Looking for the best gifts for babies? This holiday season I am working hard to be more mindful of what comes into our home–especially for our youngest. Simple gifts for babies I wanted to pull together a simple holiday gift…
Using Loose Parts and Tinkering to Foster Creativity
Using Loose Parts and Tinkering to Foster Creativity Play is about exploring and imagining, and nothing fosters creativity like toys made for building, design, and free play. Although we often think about educational toys and set curriculum for homeschool, traditional…
Why big kids need play, too
Why big kids need play, too Renowned educator Maria Montessori described 12-18 year olds as budding social justice advocates. Children in this stage are developing who they are and how they can be of service to the world. Pre-teens and…
Easy Ways to Incorporate SEL Into Your Home Routine
Easy Ways to Incorporate SEL Into Your Home Routine Now, perhaps more than ever, the letters S-E-L are on everyone’s lips. Parents, teachers, students, children, and families are experiencing stress and anxiety at this time. It’s often hard to know…
Socratic Seminar = Critical Thinking
Socrates was an incredible Greek philosopher and thinker and his way of thinking has been a huge part of education for a very long time. Of course, children are naturally curious. That is an incredible attribute, but as children grow…
Simple Ways to Build Reading Skills at Home
Simple Ways to Build Reading Skills at Home As a parent, you want your child to love to read! You want to make the best choices and raise them to be the best version of themselves. However, it is hard…
Helping Your Child Stay Organized
Helping Your Child Stay Organized We like to think we foster independence in our children. We let them make decisions and force them to live with the consequences. ”You forgot your water bottle, and now you’re thirsty? Well, I bet…
Teaching Questioning Skills
Our children are full of questions. We are inundated and overwhelmed by their relentless need to know things. A simple change in perspective can show us how asking good questions can lead to independence, learning, and intrinsic motivation. We know…
Project Based Learning – Upper Grades
So we’ve talked about Project Based Learning in the elementary grades. Great stuff, right? Loads of engagement, cross-curricular connections, and real-world relevance. What about using Project Based Learning with students in middle school and high school? Even. Better. Creative. Authentic….
Project Based Learning
So you’re learning about health and wellness in science. You read an article about how to calculate your BMI – wait – calculation…isn’t that math? STOP. You can’t do math in the middle of a science lesson. Absurd, right? Enter…
The Environment Shapes Play
The benefit of an organized play space While it may seem counterintuitive to spend time creating an organized and thoughtful play space for kids who seem determined to destroy everything in their path, there is reason to do so. Early…
How to Learn About Your Child’s Interests
You’re so busy doing the maintenance work – changing the diapers, making the meals, bandaging the knees. But do you actually know what makes your child tick? What do you know about your child’s interests? Let’s talk about why you…
