A guide to developing the vestibular sense in kids
Remember the 5 senses? Taste, touch, sight, sound, smell? What if they don’t tell the whole story? Well, they don’t. It’s now largely accepted that humans have more than 5 sensory systems, though the exact number we have is still debatable. Some suggest 8, others 20, whilst some even argue...
Family Game Night
It is shortly after dinner on a Friday night. When most teens reach for social media, toddlers protest baths, and grown-ups just want a moment of quiet between sundown and bedtime; there is a bonding opportunity. One way to bring everyone together is with a Family Game Night. Some Games...
Cooking With Your Kids
A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a girlfriend about the seemingly endless cycle of cooking dinner. “It seems to me,” she stated with a sigh, “like it is the same thing every night. Settle the kids in front of the TV or a game, pull out the...
Social-Emotional Learning for Little Kids
What is Social-Emotional Learning? Recently, Social-Emotional Learning, a new curriculum, was added to many preschools and daycares. Social-Emotional Learning is a set of skills that enables children to make responsible choices, manage big feelings, identify and maintain positive relationships, show empathy, and choose and achieve goals. Little ones do not...
The Benefits of Positive Reinforcement
“The way positive reinforcement is carried out is more important than the amount.” —BF Skinner, American psychologist, behaviorist, and author When BF Skinner wrote “Science of Human Behavior” in 1953, he opened a field of study previously unknown to parents before: that children could be influenced positively or negatively by...
Types of Play For Toddlers
“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” — Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers, producer of TV’s Mr. Rogers Neighborhood) Play is an essential part of every child’s development. Play begins long before children can hold toys or learn rules, and play helps in brain and personality...
Arts in the Early Years
The day your pre-schooler writes his or her first name is one of the first great academic achievements you see as a parent. But did you ever wonder what steps your child took to reach that goal? Would it surprise you to know those steps are rooted in the...
The Importance of Celebrating Birthdays
History and Cultures of Birthdays Surprisingly, birthdays are not celebrated everywhere in the world by every culture. Luckily for today’s children, this has changed a great deal. As far as can be researched, birthday parties began before current Western religions were established. People believed evil spirits visited any happy moments...
The Benefits of Co-Viewing TV With Your Kids
In recent years, the American Academy of Pediatrics has changed its guidelines on children and media. Instead of ‘zero’ exposure to media, children older than 2 may be exposed to 1-2 hours of media a day. A parent would watch along with a child in the best-case scenario. But...
8 Most Effective Tips to Improve Your Child’s Concentration
If you know kids, you know how distracted they can be. New toys have flashing lights and sounds. Distractions are everywhere; and if adults have difficulty managing it, how do children? The answer is, children need your help to improve concentration. It is not in a child’s nature to sit...
