Scribbles and silly songs are so valuable to your little one’s learning.  Visual arts: Between 18 and 36 months, most little ones have magic marker mania, because kids are driven to make images. Give your toddler plenty of markers or crayons and paper and let him scribble away. Let him do it his […]
Infants were once thought of as passive and unknowing. It was commonly believed that until they mastered language, young children were incapable of thinking or forming complex ideas. Today, we know otherwise. From the very start, young children are aware of their surroundings and interested in exploring them. Scientists from several fields have shown that […]
 • An assortment of plastic containers • Plastic figurines • Freezer • Bathtub  1. Place plastic figures into a plastic container. 2. Fill container with water and freeze. 3. Fill a bathtub with warm water. 4. Place your baby in the bathtub. 5. Remove the ice from the container and drop into the […]
Because of the kidlet’s early history (he is adopted, was badly neglected the first six months of his life, and was very delayed), we did our own version of homeschooling from the time he was very little. At first we worked with an early head start program; after the adoption was final we didn’t qualify […]
File Folder Apple Printables Green Pipe Cleaners Hole punch Zip-top Baggie   Print out the apple pictures. Using a hole punch, make the appropriate number of holes in each apple (from none to 10). Glue the apples to the file folder. Cut pipe cleaners into short lengths, and bend them to create worms (yarn […]
Make tracks with different kinds of wheels.  toy vehicles (cars, trucks) paint paper plates paper Gather various toy cars and trucks. Try to find some with different-sized wheels, and wheels with different patterns on them. Pour paint onto paper plates. Invite your child to dip the car or truck into the paint.  Help your child […]
You don’t have to wait until Halloween to have fun with homemade masks! • tempera paints • water • paintbrush • hole punch • safety scissors  • glue • paper plates • yarn • markers • glitter Talk with your child about her favorite animals and explain that she can make an animal mask. She can refer to a picture of a real animal […]
Like many things, kindness is a quality that children learn over time and through practice. Thankfully, there are many things you can do to encourage your child to be a kinder, gentler person. Research has found that the desire to help and comfort comes just as naturally to humans as being self-centered or hurtful. “It’s […]
