The Art of Roughhousing is a new parenting guide that exhorts the value of old-fashioned horseplay between parents and children. The authors, physician Anthony T. DeBenedet, M.D., and psychologist Lawrence J. Cohen, Ph.D., are both fathers who believe that roughhousing is critical to a child’s physical development and self-esteem.

Their book comes complete with simple diagrams that explain rowdy but safe roughhousing moves to parents. The book is seen by child experts as part of the “take back childhood” movement that is a backlash to the pressures of school and organized activities that many children are subject to.

Read more about the art and science of roughhousing on the official Art of Roughhousing website. To get an ideas about what kind of roughhousing kids like, see this YouTube video.

Many new parents don’ t follow the latest safety news about baby products until they have a baby of their own, so they may not have heard that baby safety experts are now concerned about the use of a padded bumper in a baby’s crib. Parenting magazines that publish pictures of baby nurseries usually include a color-coordinate bumper in the crib, but the fact is that infants can suffocate if they become wedged against a bumper. An additional danger involves older children who may use a bumper to help climb out of their crib.

Read more about the movement to ban crib bumpers and about crib safety in this article in the Washington Post.

Chipotle Mexican Grill has made a short animated film called “Back to the Start” that’s set to Willie Nelson performing Coldplay’s “The Scientist.” The film depicts a farmer who allows his farm to become an industrial animal factory. When he realizes what he’s lost, he decides to return to a more sustainable way of life. Babies and toddler may be too young to enjoy Chipotle’s popular burritos, but they’ll love the charming simplicity of this cartoon by film-maker Johnny Kelly.

Proceeds from sales of the song (available on iTunes) benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation. You can see the video on YouTube.

Our last blog post was about Baby Safety Month.  Over time, many of the baby tips of the past have become outdated and even are found to be dangerous.   Here are some of the top outdated baby tips from Parents.com:

For more baby tips, see the AAP’s Healthy Children website.

September is Baby Safety Month.  Here are 5 safety tips for parents:

Read more about baby safety on the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) website.

LeapPad Explorer is the latest offering from leading educational toy company LeapFrog. This durable learning tablet has a built-in camera, microphone and a library of more than 100 games and activities, including education apps that are designed to inspire a child’s creativity. This kid-friendly gadget is available in either green or pink, costs $100 and comes with a 5-inch touchscreen and 2 GB of built-in storage. An interactive reader and Disney Animation Studio are included with the LeapPad.

Read a review of the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer on Engadget and see a demo in this official YouTube video. You can also find out more on the LeapFrog website.

A recent survey of over a thousand moms has revealed just how important technology has become to the modern family. More than 70% of moms told researchers that they don’t go for more than one day without using the Internet. Almost 80% of moms said they consider their cell phone to be a necessity, compared to about 40% who feel that way about their landline. When asked how old children should be before they use technology, 1 in 3 moms said their children used a laptop or cell phone by age 2.

The survey was conducted by The Parenting Group, parent company of Parenting Magazine, Parenting.com and the BlogHer network. Read more about this survey in this BlogHer post.

Toddlers love spending time outdoors. Why not take a break from routine and plan a picnic in the park? Both you and your toddler can benefit from fresh air and exercise. Head to the park early to avoid afternoon grumpiness. Pack a picnic lunch and don’t forget essentials like sunscreen, a blanket to sit on and disposable wipes. Besides having fun on playground equipment, you can make your day in the part a learning experience by pointing things out and teaching your toddler new words. You can also bring a small bucket and let your toddler gather interesting objects from nature like leaves, rocks and stones. Read more about this activity on YeahBaby.com.

According to research conducted by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, since 2005 the average age that kids begin playing video games has dropped from age 8 to age 6. For the most part, young children are not using educational software or interacting with others while they play games, but are sitting by themselves in front of a computer screen. Many children are involved in games that take place in virtual worlds on internet sites.

Psychologist Jane Healy has written that children under the age of 7 should not use computers because critical brain development is still taking place. They are better off playing with basic toys and books that foster basic developmental skills.

Read more about the controversy related to young children and video games in this Wired article.

Parents who want to reduce waste are often dismayed by the mountains of clothing and baby gear that well-meaning family and friends tend to shower on new parents. In addition, since today’s parents are having fewer children, baby clothes are not the useful hand-me-downs that they once were. Faced with the problem of keeping track of gifted baby clothing to make sure she could find it when her baby was the right size, Stanford Institute of Design fellow Caroline O’Connor came up with the idea of Plum, described as “Neflix for Baby Clothes.”

The San Francisco-based subscription service provides parents with baby clothes as needed. All clothes are laundered with organic soap before delivery.  When clothes are outgrown they can be returned in a postage-paid envelope.

Find out more about Plum in this Forbes article and on the Plum company website.