Can your 2 year old handle helping out around the house? You bet! See our age-by-age guide.  Chores are an integral part of your child’s development. They help him learn to take care of himself and gain a sense of duty. As he grows, household tasks help him practice responsibility and are […]
 1. Raising a Reader: Read aloud to your children every day. Effective storybook reading is an interactive process. If we wait until after reading to discuss the story, we are missing out on valuable literacy opportunities. When you precede the reading by inviting predictions and personal connections, you are creating context for the reading.  Taking […]
Hundreds of schools across the country celebrate reading by participating in National Young Readers Week each year. This is an annual event that was co-founded in 1989 by Pizza Hut® and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Set aside as a special day to recognize the joys and benefits of reading, […]
A few years ago a friend passed on a great tip on how to manage all of the candy that your kids haul in from trick or treating. Enter the Switch Witch. Switch Witch is a very kind witch (we don’t like things too dark or scary here) who comes by after Halloween to take […]
At school, home, and throughout the community kids are offered food as a reward for “good†behavior. Often these foods have little or no nutritional value but are easy, inexpensive, and can bring about short-term behavior change.  There are many disadvantages to using food as a reward:  § It undermines nutrition education being […]
 Having a friend over for a playdate? Here are a few ideas to get you started or keep you going!  1.Meet at a park for picnic lunch, but visit one you and your kids have never been to!  2. Go see a movie at the dollar movie spot or participate in a […]
Set Up a Time Limited Play Date to Meet the Children’s Needs: When you set up a play date, don’t let your child take on more than she can handle. Likewise, you should not commit to host a play date that requires more than you are prepared to handle. No apologies necessary. Establish a start […]
 We created Halloween Shadows today and this proved to be great during bedtime. I downloaded the Kiddy Halloween Font and added them to Microsoft Word. I printed it on black paper and cut out the shapes.   Tape a straw or stick to the back and go into a darkened room. Flash the flashlight […]
