According to the National Research Council’s newest publication Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Paths Toward Excellence and Equity there are only a few studies that look specifically at parent beliefs and behaviors related to early mathematics. However, a study conducted in 2008 by Oscar Barbarin entitled Parental Conceptions of School Readiness: Relation to Ethnicity, Socioeconomic […]
As a culminating project for your study of leaves this October, I would like to suggest an exploration of the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. This was one of my favorite books as a child and remains a favorite to this day. If you don’t have a copy, I bet you can find […]
we can’t all help but stop and think about dressing up and becoming someone different, even if only for a day. For young children, fantasy play/dress-up is a crucial part of development. It provides personal expression and allows children to try out different roles. It helps the child distinguish between reality and fantasy; provides for […]
Did you know that Eric Carle has his own website? I have been thinking about how I can incorporate my love of Eric Carle books into this blog and sure enough, I saw a bit about him on TV the other day, and the newscaster was talking about his website. I know that at some […]
Leaf prints are another way that children can explore leaves and the Autumn months. Remember the leaves that the children have been collecting? You can now use those as a tool to make prints. Start with one good leaf. Make sure that it is fresh enough that it won’t crumble when touched. Each child should […]
Lots of programs have children working with journals to document their learning around words and language. Have you ever considered creating math binders for the children? I would use 3-ringed binders with pockets so the children can keep all of their “math” work together in once place. These would be terrific to use when it […]
This morning I read this article Starting Well: Benchmarking Early Education Across the World. Fascinating stuff. The Lien Foundation, out of Singapore was commissioned by the Economist Magazine to create a wellness index to rank preschool environments across the world. Where does the US rank? You might be thinking, “Somewhere in the top 10?” Well, […]
This one isn’t for children, it’s for you. This is a classic probability question that has puzzled game show contestants for years. Remember the game show “Let’s Make a Deal”? It is back on TV, new host, same idea. People dress up in costumes and hope to get called down to the stage to “Make […]
If I was still an early childhood teacher, I think I would use these big dice for all sorts of things in my classroom. I would have the kids roll them to take turns, make decisions, and choose activities. Even very young children could roll one of these die and, with help, count the pips […]
My favorite day at the park was the day I realized that I could put my oldest son into a baby swing. All of a sudden he went from being a passive observer at the park, to an active participant in the play. He loved that swing. I could push him all day and he […]