UBC Early Development Research Group

08/12/2026

We’ve been searching for these emojis for a while…should we make it official?

08/10/2026

📚 Research suggests that preschool is not too early to begin talking about artificial intelligence (AI). As children interact with AI-powered devices and apps, caregivers can help them build a healthy understanding of what AI is and isn't.

Key Insights
🤖 Preschoolers can begin to understand that AI is a tool created by people and that it is different from a real person.

❤️ Simple, age-appropriate conversations can help children learn that AI does not have real thoughts, feelings, or relationships.

🧠 However, young children may not yet grasp that AI can sound confident even when wrong.

🛡️ Children may need help understanding that AI can collect personal information, such as recordings of their voices, and why it's important to protect their privacy.

Takeaway
✨ As AI becomes more common, caregivers can support early AI literacy by having open conversations with their children about how AI works, its limitations, and why human relationships matter most.

Text adapted from Zero to Three



Link to the article: https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/preschoolers-and-ai-what-they-understand/

08/03/2026

📚 Research suggests that playing board games may support children's cognitive, social, and emotional development. Beyond providing entertainment, board games create opportunities for children to practice a wide range of life skills.

Key Insights
🧠 Board games can support the development of cognitive skills such as memory and problem-solving.

🤝 Playing with others helps children practice important social skills, including cooperation and communication.

😊 Children's creativity, self-confidence, and well-being may also be fostered through board games.

🔢 Math-based board games were linked to greater improvements in working memory and math skills than memory games, suggesting that different board games may support different skills.

Takeaway
✨ Playing board games is a fun way to learn while building important cognitive, social, and emotional skills. Parents and educators can support children's development by incorporating board games into learning and play.

Text adapted from BOLD Science



Link to the article: https://boldscience.org/the-hidden-benefits-of-board-games/

07/29/2026

👶 Dr. Janet Werker and Dr. Andrew Baron, along with researchers at the University of British Columbia, examined whether infants develop expectations about the relationship between the languages people speak and their ethnicity during the first year of life.

🗣️ Eleven-month-old English-learning infants were shown Asian and Caucasian faces while listening to English, Cantonese, or Spanish.

👀 When hearing Cantonese, infants looked more toward Asian faces than Caucasian faces. However, this pattern was not observed when infants heard Spanish, suggesting that they did not simply associate any unfamiliar language with an unfamiliar face.

🤝 Interestingly, infants who regularly interacted with one or more significant non-Caucasian individuals showed stronger associations between language and ethnicity.

🌟 Overall, the findings suggest that infants may learn specific associations between language and ethnicity by observing the people and languages in their everyday environments.

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07/27/2026

📚 Research has largely focused on the negative impacts of childhood adversity, but recent findings suggest that children may also develop adaptations that help them navigate challenging environments.

Key Insights
🧠 Some children respond to adversity by developing adaptive skills, such as detecting threats, tracking unpredictability, or identifying others' mental states.

💡 Children may adapt their decision-making to fit their environments. Behaviours that seem impulsive may reflect reasonable adaptations to unpredictable circumstances.

🌱 The abilities children develop in response to adversity may become more refined as they continue adapting to their environments throughout development.

🌧️ However, these adaptations do not always lead to better wellbeing. For example, children who develop heightened awareness of threats may also feel more sensitive to signs of stress or negative emotions in others.

Takeaway
✨ Understanding both the challenges and adaptations associated with childhood adversity can help educators and caregivers provide support that recognizes each child's unique experiences and strengths.

Text adapted from BOLD Science



Link to the article: https://boldscience.org/how-do-children-deal-with-adversity/

07/24/2026

Fun Fact Friday!

💬 Did you know adults are biologically wired to respond to a baby's cry?

📖 Infants cry for an average of about two hours each day, and research suggests that adults react to the sound of a baby's cry about twice as fast as they react to other unpleasant noises. Crying is one of the earliest and most important ways babies communicate their needs and capture caregivers' attention.

🧠 Interestingly, not all cries are the same. Researchers have found that babies show different facial expressions depending on whether they are experiencing pain, fear, or frustration. For example, babies in pain tend to cry immediately with their eyes tightly shut, while frightened babies often pause briefly before crying and keep their eyes open and searching.

✨ The takeaway? Although a baby's cry can sound overwhelming, it serves an important purpose. Crying helps caregivers recognize when a baby needs comfort, food, sleep, or support, making it a key part of early communication and development.

Text adapted from Why babies cry. Psychology Today. Psychology Today article (Minkel, J. R)

07/23/2026

🦠 Researchers at the KID studies centre, directed by Susan Birch examined how reduced social interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic affected children's social-emotional well-being and whether theory of mind (the ability to understand others' thoughts and feelings) helped protect against these challenges.

👧 Parents of children aged 3-12 reported on their child's social-emotional health, social skills, and time spent interacting with peers before and during the pandemic. They also completed a measure of their child's theory of mind.

📉 Children who experienced larger decreases in in-person peer interactions showed greater social-emotional difficulties, including more behavioural and emotional challenges.

🧠 Children with stronger theory of mind demonstrated fewer social-emotional difficulties, greater prosocial behaviour, and stronger social skills. They also experienced fewer negative effects from reduced peer interaction, suggesting that theory of mind acted as a protective factor.

🌟 Overall, the findings highlight the importance of peer interactions for children's well-being and suggest that supporting theory of mind development may help children better cope during periods of social isolation.

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07/22/2026

🇨🇦Want to participate in ONLINE STUDIES? The UBC Centre for Infant Cognition is looking for baby scientists! 🧑🔬🔍

If you have a little one at home between the ages of 6 to 12 months old, our centre is looking for participants for our exciting online studies! We welcome all families from across Canada to participate! These studies would be completed online over Zoom from the comfort of your own home.

Your baby can help us understand the origins of social and moral development just by watching a 5-10 minute video! 💻

For your participation, you (and your little one) would receive a certificate degree and a $5 CAD gift card of your choice (Amazon, Indigo, or PC Optimum).

To sign up, just click the link below or email us at [email protected]! 📲

By submitting this form, you consent to have the information you provided stored on a UBC-hosted server, which is governed by the Centre for Teaching, Learning & Technology’s CMS Terms of Service: https://cms.ubc.ca/about/terms-of-service.

07/22/2026

🇨🇦Want to participate in ONLINE STUDIES? The UBC Centre for Infant Cognition is looking for baby scientists! 🧑🔬🔍

If you have a little one at home between the ages of 6 to 12 months old, our centre is looking for participants for our exciting online studies! We welcome all families from across Canada to participate! These studies would be completed online over Zoom from the comfort of your own home.

Your baby can help us understand the origins of social and moral development just by watching a 5-10 minute video! 💻

For your participation, you (and your little one) would receive a certificate degree and a $5 CAD gift card of your choice (Amazon, Indigo, or PC Optimum).

To sign up, just click the link below or email us at [email protected]! 📲

https://edrg.psych.ubc.ca/typical-visit/sign-up-online/

07/20/2026

📚 Research suggests that imagination supports the development of cognitive flexibility, perspective-taking, and problem-solving skills. Early experiences of wonder may nurture a child's imagination.

Key Insights
👶 Wonder emerges early in life as babies explore patterns, relationships, and the effects of their actions on others.

🧠 Wonder helps direct attention, learning, and meaning-making by encouraging children to explore, ask questions, and engage with the unfamiliar.

🤝 Responsive relationships can transform everyday experiences into opportunities for deeper learning. When caregivers notice and share children's curiosity, they support the development of wonder.

❓ Wonder thrives in moments of uncertainty. Allowing children space to explore, question, and discover can help them develop cognitive flexibility, perspective-taking, and problem-solving skills.

Takeaway
✨ Wonder doesn't require extraordinary experiences. By slowing down, following children's interests, and exploring everyday moments together, caregivers can help foster curiosity, learning, and a lifelong openness to new possibilities.

Text adapted from Psychology Today