Help for Over Stimulation
A recent day working with special needs preschoolers reminded me of an important truth to remember for all young children, over stimulation is one of the main stresses for children (and adults).
PAMELA EVANS
The Preschool Parent Blog
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The Importance of Repetition, Reassurance, and Flexibility in a Changing Preschool World.
As we all adjust to our new normal, how do we meet the specific needs of young children?
Reading and Preschoolers
Parents, anxious to get their young child to read, often ask when and how to start. Here are some tips for making it a joyful experience for everyone and not a chore or a fight.
The New Baby
Adding a new member to the family is an exciting and exhausting time for everyone. Strong emotions will surface during this time of growth for a family. Let's focus on how to help your preschooler make the adjustment in as positive a way as possible, knowing that there will be difficult days for everyone but there is nothing like bonding with a sibling.
The Most Important Question
The most important question to ask yourself when you’re having parenting challenges with your preschooler. What do I love about my child? What is going well?
New School Year and Parent - Teacher Communication
As the school season starts here is a gentle reminder of the importance of clear parent-teacher communication, along with kindness and patience.
Space - The Fun Frontier
We live in amazing times when it comes to new knowledge about the universe. You can learn with your child about planet Earth, our solar system, and beyond. Unless you are a major science geek, you’ll probably find there have been a lot of new discoveries since you were in school. The new pictures from the James Webb Space Telescope are a treat for all ages.
Don’t forget to let your kids get bored this summer!
It’s easy to over schedule young children. Make sure your child has plenty of down time. It takes quiet time to process everything your child learns each day. Try not to fill that time with too many classes and video distractions. Not only is rest important, but creativity often comes out of boredom.
Music lessons are for learning to play an instrument, right? Maybe, but there’s more.
Many people think music lessons are a good idea for children. This post is not about the specifics of why music lessons help with language skills, cognitive development, confidence, etc. I want to focus on what music lessons do for kids who aren’t going to play in the audition orchestra – even kids who hate to practice.
Science—Observations and Experiments to Enjoy with your Preschooler
Spring is a great time for science/nature investigation and experiments with preschoolers.
Gardening with Kids
As spring approaches, it’s time to get out there and share the joys of gardening with your child.
Friluftsliv
Friluftsliv (Free-loofts-liv) is the Nordic notion of the outdoor life.
Creating Space To Grow
Children need space. Space to grow, learn, reflect, share, and enjoy. You don’t need a big house to provide space. A small clear area where your child can relax works. Perhaps a little corner where you can place a small table for projects and a shelf for art supplies and books. For young minds, less really is more. It’s hard to think and be creative if there is stuff everywhere.
Children's Books Are For All Ages
As someone who loves to read, I want to remind adult readers about the joys of a well-written children’s book. If you want a pick-me-up, some deep philosophy, beautiful artwork, or some great humor, you can find it and more in the children’s section. If you have young children, you are probably already aware of these treasures, but if it’s been a while since you’ve checked out the children’s section, you might be surprised. Here are a few favorite books I reread, share, and even gift to adult friends.
Enjoy this time with your preschooler
Hi friends. This post comes after recent conversations with a couple parents who currently feel overwhelmed by the world at large. Raising young children has always been stressful for many, but these are unprecedented times.
When should my child start music lessons?
I am often asked about when to start music lessons for young children and what to look for in a teacher. Here are a few thoughts.
Learning beyond the Story
When we, parents and teachers, read a book to young children it is often for fun, for interesting characters, or to learn about our world. Beyond the pleasure and bonding, stories are deep learning opportunities for children.
Separation Anxiety and Moving Forward for Parents
At this time of year, we often talk about separation anxiety from the child’s point of view. This year I want to talk about it in a slightly different way, with a focus on the feelings of the parents.
How to Inspire Joy in Reading
Many parents struggle with when to help their child with reading. Here are some tips for making it a joyful experience for everyone and not a chore or fight.
Water Safety for Little Ones
As we roll into summer it’s important to think about water safety. We’ll be focused on swimming and playing in the water.
Feel Confident Outdoors!
It’s time for the yearly get outside, but with knowledge, for safe, rewarding time enjoying nature post!
Stepping Back Is Hard, but Necessary
Building resilience and confidence in your preschooler is important. It’s all about learning when and how to step back and let your child learn through experience.
Nature Alphabet
March is a great time to get outdoors. I know, I say that about every month! But there is something about a nice spring day that makes a walk outside invigorating and we can make learning letters outside fun too.
Using Picture Cards for Language Development
In preschool we learn through play and imagination. Children love to tell stories. Picture cards are an organic way to strengthen children’s natural language development.
Exploring the Little Things This Winter
January is a great time to get outside even if (especially if) your world is frozen. No need to travel to discover new worlds – they are all around you and your child. Study rocks, tree bark, grass, leaves, snow, and ice. What can your child see with their eyes? With a magnifying glass? With a pocket microscope?
Too Much Stuff - A Holiday Reminder
Perhaps this year more than most, as many of us are spending so much time at home...it's important to remember that too much stuff gets in the way of enjoying life.
Puppies, Dogs, and Preschoolers
Children and pets are a wonderful mix as long as your child is taught to respect animals. Many families are getting new pets, but if you are new to owning a dog, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Reggio Emilia Preschool Philosophy
Today we continue to explore various preschool philosophies to help you guide your child at home!
You may have heard of the Reggio Emilia approach. Local parents and Loris Malaguzzi, who was a teacher near Reggio Emilia, Italy, after World War II, created this curriculum. This is an arts and community based approach.
Play-Based Learning
As we continue to look at tools and methods used by preschool teachers, today we discuss a fundamental: Play-Based Learning.
Without a doubt Play-Based Learning is a natural way for children to learn and something you are already doing at home. This is one of the best methods a preschool teacher can use and with a little thought, you can build on your "play" at home.
Inquiry Based Learning
This is the first in a series of blog posts with brief descriptions and suggestions for bringing the preschool experience into your home. The series will cover various teaching styles that help preschoolers blossom. Hopefully a little something for everyone. Today, Inquiry Based Learning.
Wildrock - Get Outside!
Getting outdoors is always important for kids and parents, but even more so in difficult times. Wildrock offers booking times for small groups and families to get away from it all.
https://www.wildrock.org/family
Shout out to Parents of Preschoolers
As we move through these unprecedented times, I am so impressed with the resilience and creativity of the preschool parents in my community. It’s easy to become so stressed and worried that you shut down - but if you have a preschooler in the house – you don’t have that luxury. Thanks goodness!
I'm Bored - Great, You're Half Way to Being Creative!
We live in interesting times. Children are often over-scheduled in the best of times and now with schools closed, children of all ages have had dramatic changes to their schedules. This may be a time for your family to make some changes. It is definitely a time for creativity to thrive!
Playing Safely Outside
Time outside is wonderful, but there are things you and your child need to avoid. This post is my yearly outdoor hazard update because it's important to know what to look out for, especially if you are not used to spending a lot of time outdoors. If you and your child are already used to spending a lot of time in nature you may want to skip to the bottom of the post for some good links
Music At Home - Part 2
In Music at Home Part 2, we’ll do a short sample music session. You can always extend this session by following your child's lead for movement, dancing, and singing. Repetition is key for developing internal beat.
Remember It should be music that’s fun for you and your child.
Music At Home - Part 1
You can sing or make up rhythms anywhere, anytime, but today we’ll talk about some ideas for having a regular music time at home. Some of my preschool families have been asking for ideas for a music class at home so in this, 2-part series, I plan to cover some of the basics to get you started.
Saying Goodbye to a Pet
Today a few thoughts on preschoolers and pets. Pets are a great way to teach children about responsibility and empathy, among other things. Unless you have a macaw parrot most pets do not live as long as people. The loss of your pet family member may well be your child’s first experience with death.
Happy Holidays
It’s that time of year when many of us, children especially, are overwhelmed with the excitement of the season and too much stuff. There are times when we have little control over generous family members and family traditions, so the key to a happy holiday season with young children, is to build in some down time and to manage expectations.
The most important thing you can do to help your child and your family enjoy the season is to take time to explain the plan of the day in simple, clear language.
Teaching Empathy
Want to teach our child about empathy? Have hopes for a world where people can respectfully discuss differences of opinion and care about people on the other side? That's a tall order but it can have simple beginnings.
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety of some ilk is almost universal. It can happen very young, or at preschool, and even in elementary school. For some children it is not a big issue; for others it can be cyclical and continue to return long after you thought it was over. Separating from parents is the first big step out into the world. It can be difficult, but it’s so important for your child to know you believe in them.
Feeling Great!
Do you want to know how to move to feel younger? Everyone has their own ideas. Walking, swimming, hitting the gym, and stretching like a cat are all great ways to move, but I suggest you take cues from your preschooler.
Home Dads!
Walk down any street in Stockholm, Sweden and you will see many parents pushing their preschoolers in strollers. As an American you may be surprised that dads are pushing most of those strollers. The Swedish economy can’t afford to leave out half the work force and gender equality is the law so parents take turns on maternity and paternity leave with their children.
America is not Sweden, but change is here.
Exploring Fine Arts with Preschoolers
When you think of art and preschoolers do you think of crafts and splashes of paint at an easel? Many people do and that is just fine, but you can expose your child to so much more. Preschoolers are the perfect age to go to an art museum. They often see more in a painting than adults! Preschoolers are drawn to color, movement, and mystery.
Lying - It's Complicated
Parents of 3 to 5 year olds often get concerned when their child lies. One more fun fact for preschool parents is that this is the age when children start this important mental development. Lying is truly a growth milestone so don't fear lying, just be aware that its happening and it is an important development.
Immunizations – We all want the same thing – Healthy Children
Preventable disease complications and deaths are adding up in the US, Europe, and other locations. Vaccines worked so well that we have all forgotten what it was like before we had them.
My parents were born in the 1920’s and hearing their stories of neighbors with polio, complications from measles or mumps, and deaths from whooping cough makes me so thankful that I have grown up and raised my family in the era of immunizations.
Soaring, Swirling, Skipping - The Joy of Movement
About a year ago I wrote a post called the Joy of Skipping and it is joyous. Just last week a preschooler told me, "Skipping is my favorite thing!" with a huge smile on her face. She reminded me how important it is to move with abandon.
Fears...It's the Little Things
Everyone has fears big and little. As adults we wisely shield children from adult worries, but sometimes we don't recognize a child's worries. Often it's the little things.
Winter Nature Walk
If you are lucky enough to live where you get snow in the winter, you know the joy children feel when they get to play, sled, build a snowman, and throw snowballs. There is also nothing like a Winter Nature Walk even if it's just at the local park or in your own back yard.
