Stomping Game for Toddlers
When we talk about sound-related games for young kids, we tend to think of their hands. What can they touch, shake, or rattle to create sounds? Toddlers love to walk, kick, stomp, run and jump, … Read More
Kids, Sound & Science
Too Loud for Little Ears? The Science Behind Hand Dryers
High-speed hand dryers in public restrooms are convenient, but they come with an annoying side effect: they’re loud. For many young children, this sudden burst of noise isn’t just uncomfortable—it can be downright terrifying. Some kids develop noise … Read More
Understanding Auditory Processing Disorder (APD): When the Brain Struggles to Process Sound
When we think about hearing issues, we often picture hearing impairment, hearing loss, or deafness. Even as a sound engineer, it’s natural to associate hearing problems with physical damage rather than errors in brain processing. However, Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is … Read More
Tracking My Son’s Language Explosion: A Look at Early Word Development
Like many parents, I kept track of my son’s earliest words for his scrapbook. But after reading How Babies Talk: The Magic and Mystery of Language in the First Three Years of Life, I became fascinated … Read More
The Mozart Effect – Debunked
The concept of the “Mozart Effect” was presented in a book in 1999 but the basis was a research paper written in 1993 (by Frances Rauscher, Gordon Shaw, and Catherine Ky). The original study found … Read More
Hearing Dogs: How They Assist the Hearing-Impaired
Hearing dogs are specially trained to assist individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing by alerting them to important sounds in their environment. These dogs provide both safety and independence by acting as their owner’s ears. … Read More
How Loud Is That Toy? A Guide to Protecting Your Child’s Hearing
Not all toys are as safe as they seem—especially when it comes to noise levels. While toy manufacturers must follow acoustic safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), these tests don’t … Read More
Hearing Protection for Children: Why It Matters and How to Choose the Right Gear
Children are exposed to loud noises more often than we realize—whether it’s at concerts, sporting events, fireworks shows, or even everyday environments like school cafeterias and playgrounds. Hearing damage from excessive noise is permanent, but … Read More
How Noise Affects Kids At School
It’s been proven in many studies that background noise can affect children’s ability to learn. Until a child is in their teens, it’s hard for them to separate sounds they want to listen to from those … Read More