The TED Conference continues to expand its influence, this time with kids. As part of its TEDx Series, the organizers of last week’s TEDxSMU Conference have organized the very first TED Conference for kids.

The first edition of Sonar Kids took place recently as part of the Sonar 2009 International Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art. Where a few hours earlier there were people dancing and drinking, the next morning there was an invasion of strollers, pacifiers, diapers and children holding their parent’s hands.
Sonar Kids mixes the party atmosphere of an electronic dance music show with the family-friendly character of a carnival. The event is full of music-related activities to keep children entertained. DJ classes, beatboxing, a hip hop master dance class, modern portraits drawn by Jordi Labanda, illustration workshops, LEGO buildings, puppets [...]

Inhabitat points us to the Early Rider – a bike designed by Andy Loveland who set out to design a stabilizer-free bike that he would admire and his son would love. Loveland says his company Early Rider combines British innovation with West Coast style and world leading manufacturing. The brand also sells fashion to wear with their ‘Classic’ bike.

Early Rider

Hot on the heels of a 2008 ban on television programs for kids under 3, France is getting strict with new rules which will limit children’s usage and access to mobile phones. New laws prohibit advertising aimed at children under the age of 12 and bans the sale of cell phones designed for kids under 6. New limits on the allowable amount of radiation emitted from phones, and laws mandating bundled headphones with every phone will be put in place as well. Although this ban is unique in Europe, France joins a growing number of countries including Canada, Russia and [...]