Music teaches kids lots of skills. Learning to play music requires commitment and discipline and if you splash out on an instrument, you need to know your child is going to put time and effort into […]
Category: Preschool
SMART Goals Template
The below ‘S.M.A.R.T.’ template is published under Creative Commons. Feel free to share on your own blog, school site or social network. Over a 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln said “a goal set properly is halfway […]
The Best 15 Books to Raise Children’s Emotional IQ and Teach Empathy
One of the best tools to raise your children’s emotional IQ and empathy are books. Reading a story with your children gives you ample opportunity to talk about the story, the cause of the emotions and […]
What Board Games Teach Children In An Electronic Age
When we see how much time kids put in playing with their iPad or XBox One, you might wonder if there is anyone under the age of thirty that still plays board games. Good news! People […]
11 Horse Toys Kids Will Love
From plastic figurines to the classic rocking horse, horse toys have long been a favorite for children of all ages. Nothing inspires imaginative play like riding a rocking horse and pretending you’re in a rodeo, or […]
Adding EdTech to Your Classroom? 3 Non-Negotiable “Old School” Components to Include in Every Lesson
Educational technology: it’s the hottest movement out there in education, and has been for some time. In fact, there seems to be a rather non-discriminating admiration for anything edtech among many teachers today. You can’t open […]
Leading In And From the Classroom
The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it’s to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel they’re valued. ~Sir Ken Robinson I am a middle child and […]
The Student-Teacher Relationship Matters More Than You Might Think
Quality instruction isn’t the only factor that determines students’ academic achievement. Students’ sense of belonging to the school community is also significant to student achievement. A growing body of research shows the sense of belonging or “connectedness” […]
7 Amazing KidKraft Kitchen Playsets to Get Your Little Chef Cooking
Is there a little chef eagerly waiting for their turn to stir a pot each and every time you prep a meal? Well now, you can continue to feed their “inner” chef with a KidKraft Kitchen! […]
13 Questions to Consider When Choosing a High Quality Child Care Center
Selecting a quality child care center is difficult and requires a lot of research. With over thirty years working in the early childhood field, I know quality! Here, I’m going to outline some of the most […]
Fading or Thriving In Sport? The Mental Approach That Shapes Healthy & Happy Champions Of Tomorrow
Over the past few years, there has been an increase in visits to my office by parents with young athletes between 11–13 years of age. At first, this seemed like a positive movement, perhaps motivated by […]
Marbotic Smart Letters and Numbers Review: Tech Toys With A Soul (and Major Fun Factor!)
The Product Marbotic offers wooden letters and numbers that work with six apps (free with the purchase of the letter and number blocks), which together allow your child to practice number- and letter-recognition, addition, subtraction, tens […]
A Future Artist May Be in Your Preschool Classroom—Some Things to Consider When Setting Up Your Art Centre
The art area in a preschool child care center can be one of a child’s favorite spaces. Just imagine, mounds of crayons, boxes of colored pencils, markers in every color, plain paper, glue, plastic scissors, magazines […]
Exclusive Interview: Author Teresa Ann Power and The ABCs of Yoga For Kids Around the World
The following is an exclusive interview with Teresa Anne Power, internationally acclaimed children’s yoga expert and bestselling author, yogi, and advocate for the health benefits of yoga for children. Her first book, international hit The ABCs […]
Selecting a Communication System for your Non-Speaking Child
When my son, Isaac, who is diagnosed with autism, was three years old, he went to a therapeutic school which was focused on teaching sign language. He caught on pretty quickly and had about a half dozen […]
Why Early Childhood Educators Shouldn’t Avoid Leadership Roles
When I was in the fifth grade I became the student council president at my elementary school. I had my campaign speech, with various promises for improving our student council and bettering the lives of our student […]
7 Superb Shape Sorters to Engage Your Little One
We all remember our favorite childhood toy or toys. Perhaps it was a telephone with googling eyes, or a toy vacuum so you could “help” with chores. We never realized that many of the toys we played […]
The Benefits of Reading to Children—More Than Just Quality Time Together
“The more rich and multifaceted the learning experiences, the more neurons are fired. What fires together, wires together.” —Dr. Betty Rintoul (NC Infant Mental Health Association, Baby Steps, Fall Newsletter, 2013.) This is a great quote that […]
Preschool Learning Centres Provide a Basis for Lifelong Learning
According to research, learning centers in preschool provide the tools for learning all throughout life. The early childhood classroom (ages 2–5) is a huge factor in children’s development. Classrooms are usually set up so that children […]
The Many Career Changing Rewards of Blogging
In 2015 I was attending a training program called Women in Leadership. The series went over several days and before courses began one day, I was reading the agenda and noticed a session entitled, “Joys of […]