Six early childhood experts discuss some of the common misunderstandings about child assessment in this short video clip from Child Care Exchange. Check it out.  

Categorizing insect and bug attributes by size and color is one way to separate and sort them. It might be more fun to use your insect and bug collections to create gross motor movement activities using the attributes of how they move rather than how they look. Some bugs fly (butterflies, ladybugs, bumblebees), some bugs […]

There are probably hidden gems all over the country that I know nothing about, but I do know about an absolute prize just north of Chicago, in Skokie, called the Emily Oaks Nature Center. The reason I love this place is that it PERFECT for very young children. It is small and compact. There is […]

Take a look at this short video from the Increase your Knowledge page on the Math at Home website and consider the following: 1. How do you promote problem-solving skills with your children? 2. When opportunities arise for children to “figure things out” on their own, do you let them? 3. Are you often tempted […]

While looking through math materials the other day, I came upon three interesting classroom tools that focus on sorting bugs. This first one is called “Scoop-a-Bug Sorting Kit” and is pretty interesting. The bugs are clearly fake, with exaggerated attributes, such as bright and vivid colors, which are easily identified by children. The scoopers look […]

The other day, one of my students was planning an activity for the children in her classroom. They are studying (drumroll) – Bugs! She wanted to try her hand at planning a food experience and was asking me about my thoughts about Ants on a Log. You know this one; celery sticks filled with peanut […]

Many years ago, the Morton Arboretum held a contest for designers, architects, landscapers, contractors and artists to design unique tree houses. Those who were chosen, received funds to build their tree houses at the Arboretum which then stood as a special exhibit for about 6 months. My husband, who is a landscaper and his best […]

Simple subtraction, often called “take-away” by teachers of young children, may be best reinforced through finger plays and songs. Children who get the most from these sorts of activities are most likely in the concrete operational stage of development. That means using fingers or objects to illustrate mathematical operations is an appropriate way to support […]

As I sit here and write this, I can only hope that when you saw the title of this post you did NOT think about stickers as rewards. I can’t stand when children are rewarded with stickers or other small items for doing what they are supposed to in school. Remember, we don’t praise expected […]

Mother Jones just published this article: 10 Poverty Myths, Busted. I am reposting as a reminder that we shouldn’t make assumptions about the families we serve, or buy into the nonsense that the national media would have us believe. 1. Single moms are the problem. Only 9 percent of low-income, urban moms have been single […]