The Latest Breaking News from Peter Gray

Why Kids Need More Freedom

Psychologist Peter Gray discusses why kids need more unstructured play, how schools are fueling childhood anxiety, and why smartphones aren’t to blame.

Reason · Sep 16

Restoring Childhood Says It's Not Smartphones Making Teens Miserable. It's School.

Computers, video games, and the internet actually helped "restore childhood" in the 1990s, suggests psychologist Peter Gray in a new book. Then changes to our education system reversed those gains.

Reason · Sep 15

If you want your kids to thrive this summer, don’t just turn off their phones – open your front door, too

Children’s worlds have been shrinking and it’s harming their mental health. It’s time for parents to be brave and allow them a little independence, says Lenore Skenazy, president of childhood independence nonprofit Let Grow

The Guardian - UK · Jul 15

Mom Placed on Child Abuse Registry for Letting 13-Year-Old Babysit

Pennsylvania’s “Reasonable Independence for Children” bill pushes back on overzealous child neglect laws.

Reason · Oct 16, 2025

Flying shoes, a viral BLM speech and that leather jacket: Q+A’s most memorable moments

The ABC’s storied panel show is ending after 18 years – but its polarising topics and infamous arguments will live on in Australia’s collective memory

The Guardian - AU · Jun 11, 2025

‘Unschooling’ parents put their kids in charge of their own educations. Are they actually learning?

The radical, open-ended teaching philosophy has gained steam among influencers. But some who experienced it would never go back

The Guardian - US · Sep 9, 2024

Some child psychologists say the U.S. surgeon general’s call for social media warning labels is ‘moral panic’

Other mental health experts, in contrast, say warning labels are a great first step that could save lives.

Fortune · Jun 19, 2024

Elementary Schools Ban Tag, Football, and Fun During Recess

"It really feels as though maybe we've lost touch with what's developmentally appropriate," says one Montgomery County mom.

Reason · May 29, 2024

Even Canada Thinks the Nanny State Has Gone Too Far on Outlawing Fun

A new white paper from the Canadian Pediatric Society recommends more unstructured play time for kids.

Reason · Jan 29, 2024

Families of gay hate victims 'reliving a nightmare'

Loved ones of LGBTQI people killed in suspected or confirmed hate crimes have spoken of their grief as a landmark NSW inquiry comes to an end.

AAP · Nov 14, 2023