Come say howdy to us in Austin! There are two great sessions featuring the Cooney Center: “Level Up! Role-Playing Games for Wellbeing in the Classroom” and “Co-Designing EdTech with Kids.” Learn more: joanganzcooneycenter.org/events/ @sxswedu.com #sxswedu #sxswedu2026

Parents are exhausted by constantly managing their kids’ technology usage. How can tech designers help? Read our new report, “The Family Tech Cycle: Navigating Screens, Devices, and Social Media” to find out. 🔗 joanganzcooneycenter.org/publication/... #familytech #codesign #digitalwellness

We loved having members of the Magpie Literacy team visit our office! They were in town for co-design sessions as part of our Sandbox for Literacy Innovations initiative. Learn more about their work in the Sandbox here: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/09/f...

What e-book features increase kids’ reading comprehension? On the blog, Professor Natalia I. Kucirkova, founder of the International Centre for EdTech Impact and Cooney Center advisor, shares findings from a meta-analysis of e-book features. bit.ly/3OHmSq8 #literacy #edtech #ebooks

For everyone attending @sxswedu.com - the sessions “Co-Designing EdTech with Kids” and “Level Up! Role-Playing Games for Well-Being in the Classroom” are officially eligible for CPE continuing education credit! Learn more: sxswedu.com/news/2026/an... #SXSWEdu #SXSWEdu2026

📖 Great #literacy webinar alert! 📖 On Tues 3/3 at 3 pm ET, The Campaign for Grade Level reading is presenting “More Than an Accessibility Feature: Same-Language Subtitling, Learning, and Literacy.” Register here: glrcenter-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

In the news: A Stanford study finds that Hoot Reading’s 1:1 online tutoring program led to measurable #literacy gains for students reading below grade-level. Cheers to Cooney Center alumna and Hoot Reading CEO Carly Shuler and her team. learn.hootreading.com/blog/hoot-rc...

We’re excited to share that Magpie Literacy is joining the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Sandbox for Literacy Innovations! Magpie makes research-based PK-8+ digital literacy tools that help students become strong, confident readers. Learn more about their work: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/09/f...

How do you design #edtech with students at the center? The Cooney Center’s own Medha Tare answered this question in a recent @edsurge.com article, alongside collaborators Brandon Olszewski (ISTE) and Vanessa Zuidema (In Tandem). www.edsurge.com/news/2026-02...

On the blog, our friends at the California Partners Project share their Nourishing Mind & Body Family Guide: a resource developed by California First Partner @jensiebelnewsom.bsky.social that helps families navigate the intersection of food, health, body image, and the internet. tr.ee/l0FDoM

We’re excited to share that Paloma Learning is joining the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Sandbox for Literacy Innovations! Paloma is a mobile web app that helps K–2 families in Title 1 schools tutor their children at home for 15 minutes a day. Learn more: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/09/f...

Join @youngfutures.bsky.social Innovators Showcase TOMORROW as they spotlight their Here Comes the Fun Cohort, proving tech can be a powerful force for fun and wellbeing! 🗓 Feb 18, 2026, 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET. 🔗 Register at bit.ly/HCTFShowcase #YouthWellbeing #HCTFShowcase

We’re excited to share that ExploreLearning | Learning A-Z is joining the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Sandbox for Literacy Innovations! ExploreLearning | Learning A-Z provides high-quality resources for differentiated literacy instruction. Learn more: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/09/f...

We’re excited to share that @khanacademy.org is joining the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Sandbox for Literacy Innovations! Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that provides free online learning resources for students of all ages. Learn more about their work:

We’re excited to share that iCivics is joining the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Sandbox for Literacy Innovations! iCivics is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization and the largest provider of civic education curriculum in the US. Learn more about their work: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/09/f...

We’re excited to share that Creative Media and Research is joining the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Sandbox for Literacy Innovations! Creative Media and Research is a research-driven consulting firm specializing in media for children and families. Learn more: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/09/f...

We’re excited to share that Cali’s Books is joining the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Sandbox for Literacy Innovations! Cali’s Books is a family-run publishing company that makes best-selling interactive books. Learn more about their Sandbox work: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/09/f...

We're thrilled to announce our new partners in the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Sandbox for Literacy Innovations. Welcome Cali’s Books, Creative Media and Research, iCivics, @khanacademy.org, Learning A-Z, Magpie Literacy, and Paloma Learning! Learn more: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/09/f...

One month until our @sxswedu.com workshop “Co-Designing Edtech with Kids” (in collaboration with @thegiantroom.bsky.social)! If you’re coming to Austin, come learn practical tools to help you move beyond user testing into real co-creation with your learners. Register: bit.ly/3ZhtpKi

Join @youngfutures.bsky.social Innovators Showcase as they spotlight their Here Comes the Fun Cohort, proving tech can be a powerful force for fun and wellbeing! 🗓 Feb 18, 2026, 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET. 🔗 Register at bit.ly/HCTFShowcase #YouthWellbeing #HCTFShowcase

We were excited to host the Cooney Center 2026 Well-Being by Design Fellows last week. The kickoff event marked the beginning of a five-month fellowship designing a technology product with kids’ well-being as the focus. Learn more: bit.ly/45LV09X

We’re thrilled to share another can't-miss 2026 @sxswedu.com session: “Level Up! Role-Playing Games for Wellbeing in the Classroom.” This workshop will explore how tabletop role-playing games (#TTRPGs) can support #SEL and mental health. schedule.sxswedu.com/events/PP116...

We’re thrilled to announce the Joan Ganz Cooney Center 2026 Well-Being by Design Fellows! These children’s media and technology professionals will develop a project through the lens of prioritizing children’s well-being. Learn more about each fellow: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/02/02/a...

On the blog, early math expert Herbert Ginsburg of @columbiauniversity.bsky.social explains how kids learn math through everyday experiences like playing with blocks: bit.ly/49I9mcB #ece #earlymath #playfullearning

What does the future of education really look like amid the noise of #edtech hype? Cooney Center executive director Michael Preston just returned from @Bett_show UK. On the blog, read highlights from the conference: joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/01/27/m... 📷: @mrsriesedu.bsky.social

In the news: The American Academy of Pediatrics released an updated version of their screen time guidance. New guidelines emphasize quality of media vs. time spent on screens, and other recommendations. Read the full report here: bit.ly/3LtUTZT #screentime #digitalwellbeing

👀 a new professional development opportunity from researcher Polina Lulu. For anyone in a role that involves child-centered design, Polina is offering the “Child Experience Bootcamp” to strengthen your skills. Learn more on the blog:

Happy #throwbackthursday! In 2015, the Cooney Center published the report “Aprendiendo En Casa: Media as a Resource for Learning Among Hispanic-Latino Families.” Read the full 2015 report here: joanganzcooneycenter.org/publication/...

What books did NYC kids check out the most in 2025? Perennial favorites like “Dog Man” and “The Baby-Sitters Club” topped the 2025 Kids rankings, while books like “Hunger Games” and “Twilight” led the YA charts. Check out the full list from the NYPL here: on.nypl.org/49WhI1v

Which row has the most candies? The answer is obvious to adults, but to preschoolers— it’s not always so straightforward. On the blog, early math expert Herbert Ginsberg of @columbiauniversity.bsky.social explains how preschoolers learn #earlymath. bit.ly/49I9mcB #ece

2 months until our @sxswedu.com workshop “Co-Designing Edtech with Kids” (presented in collaboration with @thegiantroom.bsky.social)! We’re excited to share that the interactive workshop will be featured in the #SXSWEdu Startup Bootcamp. Learn more: bit.ly/4aQ49BT #codesign #edtech

We’re delighted to be included in this fantastic resource for anyone working on products for kids- the Child Experience Goodies Library curated by Polina Lulu. It includes our Playtest with Kids website, the RITEC framework, and much more! Check it out: bit.ly/49kSBUD

Happy #throwbackthursday! In 2014, the Cooney Center published the report "Learning at home: Families’ educational media use in America." The report captured how parents thought of their kids' media use as "educational" in 2014. Read the full report: bit.ly/4qHLvAv

What are research-based best practices to make apps better for preschoolers? On the blog, researchers from @mdrc-news.bsky.social share some takeaways from their Measures for Early Success initiative.

Learning from the Littlest Voices (and Fingers): User Testing to Shape the Development of Digital Tools for Young Learners, by MDRC's Emily Hanno and Mallory Undestad via @cooneycenter.bsky.social joanganzcooneycenter.org/2026/01/06/l...

A new brief from @newamerica.org emphasizes that “digital literacy is as fundamental as reading, writing, and math,” and that digital literacy curricula should include AI literacy and computer science. Read the full brief here: bit.ly/4p16KMy #digitalliteracy #AI #K12

Is your New Year’s resolution to advance positive futures for kids in the digital world? What a coincidence, that’s ours too! 😉 Cheers to all of our colleagues, partners, and kindred spirits and best wishes for a fantastic 2026. 🎉

📖 #Literacy in the news: “Do Audio Books Count as Reading?” The Chief Librarian of the New York Public Library argues that focused listening, or listening while reading along, shares many of the same benefits of reading traditional print. nyti.ms/48E3nq0

Designing an AI-powered product for kids? @UNICEF.org has released Version 3.0 of their “Guidance on AI and Children.” The report features 10 requirements for child-centered AI, and includes AI-powered chatbot guidance. Read the full report: uni.cf/4p1kx5D

2025 was a great year of focusing on kids’ digital well-being at the @cooneycenter. Our Well-Being by Design Fellows learned from experts and collaborated with the teens on the Youth Design Team. Thanks to our partners in this work! Learn more: bit.ly/4gzMu1Z

What a year of co-design it’s been! We’re so grateful for the opportunity to work with so many co-designers. Thanks to everyone who helped us make better tech products for kids, families, and teachers through the power of co-design. Learn more: bit.ly/4qf3y14 @thegiantroom.bsky.social

📖 Literacy in the news: a Harper Collins survey reveals that less than half of 0-4 year olds are read to every night. Read the full article by @the74.bsky.social : www.the74million.org/zero2eight/w... #literacy #ece

@cooneycenter Executive Director Michael Preston was the keynote speaker at last week’s “To Code + Beyond: What’s Working (?)," a conference by the K-12 Lab at @cornell_tech. Michael spoke about lessons learned in the first 10 years of NYC’s “CS for All” initiative. #CSedu

How can video games include kids’ well-being in their design? In October, we co-hosted an event with @thrivingingames.bsky.social (TIGG) tackling that question. We also celebrated the Digital Thriving Playbook, created with TIGG & @unicef.org. For more: bit.ly/3KXuOSt

Which avatar would you choose to help you improve your writing? ✏️ 📖 We adore these sketches drawn by a kid co-designer in one of our Lirvana Labs co-design sessions for our Sandbox for Literacy Innovations initiative.

4 in 10 teens who use #genAI have talked about their feelings with a chatbot. That's just one of the findings from the Family Online Safety Insitute's "Generative AI in Uncertain Times" report. Read the full report here: bit.ly/48gJRzB

We're looking forward to Cooney Center Executive Director Michael Preston's keynote tomorrow (12/9) at To Code + Beyond: What’s Working(?), a conference by the K-12 Lab at @cornell_tech. Register (for free) by the end of the day today. bit.ly/3YgiEHo

A great read from @edsurge.com: Smartwatches are increasingly becoming kids' first "phones," but the research around adoption, usage, and their impact on kids hasn't yet caught up. bit.ly/4oxv08P

In October, the Cooney Center co-hosted the "Growing Readers in a World of Screens and AI" event with @newamerica.org and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Now on the blog- a summary of the day's takeaways: bit.ly/4pIFfrM #edtech #literacy #AIedu #scienceofreading

Cooney Center Executive Director Michael Preston facilitated the “Transcending Barriers” workshop at the Google DeepMind AI for Learning forum. Participants discussed designing #AI to be effective, inclusive, and beneficial for all learners. Learn more: bit.ly/4ajSn2c