The bonds between grandparents and grandchildren have real, significant effects on each other’s psychological well-being long into grandchildren’s adulthood. Now, more than ever fostering these types of family relationships is vital to a child’s development. In addition, it gives your child the opportunity to learn valuable lessons and stories from older generations that can continue to be passed down before they are forgotten. In honor of Grandparent’s Day on September 12th, here are five ways to foster that relationship between your child and their grandparents: 1.) Suggest grandparents shar ..read more

With children out of school and the weather staying warm through the summer months, spending time outdoors can be both fun and educational for families. In fact, the Perseid Meteor Shower, which NASA considers “the best meteor shower of the year,” runs through August 24th. The prime viewing day is August 12th. One outdoor activity, in particular, that presents learning opportunities for children is stargazing. It is a very accessible activity for families and is great excuse to introduce children to astronomy. To start, parents can teach their children the foundations of cosmos, such as major ..read more

Aromatherapy has been around for centuries. There is vast scientific evidence that aromatic plant and flower extracts have many therapeutic benefits for mental health, not just for adults, but for children too. For many of us, Covid-19 restrictions are coming to an end, but for children, especially those that are not old enough to be eligible for vaccines, pandemic stresses still might be in the forefront of their minds. Much has been made about supporting children’s mental health and many experts agree that implementing aromatherapy to a child’s routine can have many positive effects on their ..read more

Nighttime games can liven things up—and maybe boost mental health. For most children the dark is a scary place. When the lights go out, imaginations run wild and our visual and auditory senses become more active. Since the connections between the Amygdala and Frontal Cortex, which are associated with regulating emotion, develop through early childhood and teen years, over time children are better able to manage their responses to more intimidating situations. Engaging in activities that are mildly risky, or scary can be especially helpful in a child’s chaotic life, as well as mentally preparin ..read more

Why is a large vocabulary important for children? Because it’s linked to their reading and school success. Help your child learn new words through conversations, reading aloud, and singing. Try these vocabulary-building ideas at home. Describe what you are doing. “I’m putting the food out for breakfast. I made scrambled eggs because we all like them.” “There is some tangerine juice to drink. Tangerine juice tastes a lot like orange juice that you think is so yummy.” Talk about what your child is doing. “Look how high you made that LEGO skyscraper. Let’s count how many pieces are in your ..read more

Mealtimes are great opportunities for children to have conversations, use their manners, and even practice math. Here are some ways to keep the fun and learning going at your next family meal. Set the table. Together you and your child can count the number of forks you need, note where each piece of silverware goes, and point out that there is one place setting for each person. This allows children use and practice an important math skill: one–to–one correspondence. Try new foods. Children learn to be more independent and open-minded when they choose to try a new food. Vary the foods you ..read more

A trustworthy person is honest, follows the rules, keeps a promise, is not unkind, and does not take things that do not belong to him. Developing an attitude of trust, being trustworthy, and building trust with one another takes time, but through consistent and responsive caregiving, children learn trustworthiness. To support the development of trust in children, practice the following: Be an example of trust to children. Especially in their early years, children must know they can depend on their caregivers to learn trust. Infants learn trust through the caring behaviors of th ..read more

Young children love to explore the world around them—and STEAM activities are a great way to help them do it. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math. There are lots of STEAM activities available online for families and children to do at home, but some are better than others! With so many STEAM ideas to choose from, how do you find what is best for your child? Here are some questions you can ask yourself: 1. Will this activity interest my child? Is your child interested in building? Collecting rocks? Looking at the night sky? Choose activities that will appeal to ..read more

Valentine’s Day is a special time to share kindness with others by giving tokens of our love to the people we care about. When children create homemade valentines, they build empathy as they think about how their gift will bring joy to someone else.  Additionally, children are provided with the ability to express themselves creatively which often brings a sense of accomplishment. This Valentine’s Day enjoy quality time, as you and your child create together! Valentine’s Love Sloth    Materials 3 pieces of construction paper of different colors Scissors and glue Marke ..read more

Research suggests that children’s early mathematics learning—including spatial-thinking skills—is related to later success in both reading and math. Spatial thinking involves children learning to navigate through their environment, to use maps and diagrams to solve problems, and to follow directions. These skills are linked to later achievement in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) fields, and these skills grow tremendously during early childhood. Here are some tips for supporting your child’s spatial thinking! Play Fun Spatial-Thinking Activities! Playing activitie ..read more