Einstein Never Used Flash Cards, Revised Edition: How Our Children Really Learn--And Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less

As a parent of a 3 and 1 year old, I have felt the pressure of "schooling" and scheduling my childrens' time. This book puts the science behind that instinctual feeling that children just need to be children. The authors layout how children think and how they are built to learn without our help. While I didn't see it mentioned, much of their scientific findings relate and support the Montessori method. This book will inform parents on ways they can teach in context and through play which is the best way to help your child to love to learn. This mirrors the Montessori methods fundamental belief to follow the child. I feel this book has given me the support needed to resist outside influences which make many parents feel like their toddler "needs" classes, activities and reading programs. They don't, they need quality time playing with their parents who pay attention to their interests and then support those interests. Not worksheets and lessons that only service the parents desire.

Haven’t finished it yet but it’s a good one though if you have a toddler u must read it

I thought I wanted to be the kind of parent who turned every experience into an educational one - it's never to early to learn. But after reading this book, my eyes were opened to the idea that sometimes kids just need to play. I found it fascinating that the authors actually suggest that pushing too much early education can sometime do more harm that good. Their words have helped me to relax and let my child be a child - not everything has to be an educational experience, my baby doesn't have to be the first and fastest at everything. The irony is that some of the simplest daily playtime activities are subliminally educational without even trying. I highly recommend this book to every over-achieving parent out there - I'm one and I'm grateful to have found this book.

Parents have so much information to sift through it is hard not to second guess yourself. I have a Master of Arts in Teaching and I still find that I get confused when making choices for my 3 year old son. You often wonder, will this decision change his life forever. The authors of this book offer a lot of information that you can use when making choices for your family and your children. We are all hurrying along in life so much that we are missing the simplest things and not enjoying parenting. Our kids are stressed out from their full schedules and do not have adequate time to play. I already shared many of the same philosophies presented in the book but it is comforting to have some research to back up my gut instincts. After all raising a child is a precious gift.

Great book! After 40 years of teaching at the elementary level, I can honestly say this book is on target with learning and having BALANCE in life!

The thing I liked most about this book was that with each chapter discussion, they ended the chapter with practical tips you can do with your baby to enhance those concepts discussed. For my husband, I basically just flagged those pages to read with the tips so he can get the overview - you could almost get what you need out of the book by just reading those. But I did appreciate that the book also cited so many social experiments tried with babies and kids on a variety of different cognitive skills and methods, so I could learn from those tests and exercises what to do or how a little bit better, especially some of the Montessori methods. Being a couple who really wants to provide the most nurturing environment possible to raise a Baby Einstein, without driving our daughter overboard, I do slightly wish that the book wasn't so anti-Baby Einstein or critical of parents who want to try to push their kids a little harder, but balanced on how to do that a bit more healthily. I was raised in India then America after age 10, and frankly think that although my parents could have provided more emotional support during my teenage years, I do bring something more to my work ethic as an adult with how they pushed me academically growing up. Glad I did this type of reading though, at least I feel more armed with better techniques and methods on a better nurturing environment.

I'm not a helicopter parent nor do I believe children's days need to be completely planned. In today's society I always have felt like I may be making a mistake but I'm pretty independent and stubborn. This book supports the idea that kids need to be kids!!! Love Love it. Oh and personal history I have 5 children and two have graduated and are attending college one studying deaf education they are very advance smart driven adults. My third has autism and I was told he would never speak and playing with other children helped him more than any "scheduled" activity. This is a must read.

Love the book. But something you need to keep revisiting every few months / years if you have a growing baby in the house. Lots of food for thought. Lots of good research and examples. Easy to read if you enjoy fact / research based books.

知識偏重の早期教育に対して警鐘を鳴らしている本です。幼児にフラッシュカードやドリルを無理にやらせても、生きていく力は身につけることはできない、自ら進んでやる「遊び（Play）」を通じて、子供は生きていく力を身につけるのである（Playing = Learning）、ということを強く主張しているように感じました。 本の前半では、「親に子供の知識を造る義務はない」「子供は自ら学んでいくすばらしい能力を持っている」「普段の生活の中で得る知識こそが、実際に使える有用な知識であり、大事である」といったようなことが、子供に対する観察・実験結果等を交えつつ書かれています。幼児の親としては、なんとなく「ホッ」とするところです。 しかしながら、後半では、「子供の声に耳を傾けよう」「子供の遊びのパートナーになろう（特に「ごっこ遊び」）」「子供の目線を持つようにしよう」というようなことが、こちらも観察・実験結果等を交えつつ書かれています。幼児の親としては、耳の痛いところですかね……このようなことを実践する為には、意識的にリラックスして、普段の生活のペースを落とす必要があるように感じました。 あと、書かれていることの中で、特に意識したいと思ったこと。 Children need to be praised for their effort, not for their intelligence. Emphasizing 'process' over 'product' creates a love of learning. 当たり前のことなんでしょうけど、大人の社会の実績主義は、子供の世界には禁物ですね！

Great book for uni, especially as I am going into teaching and potentially child psychology later on in life :D

This book is a must read for every new age parents who are constantly stressed about raising intelligent and achieving children. This book gives a very scientific and clear outlook on exactly how the minds of our babies work. In age of social media and so much online content in blogs we as parents tend to follow the new trends and studies. But to what extent these studies are applicable on a larger set of population and age group is very well explained in this book. Sometimes the blogs and podcasts that we hear based on scientific study may be done to very small group and not of paediatric age. In an era where each and every information is out there this book gives an outlook on to what extent they are actually useful.

A must-read for all parents. The earlier you read it, the better for you and your kid.