Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop

📖 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...

New Stanford Study Shows Hoot Reading’s 1:1 Tutoring Delivers Measurable Literacy Gains for Struggling Students Findings from a large-scale randomized trial in Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) highlight progress for students furthest below grade level

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...

From AI Reading Coaches to Audio Games: Meet the Sandbox’s New Literacy Innovators Meet the seven product partners joining the Sandbox for Literacy Innovations for our second year. From audio games to AI-powered reading tools, these teams are working with us—and children—to design…

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...

Young Children’s Amazing Everyday Math Herbert P. Ginsburg, PhD, is a leading expert in early math teaching and learning. His book, Young Children's Amazing Math, focuses on how teachers and caregivers working with very young children can…

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

Why Sustainable Child-Centered Design Practice Starts with You Mid-to-late January—this is when the year really begins. The initial enthusiasm about our New Years resolutions tends to fade, and what remains is the real work: living with the promises we made to…

👀 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

Learning from the Littlest Voices (and Fingers): User Testing to Shape the Development of Digital Tools for Young Learners A child and his teacher try out a new Measures for Early Success Initiative assessment. Four-year-old Arturo wiggled in his chair, eyes wide with excitement, as we handed him the tablet and asked him…

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 A child and his teacher try out a new Measures for Early Success Initiative assessment. Four-year-old Arturo wiggled in his chair, eyes wide with excitement, as we handed him the tablet and asked h...

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...