Trick or Treating may be cancelled or limited this year, but that doesn't mean you can't have some Fall fun! Walk around your neighborhood (or the park) with your child (in their costume even) and try this simple scavenger hunt. Find it here (PDF): See how many signs of Fall (pumpkins, fallen leaves, hay, and scarecrows) you can find or look at the Halloween decorations (ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, and spiders). Get the entire family involved and use this an another opportunity to talk to your preschooler about what is in their neighborhood ..read more

The Beach is an awesome place to spend a day! You packed the sunscreen, water bottles, sand toys, towels, change of clothes, lunch, snacks, book (that you probably won't get to read), children, and another responsible adult and you are ready to head to the beach for a relaxing day of fun in the sand and surf. But, did you know that a #dayatthebeach is a great place to learn? Both math and reading skills can be practiced while enjoying the sun and sand! A little preparation can make the end of the day as great at the middle. Start the night before by #reading books about the beach at bedtime! T ..read more

Poor Pout-Pout Fish! He thinks all he can do is frown! In today’s Book Club selection, a sad fish swims through the ocean “spreading the dreary-wearies all over the place”! Deborah Diesen has written this sad story about a fish who thinks he can never turn his fish face into a smile no matter what his friends try to tell him. Mr. Clam tries to tell him to “turn his frown upside down”, but Pout-Pout Fish won’t listen. Mr. Jelly wants him to be more friendly, not happening! One after another, his Fishy Friends try to turn his “dreary-wearies” around, but nothing helps, until…… a very special fis ..read more

Though there are many people who find every single aisle of a home or garden store to be the equivalent of an amusement park, young children seldom last more than 30 minutes so you must plan your time well. Our clock is ticking! We divide our 30 minutes like this: *8 minutes of play *8 minutes of learning *10 minutes of practicing what we learned *4 minutes to check out First we play, check out the rider lawn mowers and patio furniture for 5 minutes. These big items are fantastic fuel for your child’s imagination. Encourage them to pretend they are mowing a huge field of grass or entertaining ..read more

What’s "Talking Time" and why is it an important part of helping my child Get Ready For Kindergarten? Communication is how we connect, share information, and get what we need or want from the world. When a young child goes off to kindergarten, they will be one of many children sharing the attention of one adult. If a child is still communicating by gestures or speaking in baby talk, they will struggle to engage with others and be able to have their needs met. We’ve all experienced very little children getting frustrated and seen/heard how they usually express themselves: screaming, crying, thr ..read more

How do young children learn? By trying things out through the filter of their 5 senses. A newborn baby learns through their sense of touch that there are loving caresses and snugly ways of being held. Babies learn the difference between wet and dry or warm and cold through touch and they quickly learn which feels better. They see a parent’s familiar face or a favorite toy and they smile to show recognition. They hear the dog bark and may cry in fear or they hear their sibling’s laugh and turn their head in that direction. A baby tastes warm milk and it tastes good, tasting bath soap would not ..read more

Trick or Treating may be cancelled or limited this year, but that doesn't mean you can't have some Fall fun! Walk around your neighborhood (or the park) with your child (in their costume even) and try this simple scavenger hunt. Find it here (PDF): See how many signs of Fall (pumpkins, fallen leaves, hay, and scarecrows) you can find or look at the Halloween decorations (ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, and spiders). Get the entire family involved and use this an another opportunity to talk to your preschooler about what is in their neighborhood ..read more

The Beach is an awesome place to spend a day! You packed the sunscreen, water bottles, sand toys, towels, change of clothes, lunch, snacks, book (that you probably won't get to read), children, and another responsible adult and you are ready to head to the beach for a relaxing day of fun in the sand and surf. But, did you know that a #dayatthebeach is a great place to learn? Both math and reading skills can be practiced while enjoying the sun and sand! A little preparation can make the end of the day as great at the middle. Start the night before by #reading books about the beach at bedtime! T ..read more

Poor Pout-Pout Fish! He thinks all he can do is frown! In today’s Book Club selection, a sad fish swims through the ocean “spreading the dreary-wearies all over the place”! Deborah Diesen has written this sad story about a fish who thinks he can never turn his fish face into a smile no matter what his friends try to tell him. Mr. Clam tries to tell him to “turn his frown upside down”, but Pout-Pout Fish won’t listen. Mr. Jelly wants him to be more friendly, not happening! One after another, his Fishy Friends try to turn his “dreary-wearies” around, but nothing helps, until…… a very special fis ..read more

Though there are many people who find every single aisle of a home or garden store to be the equivalent of an amusement park, young children seldom last more than 30 minutes so you must plan your time well. Our clock is ticking! We divide our 30 minutes like this: *8 minutes of play *8 minutes of learning *10 minutes of practicing what we learned *4 minutes to check out First we play, check out the rider lawn mowers and patio furniture for 5 minutes. These big items are fantastic fuel for your child’s imagination. Encourage them to pretend they are mowing a huge field of grass or entertaining ..read more