View posts by our early learning expert to gain valuable insights into the developing brain and learn about activities that you can easily incorporate into your day to help every child succeed in kindergarten and in life.
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“I want to go on this foot!” four-year-old Jayden announces in a squeaky falsetto, pretending to be the voice of her left shoe as she pulls it onto her left foot and fastens it. “And I want to go on that foot!” Jayden announces in the low, growly voice of her right shoe. Shoes on and strapped, […]
Have you read Peggy Rathman's classic children's book, Good Night, Gorilla, about bedtime at the zoo, when a mischievous gorilla steals the keys from the sleepy night zookeeper and frees all of his animal friends? By popular demand, Goodnight Gorilla has become a permanent fixture in our classroom library. Only 34 pages long, with just […]
Four-year-old Juan shakes a die between his palms, rolls it, counts each pip (dot) on the side facing up, and announces, “One, two, three! I rolled a three!” “My turn!” Maria announces as she shakes the die between her hands and rolls it. “Six! I win! Six is more than three!” Maria doesn’t need to […]
“Guess what I just found out? We can read!” three-year-old Bailey declares to her best friend, Joseph. She points at the sign at the end of the bike path and asks: "Do you know what that sign says?” “It says STOP!" answers her five-year-old buddy with a laugh. "Everybody knows that. But I only know […]
This morning, I had an interesting conversation with a kindergarten teacher as we were enjoying our last day of summer vacation at the local pool. When I asked what she thought parents should work on as they prepare their early learners for the transition to kindergarten, she was quick to respond: "I wish parents would […]
You can’t teach creativity. But you help foster this important life skill by encouraging your child to explore new ideas and giving them ample time to engage in hands-on problem-solving. Today, dark skies and a steady rain seem to have sapped the children's energy and contributed to a general state of fatigue in the classroom. […]
With less than a month to go until the start of the school year, many parents are wondering if their preschoolers are ready for the academic challenges of kindergarten. If this is you, we've got some reassuring news: Kindergarten readiness is less about academic readiness and more about learning readiness! In other words, most teachers […]
“It is so hot!” moans five-year-old Manuel, who is sweating profusely in the sweltering heat. The temperature, which has climbed into the 90s every day this week, is taking a toll on everyone. “It is so hot!" Lauren sighs, echoing Manuel. "Can we have a popsicle?" (Lauren knows I'm a sucker for keeping kids happy […]
It’s another 90-degree July day and we've taken a deep dive into water play to keep our budding mathematicians as cool and contented as possible. Children are naturally drawn to water, which fosters curiosity, imagination, investigation, and experimentation. This is science, technology, engineering, and math all rolled into a calm afternoon of playful learning! Math […]
Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumbkin? Here I am. Here I am. How are you today, sir? Very well, I thank you. Run away. Run away. Decades after learning that nursery rhyme as a kindergartener, I still have vivid and happy memories of sitting around the well-worn piano in my kindergarten classroom singing "Where is Thumbkin" […]