Kids are natural scientists; they’re always wondering about things, testing their ideas about the world, and asking questions about natural events. You can help your child make use of his inquiring mind by providing experiences around the home that involve scientific principles. • The bathroom is a great place to begin. Fill the bathtub with […]
Recent news headlines have emphasized the ability of Japanese school children to outscore American kids in most academic areas. For example, the average Japanese high school student scores as well as the top 5% of U.S. High Schoolers in math. Many parents want to know why the Japanese are able to perform so much better
While many conflicting philosophies and techniques exist for helping children draw, there are several general suggestions any parent can follow in providing a nurturing environment for the budding artist. • First, show an interest in your child’s work. Get involved by creating pictures together, or you might draw something on a piece of paper, have
Many kids love to draw and want to learn how to draw better. What kind of help should a parent provide? There are currently many different kinds of drawing techniques available for children, ranging from highly structured to completely free form. • On the very structured side, there is Ed Emberly’s Drawing Book series. These
All young children are creative people. Nature seems to have endowed them with the ability to transform even the most commonplace circumstance into a novel event, full of joy and discovery. • One important task for any parent is to work to keep that creativity alive. You can do this best by nurturing your own
Many parents are confused about what kind of preschool or kindergarten to choose for their child. They hear about academic versus developmental programs and sometimes don’t really know what these schools actually provide. • Academic programs are paper and pencil oriented, with lots of emphasis on getting kids started with reading, writing, and math. These
Concern is growing among educators that we’re forcing preschool children to engage in academic tasks that they’re simply not ready for. Increasingly, preschools are demanding that kids do pencil and paper activities to prepare them for grade school. Unfortunately, this rush is creating a new malady – “the hurried child syndrome”. Warning signs can include
Your child’s eyes are one of the most important learning tools he brings into the classroom everyday. A child that can’t clearly see the chalkboard or read his workbook is missing out on much of what goes on during the day. If your child is having difficulty learning at school, frequently rubs his eyes, squints,
Our culture seems to be in such a hurry. We live in a world of fast cars and fast food and, unfortunately, seem to want our children to speed along as well. However, not all kids are willing or able to learn according to our timelines. Many perfectly normal children seem to need more time
Late bloomers are kids who learn and grow in a normal fashion, but take their time doing it. For example, while most kids learn how to read by the age of six or seven, the late bloomer may not actually read until about eight or nine or even later. It’s possible to late bloom in
