Category Archives: Preschool

How to Raise a Reader

“A capacity and taste for reading gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.” ~ Abraham Lincoln Don’t we all want to raise children who LOVE to read?   Reading is a gift we can give  our children that will NEVER leave them.   It is the gift of travel, fantasy, knowledge, and so…

Keep School Supplies at the Ready

Kid: Mom, I need…a new ruler…new pair of scissors…a box of tissues for the classroom…cupcakes for my birthday…a science fair display board… Mom: When do you need this by? Kid: Tomorrow! If you were a fly on the wall in my house, you would hear this conversation quite frequently. Different kid. Different item needed. Sometimes…

Six Ways to Learn Without Doing Formal Schooling

No matter where you have decided to educate your children (at home or by sending them to public or private school), as their parent, you have many opportunities to help them learn at home without using formal schooling methods.  These six activities are easy to include in your family life and can be a wonderful…

Making Praise More Meaningful

Every human being loves attention and praise. Many of us even crave it and feel less than confident when we are not reassured by affirming words. As parents, we have incredible influence over our children through the words we use with them. Unknown to many parents, some types of praise are actually counterproductive to hard…

Learning Through Lunch Time

  We typically enjoy lunch time at our house as a break from the academic school day (or a chance to enjoy an educational video).  However, from time to time, we use lunch as a learning opportunity. Ways to Incorporate Learning into Lunch Time The food pyramid and other nutrition topics this meal is from…

Tips for Teaching Kids to Listen

As parents, we all know how frustrating it can be when our kids are not listening to us, when they have tuned out and our words have become nothing more than noise.  Is there anything more aggravating than repeating ourselves a thousand times a day? Our children’s attention spans are more fragmented today than ever…

Improve Memory in Kids

Recognizing words and knowing immediately what it says is important for children to properly learn to read. Visual memory is what helps a child recognize a word. Parents often want to know how to improve their child’s memory and improve their reading skills. (For a more in depth description of all the techniques needed to…

Why Should a Parent Not Name the Letters?

It might come as a shock, but there are good reasons why parents should not name the letters in the alphabet. Naming Problems One of the reasons why parents should not name letters is because many children have “naming” problems. Naming problems mean children have difficulty in the speed and accuracy with which they can…

The Best Learning Toys for Toddlers: Help Preschoolers Have Fun and Learn This Holiday Season

I know what you’re thinking. Do kids really need more toys? But hear me out. The holiday season is filled with gifts and presents. And you’d rather that your preschooler gets a toy that would teach him something rather than just add to toy clutter, right? So, check out these awesome educational toys for toddlers…

Five Everyday Items for Toddler Learning

As a mother of toddlers and preschoolers I know that what keeps my children’s attention one day might not work the next. I try to be intentional in creating fun, age-appropriate learning experiences for my kids every day, and have come up with some frugal ways to make that happen. Here are some everyday items…