It is very important to support your children’s creativity and give them an outlet to express themselves. Set up a table with paper and various writing utensils, and let your children draw. If you are wondering how your child’s drawing will progress, the outline below…
Small children should be given materials to play with that promote both divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking means there is more than one answer to a problem or there is more than one method to do something. For example, there are many different ways…
According to the developmental psychologist Piaget, a child makes meaning of his world by forming patterns with the information he receives. He bundles the data he accumulates into concepts. A concept is an idea formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars. Children form and adjust concepts when they can experience and interact with…
When should I teach my child to read? What do I need to know to teach them? How do kids learn to read? The recently published book Proust and the Squid was written by Maryanne Wolfe who runs a reading center and is a professor in cognitive science…
Always give your child a two-minute warning when you are about to change venues. This gives the child time to bring closure to what he is doing. Imagine that you are at a cocktail party. You can’t find anyone to talk to at first, but…
The following is a review of the book Last Child in the Woods in Scientific American (2005): Unstructured outdoor play was standard for me as a hyperactive child growing up in the rural Midwest. I fondly recall digging forts, climbing trees and catching frogs without…
I don’t think it is appropriate for a child younger than 6 to have much screen time. Some would respond to this that we are doing our children a disservice not exposing them to all of the computer gadgets that are now central to adult…
It is normal for every person to experience a wide range of emotions. However, children often experience a range of emotions, such as frustration, happiness, annoyance, and pride, all within the same hour. Worse, they sometimes have uncontrolled tantrums. Hearing negative emotions from a child…
Help! My child is very emotional and has lots of fits and/or tantrums. I’m tired of the screaming, fits, pouting, and rage. In order to better control himself and to interact with others, a child needs to be aware of what he is feeling and…
The following excerpt from the book Teaching and Learning in the Kindergarten Year by Dominic Gullo describes brain development in the early years. During pre-school and Kindergarten, the brain grows steadily, increasing from seventy percent to ninety percent of its eventual adult weight. In addition to gains…
There are many difficulties in growing up. This is one issue you can minimize by turning games/ screen time off altogether or severely limiting it. As a teacher, I see a hug difference in inappropriate behavior, poor social skills and inattention in those who spend…
La Asociacion de la Educacion Infantil (NAEYC en Ingles) es la organizacion mas grande del pais que representa la educacion infantil en nuestra comunidad y en todos los estados Americanos, tiene una posicion que establece las mejores practicas en el desarollo de los niños en…