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Encouraging Your Child to Lead
By Andrea LaserChildren are often told what to do, where to go, and how to act throughout the day. And we, as parents and caregivers, often feel rushed, over-scheduled, and required to actively parent...
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Eight Tips for Creating Homemade Books
by: Julia Luckenbill Does your infant or toddler enthusiastically point out images of herself on your computer? Does your preschooler ask you repeat stories about him over and over? A powerful way to...
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To the parents of children who stare at my disabled daughter
On March 17, Daniel Willingham, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia, published the following post on his Science and Education Blog (republished here with permission).Tomorrow, March...
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Wiggling, Giggling, and Moving from Head to Toe: Books to Encourage Exercise
By: Pamela SullivanPhysical activity is important for the health and well-being of children. Not only does staying active help children keep fit, but it helps children form active habits that last...
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10 Things Every Parent Should Know about Play
by Laurel Bongiorno 1. Children learn through their play. Don’t underestimate the value of play. Children learn and develop:cognitive skills – like math and problem solving in a pretend grocery...
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10 Ways Babies Learn When We Sing To Them!
By Cathy Fink and Marcy MarxerBonding– When you sing to your baby, they bond with you and your voice. Singing makes yours the first and most important voice in her life. Your baby learns that you LOVE...
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Read and Eat
By: Mary ReidFor years I kept a stone in a drawer in my kitchen. Why, you ask? Because my kids and I needed it to make stone soup! The classic story, Stone Soup, tells about a weary traveler who...
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Five Ideas to Encourage Learning This Summer
School may be out for the summer, but there are still lots of opportunities for young children to play and learn! Here are five ideas:1. Take your child to a live performance - Family friendly events...
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Support Writing at Home
Young children like to scribble, make marks that look like letters, and play with writing. Chances are, your child will experiment with writing long before he or she learns to read. Here are some ways...
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Home Sorting Ideas
Early experiences in sorting and classifying help young children notice how things are alike and different. They will apply this understanding when learning math skills in the primary grades. Here are...
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Saturday Mornings with Dad
By: Robert Capuozzo Over 4 years ago, as a new father navigating the yet unknown and mysterious waters of parenthood – I thought a group just for dads and their infants and toddlers would be...
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Calling All Dads: Tips for Getting Involved in Your Child’s Preschool or...
By Tracey Hoffman, EdDTeachers sometimes hear fathers express a desire to participate and become more involved in their child's preschool or child care program. Of course, many teachers already work...
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Forget the Playroom...Take Them Outside!
By: Toni SturdivantOk, so maybe you don’t need to ditch your child’s playroom all together (our family has one too), but there are so many reasons you should consider more outdoor play time with your...
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Play in a Puddle on a Rainy Day
By Meredith BurtonWhen the weather is rainy and uncomfortable for us as adults, it doesn’t mean that our children feel that way. Rain puddles have an almost magnetic pull for children. They love to...
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Jellyfish or Bubbles: What a Trip to the Aquarium Revealed About How Toddlers...
By: Trudi SchwarzWhen our son could barely speak he communicated what he was thinking by signing. I still remember one particularly memorable story to this day because of what it revealed to me about...
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13 Tips for Starting Preschool
By Diane Tunis, Rhonda Kleiner, and Fredda Band LoewensteinIs your child entering a preschool program for the first time? Use these tips to help both you and your child make a smooth transition. Visit...
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Personal Stories to Help Children Get Ready for School
By: Jesemine Jones and Ida Keiper For some children, getting ready to start school is exciting and fun. Nevertheless, the start of the school year can also be overwhelming and anxiety provoking for...
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Readiness: Not a State of Knowledge, but a State of Mind
By Dr. Dan GartrellPeople used to think children were ready for kindergarten if they could say the ABC’s, count, identify colors, and write their first name. Readiness was always more complicated than...
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Tuning Out to Tune In: How Time Outside Can Improve Readiness to Learn Inside
by Andrea LaserOutdoor time matters. I’ve certainly lost track of time and my thoughts and worries seemed to disappear - all because I was outdoors in a peaceful setting. As teachers we send wound up...
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Fall in Love with Reading: Ten Simple Things you Can Do at Home
By Yi-Chin LanThere are many ways to enjoy reading with your child. Here are a few ways to make reading a fun part of your everyday life.1. Develop family reading routines and ritualsFind a regular...
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