A Professor of Psychology at Temple University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, Hirsh-Pasek was declared a “scientific entrepreneur” by the American Association of Psychology. Writing 15 books and 250+ publications, her Einstein Never Used Flashcards won the Book for a Better Life Award in 2003 with her Becoming Brilliant (2016) reaching the NYTimes Best Sellers List in education. Co-founder of the global Learning Science Exchange Fellowship, she brings together scientists, journalists, policy makers and entertainers, to put learning science in the hands of educators. Her newest initiative Playful Learning Landscapes re-imagines cities and public squares as places with science infused designs that enhance academic and social opportunities. Read her newest book Making Schools Work: Bringing the Science of Learning to Joyful Classroom Practice (2022) co-written by teachers, school administrators and scientists to bring about joyful teaching and deeper learning.
“Remaking Tomorrow Podcast: S9, Episode 6 Robert Pianta, University of Virginia” – Podcast, November 6, 2025
“Robert Pianta, professor of early childhood education at University of Virginia and co-author of Kids on Earth: The Learning Potential of 5 Billion Minds, joins Gregg Behr and returning guest host Kathy Hirsh-Pasek to talk about findings from interviewing the world’s kids and how school systems can be transformed using elements found in “not school” learning spaces.” LISTEN HERE…
“Remaking Tomorrow Podcast: S9, Episode 7 Ellen Roche & Kathy Hirsh-Pasek” – Podcast, November 13, 2025
“Ellen Roche, neuroscientist and co-director of Trust for Learning, and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, author and professor of psychology at Temple University, join Gregg Behr to share the details behind a statement they and other leading scientists issued about the risks of generative AI toys and programs on the social and neurological development of babies from 0-3.” – LISTEN HERE
“Talking the Talk: Helping Kids Find Their Words” – aParentlyspeaking Podcast #111, November 16, 2025
“Language is how kids connect with the world—and as parents, we all want to help them find their voice. In the latest episode of aParently Speaking, host, Miriam Conner talks with child development experts Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Dr. Roberta Michnick Golinkoff , who are back for a second visit after their episode on their best -selling book, Einstein Never Used Flashcards.” LISTEN HERE….
“Screens in the First Five Years: What We Need to Know” – Webinar, Children and Screen: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, October 14, 2025
This Learning Tuesdays session was moderated by Kris Perry, MSW, of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, who began the webinar by grounding the discussion in the latest science. Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH, also with Children and Screens, emphasized that “research has found that there are really no demonstrable benefits to screen use before the age of 18 months. And in fact, very strong suggestions that there’s harm associated with early screen use for children that young.”
The panelists then turned to the real-world challenges families face in navigating a crowded and often misleading marketplace of apps and media. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D., of Temple University and the Brookings Institution shared findings from her research: “We did a study of the hundred most downloaded apps and…how many of them had real educational value? Well, I’ll give you the answer. It was two.” WATCH HERE…
The latest tweets on Science & Learning
A fabulous overview article by our very own @blhassinger who shows the collective power of Playful Learning Landscapes! #playfullearning @playfullearng @JournalUrbanism
AI is an exquisitely good synthesizer but not an exquisitely good thinker. Thank you @Makai Allbert for this article.
We are so excited to launch in Santa Ana! @UCIrvine @playfullearng @Bustamante_AS #PlayfulLearningLandscapes
Kathy's work appears in news publications around the world.
Check out some of the latest...
“Remaking Tomorrow Podcast: S9, Episode 6 Robert Pianta, University of Virginia” – Podcast, November 6, 2025
“Robert Pianta, professor of early childhood education at University of Virginia and co-author of Kids on Earth: The Learning Potential of 5 Billion Minds, joins Gregg Behr and returning guest host Kathy Hirsh-Pasek to talk about findings from interviewing the world’s kids and how school systems can be transformed using elements found in “not school” learning spaces.” […]
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“Remaking Tomorrow Podcast: S9, Episode 7 Ellen Roche & Kathy Hirsh-Pasek” – Podcast, November 13, 2025
“Ellen Roche, neuroscientist and co-director of Trust for Learning, and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, author and professor of psychology at Temple University, join Gregg Behr to share the details behind a statement they and other leading scientists issued about the risks of generative AI toys and programs on the social and neurological development of babies from 0-3.” – LISTEN HERE
Read full story >
“Talking the Talk: Helping Kids Find Their Words” – aParentlyspeaking Podcast #111, November 16, 2025
“Language is how kids connect with the world—and as parents, we all want to help them find their voice. In the latest episode of aParently Speaking, host, Miriam Conner talks with child development experts Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Dr. Roberta Michnick Golinkoff , who are back for a second visit after their episode on their […]
Read full story >
Some of Kathy's books include:
Making Schools WorkBringing the Science of Learning to Joyful Classroom Practice
User’s Manual for the Quick Interactive Language Screener™: English–Spanish (QUILS™: ES)A Measure of Vocabulary, Syntax, and Language Acquisition Skills in Young Bilingual Children
User’s Manual for the Quick Interactive Language Screener™ (QUILS™)A measure of Vocabulary, Syntax, and Language Acquisition Skills in Young Children
Becoming Brilliant:What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children
A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool:Presenting the Evidence
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Kathy is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, where she contributes articles to her Blog on a regular basis.