Browse By Age
Birth - Preschool
Summer school to get kids ready for kindergarten?!
Has kindergarten become something 5-year olds cannot handle without a "readiness" regimen? Trends such as these raise a red flag about things going awry. more
Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood – New Research from the National Academies Press
Early childhood mathematics is vitally important for young children's present and future educational success. Research has demonstrated that virtually all young children have the capability to learn and become competent in mathematics. Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood lays out the critical areas that should be the focus of young children's early mathematics education, explores the extent to which they are currently being incorporated in early childhood settings, and identifies the changes needed to improve the quality of mathematics experiences for young children. more
Zulaworld – a kid’s virtual world with a Science twist
Zulaworld is a kid's virtual world with a twist - it blends science with fun. Each of the games the kids play also teaches a science concept. more
Arts appear to play role in brain development
For years now, the arts have been given the short shrift in children's education - in preference to science and math. The thinking being that science and math are of greater relevance in this brave new technology-driven world. Some new studies are now pointing to a more complementary relationship between the arts vs. science and math - suggesting that a holistic approach to picking curriculum might be the best for child development. more
Exposure To Two Languages Carries Far-reaching Benefits
A study at Northwestern University seems to indicate that there are real benefits in raising bilingual children. This should come as a relief to parents who are sometimes in a dilemma whether to encourage their kids to speak in English, the language of instruction at school, or in their native languages that are other than English. more
MyPyramid.gov: A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body
Dietary guidelines, smart meal planning, suggestions for healthy snacking for kids (and adults!), and other handy tips to promote healthy eating in your home. more
If they can’t see it, feel it, or taste it, how can children learn about it?
How do preschoolers come to learn about things they cannot perceive? This question drives the research of Professor Paul Harris of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His conclusion? Conversations with others, adults mostly. While children do learn a lot about the world through observing things around them, they learn much, and pretty early too, about intangible things like germs and vitamins, hidden bodily organs, a country's history, and even difficult-to-grasp ideas of life and death. Such learning comes from other people’s testimony, asserts Dr. Harris in this article. more
New Study Finds Early Word Recognition Key To Lifelong Reading Skills
Previous studies of how children read have yielded different results. Some studies concluded that children's reading patterns mimicked those in adults, while other arrived at the the opposite conclusion. Researchers at the School of Psychology at the University of Leicester may have come a bit closed at solving this conundrum. more
When Alfie Kohn says Five Reasons to Stop Saying “Good Job!”…
Alfie Kohn is no stranger to education and parenting circles. His website is a goldmine of good articles for parents and educators. Among them is this gem (from September 2001) on the not-so-positive effects of positive reinforcement - in particular, the overuse, and often misplaced use, of the oft-heard phrase "Good Job!" more
What Makes Children Read?
A news story from the U.K. about the current state of reading among children in schools. The article points out that, notwithstanding the success of the children's book market in the U.K., reading among children is not as widespread as might be imagined. Some tips to jumpstart the reading habit among young kids are offered in the article. more