Cubetto is coding toy that was donated by a staff member at my school. We got an early version of the toy before it was even on the market! Our Cubetto came with an interface board, directional buttons, a bag for the buttons, Cubetto (the robot), two floor maps and three books to accompany the […]
For my kids, there is nothing more fun and exciting as playing with yardsticks, rulers and measuring tapes. These objects provide endless hours of fun in our household, namely, because my kids have discovered limitless uses for these tools of measurement. I am often astonished by my kids’ engagement and inventiveness when exploring in this […]
Learning math should be fun, should happen anywhere (and everywhere), and should incorporate new as well as familiar objects. It should also foster an environment of inquiry, exploration, analysis, and investigation. For us parents, educators, and caregivers, finding ways of accomplishing this, whether at home or in a classroom, can sometimes feel cumbersome. Of course, […]
We all like to feel capable and challenged, especially young children. Little ones typically want to try what bigger ones are doing. Their brains are similar to little sponges, soaking up all this new knowledge, and trying new things aligns with this idea. I definitely see this play out when my children want to participate […]
When participating in a game or activity with my two young children I am continuously modifying directions and steps for each of my learners. Often times I refer back to my days as a Special Education Teacher, and the strategies I used to best help my students succeed. Of course, as parents, caregivers and educators […]
The term “loose parts” is all over the Internet and early childhood world these days, and for good reason. I have witnessed first hand how the learning changed when we brought in natural loose parts! Loose parts are so full of math opportunities and problem solving and vocabulary building opportunities. So, what exactly are loose […]
“Look! Look! A log with a hole in it! Can we climb in it?” Our hike had come to a complete halt as the children gazed at the length of the hollowed out tree branch. This wonderful hollow log was just calling for investigation! Being the crazy math girl that I am I knew that […]
Every spring we look forward to the arrival of anything green, growing and grand! We especially delight with the beauty of dandelions; the lovely weeds those gardeners everywhere try to rid from their lawns! Dandelions bring a lot of math adventures to our program and this year succeeded beyond our expectations! Our neighborhood park is […]
After attending a math workshop (Do we want to admit this was a Math At Home training?), I received a container of what I would normally call, “Counting Bears.” I generally do not like these so called counting “manipulatives.” They tend to be bears, in primary colors and they are used for counting, sorting by […]
As soon as they hear a tune, children will get up and move their little bodies to a rhythm. As an early childhood educator, I love to incorporate music and movement into my lesson planning each week because children LOVE it and it is a powerful learning tool. Children enjoy learning through music and can […]