What better way to start your Spring lesson planning than with the tried and true book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which continues to expand into a whole collection of titles you can use to plan a fun Spring Classroom Theme around! This story, written and illustrated by the infamous Eric Carle, was a must use every spring in my own preschool lesson planning! The original story offers such unique artwork in a style that is Eric Carle’s alone, and pulls the children into the fun activity of going through all of the days of the week as this very hungry caterpillar munches and crunches his wa ..read more

Interviewed by Lorrie Holmes As Swiss Psychologist, Jean Piaget, once stated, “Knowledge is a consequence of experience.”  There is a lot of truth to this statement and as education continues to evolve, Project-Based Learning (PBL) has become more recognized. In fact, many schools have actually taken on a Project Based Learning Model in offering their students the opportunity to apply many of their core learnings to these projects as part of their curriculum. Today we are sharing an interview I recently conducted for BC Parent Newsmagazine on two leaders in our ..read more

Written by Kathy Eugster, MA We are learning from the fields of neuroscience and child-development that children need many positive, face-to-face interactions with attentive, sensitive, and responsive parents or caregivers for healthy brain and nervous system development. Play activities between parent and child are excellent ways to provide these necessary interactions to children.  Parent-child play offers unique benefits to children over children’s peer play or independent play because parents are older and wiser and can support their child’s development in a variety of different way ..read more

Written by Lorrie Holmes – story originally published in BC Parent! We have recently spoken with three child development experts who all agree that children learn best through play. Beginning with renowned counsellor, scientist and storyteller, Dr. Deborah MacNamara, along with early childhood education college instructors, Candiss Brown and Nika Jibrael – according to all three, play is where it all begins. BC PARENT:  Why is play so important to the development of young children? DR. MACNAMARA: The research on the science of play finds there are three key areas it serves wh ..read more

This Valentine’s Day, we have decided to share some Gifts Of Friendship with you told through the voices of these children’s songs. We are starting off with the duo – Bobs & Lolo.  Their partnership did not begin as a business arrangement but rather, blossomed from a lifelong friendship that started at the tender age of eight, when these two met at Girl Guides. There, they shared their love for nature and music, and discovered how much they had in common. Of course, there were a lot of songs they shared around the campfires! The photo above depicts these two getting ready for a high ..read more

The first thing that struck me when I entered through the front doors of Asland Academy in Vancouver West, was the combination of warmth and organization. The structure of an early learning academy was definitely there though it was offered in a way that was inviting to the children, and myself. When I was first introduced to this Reggio-inspired preschool academy, I was quite surprised to learn that it was run out of a home – especially after having a conversation with School Manager, Natalie Qiu, who was very professional when sharing their philosophy and curriculum. In f ..read more

Are you looking for a fun playlist of songs to use in your classroom this Valentine’s Day? I am so excited to introduce you a very special two-part song that I used in my own classes. One version of this song starts with babies and the second part grows into the concepts for toddlers and preschoolers to practice. Next, I’ve included a list of five song recommendations that I used time and again in my own music classes. LET’S START WITH THE BABIES AND WORK OUR WAY UP TO PRESCHOOLERS! As an early childhood educator and early learning music teacher, I’m so excited to be sharing with you a song ..read more

A day in the life of a little Sapling is one filled with joy, connection, and so much imagination. Written by Shannon Emery, Forest Educator HEADING OFF FOR SOME OUTDOOR DRAMATIC PLAY! We head off to the forest for a day of dramatic play with our packs loaded up with snacks, water bottles, and extra gear. The supplies we bring with us depend on our group and the current interests and inquiries that weave their way throughout our outdoor play time together. Sometimes it’s our magnifying glasses and clipboards so we can observe and document our findings, other times it’s a mud kitchen set t ..read more

Never before has it been as evident, the relationship between food and connection to our loved ones. Not until digesting each page of the book Nourished by Dr. Deborah MacNamara, Counsellor, Scientist, Storyteller, Teacher, Guide, and Mother. Your can order this book with my affiliate link here! Dr. MacNamara has given us such a beautiful gift this holiday season which is not only the understanding that relationship and attachment are the most important fundamental needs we all have – even above food – but also, that once we understand this, as caretakers, we can give ourselves permission to ..read more

Written by Lorrie Holmes Originally published at BCParent.ca At School Of Rock Vancouver, performance based music lessons offer these budding musicians an opportunity to build self confidence while playing their chosen musical instruments from Day One instead of starting with scales and other theory exercises. The best part is they are doing this alongside their friends in their weekly group band practice and one-on-one lessons! It might not sound flawless at first, and that’s because it’s not supposed to be. The School of Rock’s Rock101 Program is where young performers have only just c ..read more