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. Her book Making Schools Work: Bringing the Science of Learning to Joyful Classroom Practice (2022) was co-written by teachers, school administrators, and scientists to bring about joyful teaching and deeper learning. An updated edition of her award-winning book, Einstein Never Used Flashcards, was released on January 20, 2026.
“Performance, Participation, and the Education of the Whole Child” – Moffly Media, August 10, 2026
“Executive function refers to the set of cognitive processes that allow us to plan, focus, adapt, and follow through. They are the foundation beneath every academic skill and one of the strongest predictors of long-term success. Its three core components are working memory, holding multiple things in mind at once; cognitive flexibility, shifting strategy when circumstances change; and inhibitory control, resisting impulse in service of a longer goal. Alongside these, emotional regulation and academic stamina are equally essential to how children learn. Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a professor of psychology at Temple University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, describes the “6 Cs” for student success: collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creative innovation, confidence, and citizenship. Play, structured and unstructured, is one of the most reliable ways to build all of them.” READ MORE….
“AI and toddlers: The impacts on early development” – The TechTank Podcast, Brookings Institute, August 4, 2026
In this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Sweta Shah and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings to discuss their recent research amid a series titled, “Generation AI starts early.” LISTEN HERE….
“Words That Matter: How Conversation, Play, and Meaning Unlock Literacy” (A Conversation with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek) – Teaching Strategies Webinar, July 23, 2026
“In this warm, thought-provoking webinar, we sit down with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, renowned developmental psychologist and leading voice in early language and learning, to explore what literacy really requires. Through real stories—a playground game called “Playground Nation,” two girls debating who gets to love K-pop—and what those moments reveal about how children think, talk, and grow, we trace the unexpected threads that connect conversation, language, and a lifelong relationship with literacy.” WATCH HERE…
“In ‘Toy Story 5,’ Tech ‘Invades’ Playtime. It Also Threatens Human Connection.” – The 74, June 26, 2026
“In one of the opening scenes of “Toy Story 5,” Jessie — a cowgirl doll — tries to find out why the twins who live across the street never want to play with her owner Bonnie. What she finds, when she peers through the window of the neighbor’s home, is the two young children on a couch totally absorbed in their tablets, ignoring each other and oblivious to everything around them.” READ MORE…
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...
“Performance, Participation, and the Education of the Whole Child” – Moffly Media, August 10, 2026
“Executive function refers to the set of cognitive processes that allow us to plan, focus, adapt, and follow through. They are the foundation beneath every academic skill and one of the strongest predictors of long-term success. Its three core components are working memory, holding multiple things in mind at once; cognitive flexibility, shifting strategy when […]
Read full story >
“AI and toddlers: The impacts on early development” – The TechTank Podcast, Brookings Institute, August 4, 2026
In this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Sweta Shah and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings to discuss their recent research amid a series titled, “Generation AI starts early.” LISTEN HERE….
Read full story >
“Words That Matter: How Conversation, Play, and Meaning Unlock Literacy” (A Conversation with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek) – Teaching Strategies Webinar, July 23, 2026
“In this warm, thought-provoking webinar, we sit down with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, renowned developmental psychologist and leading voice in early language and learning, to explore what literacy really requires. Through real stories—a playground game called “Playground Nation,” two girls debating who gets to love K-pop—and what those moments reveal about how children think, talk, and […]
Read full story >
Some of Kathy's books include:
Einstein Never Used Flash Cards, Revised EditionHow Our Children Really Learn--And Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less
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
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Kathy is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, where she contributes articles to her Blog on a regular basis.