Cooking can help young kids learn and practice some basic math concepts and build language skills. And the experience of creating meals with you can help build their self-confidence and lay the foundation for healthy eating habits. It may take a little flexibility and some simple prep work, but with …
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Encouraging Your Child’s Sense of Humor
A sense of humor can brighten family life. You can blow raspberries on a baby’s belly, put on a silly hat and chase a 3-year-old, or pretend to fall into a pile of leaves to amuse a first-grader. As kids grow into preteens and teens, you can share puns and …
Games for Preschoolers
Whether at a party or a play date, preschoolers love games. No longer toddlers, they have a growing interest in playing with other kids. Physically, they’re now steady on their feet and learning to hop, skip, jump, and even somersault. Preschoolers are ready for games with simple rules — and …
Games for Toddlers
Toddlers learn by playing and they learn a lot between ages 1 and 3. At 1, a child may be working on a wobbly walk and just starting to use words. But by 3, most can balance briefly on one foot and speak in short sentences. During these important years, …
Gifted Education
Many parents believe their children should be in their school’s gifted program. But only about 6% of all U.S. K-12 students are considered academically gifted. Gifted Students vs. Bright Students Parents should understand that many bright, intelligent, and talented kids and teens might not qualify for gifted education. So it …
Group Games for School-Age Kids
No more duck, duck, goose for this crowd. School-age kids are more sophisticated than preschoolers when it comes to games. They can play more complex games, juggle multiple roles, and enjoy the challenge of figuring out strategies. Getting Started Some kids will take as much active play as they can …
Help Your Child Get Organized
Most kids generate a little chaos and disorganization. Yours might flit from one thing to the next — forgetting books at school, leaving towels on the floor, and failing to finish projects once started. You’d like them to be more organized and to stay focused on tasks, such as homework. …
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
What’s an IEP? Kids with delayed skills or other disabilities might be eligible for special services that provide individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge to families. Understanding how to access these services can help parents be effective advocates for their kids. The passage of the updated version …
Introducing Preschoolers to Music
Like most preschoolers, your child probably already loves music and has favorite songs. This may have happened with little encouragement from you beyond simply playing music on long car trips. But did you know that your preschooler is now at an ideal age to expand his or her musical horizons and …
Introducing Toddlers to Music
Music is a natural part of life for toddlers. They might sing to their stuffed animals, tap their feet to the rhythm of nursery rhymes, and enjoy the sound of their parents singing to them — even if mom and dad can’t quite carry a tune. But this early introduction to …