests
They may be too young to vote in Thursday’s European Union referendum, but that isn’t stopping Britain’s kids from weighing in with their views on the subject. According to a …
Dancing helps children form friendships, even when there is a history of ill-feeling, study finds
As every disco-lover knows, dancing can be a great way to break the ice. But now Oxford University academics have discovered that dancing can help children form friendships too. The …
NSPCC warns porn is stripping children of their childhoods
They’re growing up in a much more X-rated universe than their parents did. A new study conducted on behalf of children’s charity the NSPCC, says the majority of children are …
Is your child getting enough sleep? New guidelines reveal optimum amount of sleep for babies, kids and teens
New guidelines have been published outlining how much sleep children should be getting per night. The recommended amount of sleep varies by age, ranging from 8 hours for teens, up …
Can you answer this ‘impossible’ maths question aimed at 10-year-olds?
Can you solve this maths question that has left kids and parents stumped after it was given to primary school pupils as homework. Year 5 students at a school in …
Children are three times more likely to get hurt falling out of bed than out of a tree
A leading academic has warned that today’s children are suffering from a “nature deficit”, deprived of the freedom to run around and play outside. Dame Fiona Reynolds, Master of Emmanuel …
Pocket money gender pay gap: Boys receive 12% more
A gender pay gap is emerging in the amount of pocket money British parents give their children. Even at the tender age of under 15, it seems boys receive significantly …
Lose the shoes: schoolchildren with no shoes on ‘do better and behave better in the classroom’, research shows
Schoolchildren who take their shoes off during lessons are likely to obtain better grades and behave better than those who wear them, academic research has revealed. According to research by …
Primary school extends school day to help parents afford cheaper holidays
A primary school in Kent has lengthened its school day by 20 minutes in order to help parents plan cheaper, off-peak holidays. Chiddingstone Primary School near Tunbridge Wells has extended …
High Court rules in favour of father who refused to pay fine for term-time holiday
A father who refused to pay a fine for taking his six-year-old daughter out of school for a family trip to Florida, has won a ruling in his favour at …
Headteacher claims ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ are damaging children’s brains
A headteacher is urging parents not to let their children read or watch ‘Harry Potter’, claiming the books contribute to mental illness in kids. Graeme Whiting, head of the independent Acorn …
Maths question for six-year-olds is leaving adults scratching their heads. Can you solve it?
A maths question aimed at 6 and 7 year old pupils in Year 2 is leaving parents scratching their heads. The question reads: ‘There were some people on a train. …
Politicans who have failed to meet their own school standards
Last week, education minister Nick Gibb came unstuck after he tried to answer a grammar question for 11-year-olds. The schools minister was asked on BBC Radio 4’s World at One …
Parents and children strike against SATs tests
Parents and children around the UK went on strike on Tuesday in protest at compulsory SATs tests that the government has introduced to gauge the academic progress of six and …
Parents and grandparents putting children at risk by ditching booster seats too soon, finds research
Over a third of 8 to 11 year olds in the UK are not using a booster seat on car journeys when one is required, according to a new report …
Would you pass the new SATs tests for 11-year-olds?
Next month will see the introduction of new SATs tests, which the government is introducing as part of reforms designed to ensure that every child gets a “solid grounding” in …
Primary school spelling test scrapped after paper was leaked online
A primary school spelling test due to be taken by hundreds of thousands of seven year-olds this summer has been scrapped after it was accidentally published online. The test, which …
BBC launches new iPlayer Kids app
The BBC has created an app aimed exclusively at children – BBC iPlayer Kids. Available to download today on tablets and smartphones, the name basically says it all: it’s iPlayer, …
Parents do not recognise the importance of learning in pre-school years, claims charity Save the Children
Too many parents are underestimating their children’s ability to learn language, according to a report. A survey of parents by charity Save the Children found that far from the popular …
White British children are among the highest achievers at age 5, but fall behind in secondary school, study finds
In the Early Years, White British children are among the highest achievers but, by the time they finish secondary school, they fall ten places in the rankings to just below average.
Half of parents prepared to pay £60 fines to take their children on holiday during term time, reveals survey
Almost half of British parents are either prepared to risk being fined, or already have been, for taking their children out of school during term time to go on holiday, …
Schools are charging up to £1.80 for children to eat homemade packed lunches
Parents are being charged for children to eat their own packed lunches in schools, it has been reported. A survey carried out by the Teachers’ Union NASUWT and reported in …
Children as young as 7 are ‘sexting’ at school, say teachers
Studies suggest that sexting is more common than many parents might realize or want to admit
Research shows British children spend less time outdoors than prison inmates
Children in the UK spend less time outdoors than prison inmates, a survey has found. Three out of every four children aged six to 11 spend less than an hour …
George Osborne announces plans for a major shake up of English schools
Chancellor George Osborne has used his Budget speech to announce that £1.5 billion would be spent on additional lessons and activities at secondary schools in England. The school day will …
At what age can children be left alone?
There is no legal minimum age at which children can be left unattended – but figures suggest hundreds of parents were arrested for doing so last year. What are the rules?
Study suggest babies understand more than we think
Babies have a better handle on their level of intelligence level than was previously thought.
Kids want parents to obey these 7 technology rules
Put your phone away when I’m talking to you. Don’t text while you’re driving—not even at red lights. Stop posting photos of me without my permission.
These are some of the rules for Internet and smartphone use that kids would set for their parents, according to a new study
Braided work of art
Each morning she spends around 20 minutes creating a different-yet-equally elaborate look for her 6 year old.
British kids told to use fewer exclamation marks! How bizarre!
Children who use punctuation marks in written tests will be penalised unless they adhere to strict rules.
Most stay-at-home mothers want to work, but working mothers want to work less
More than half of stay-at-home mothers wish they could go out to work but feel trapped by a lack of suitable childcare, a major Government study has found. Yet – …
Rise in number of scarlet fever cases across England
The symptoms of scarlet fever include a sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. This is followed by a fine red rash which typically first appears on the chest and stomach, rapidly spreading to other parts of the body.
The controversial new search engine for kids
A new child-friendly search engine has emerged and the internet is going wild. Many are touting it “Google for kids” and say it long overdue. Twitter is awash with excitement. …
Schoolgirl stops station from closing
Three years ago, the Kami-Shirataki Station in Hokkaido, Japan, was about to cease operations due to a lack of demand because of its remote location. But when Japan Railways noticed …
You can come to my party on one condition…
A mother from Leigh On Sea has angered parents in her son’s class at school by organising a 7th birthday party for her son Alfie and insisting that all gifts …
Thousands Back Petition To See Meningitis Vaccine Given To All Children
A petition to extend the NHS meningitis B immunisation programme to cover all children in the UK has attracted over 600,000 signatures, exceeding the 100,000 mark which means it must …
School first, embryo second
In some parts of the country, competition for private school places is so fierce that some parents are putting down deposits for their children before they are even conceived. Head …
Have you noticed this in your child’s bottle?
The dad first posted about the problem on his Facebook wall.