How do people make it through life without a sister? -- Sara Corpening Whiteford

When a new baby joins the family, it can be challenging. At Curious World, we face the toughest challenges with markers in one hand and stickers in the other (the…

Stories abound in today's media about young children in unsafe or scary predicaments. As a parent, I could easily let fear seep in and control what I let my kids do—or not do. Can they swim in the ocean without a lifejacket or play in a yard…

Turning screen time into off-screen learning is easy! Just "translate" the games that your children enjoy into real-life fun (and learning!). Zoe and August are a great example in the video below. (We've also used giant building blocks to play…

Over the past several years, social media, education blogs, and state education policies have been increasingly discussing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) topics. Today, even preschool and kindergarten teachers are…

The STEAM movement has taken root in our culture over the past several years. You may be aware of the acronym, but wonder what it means. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math—all essential skill…

Celebrate National Siblings Day on April 10 by reading picture books with your child that focus on the special bond between siblings. Siblings Day is a fun, unofficial holiday that recognizes the importance and shared experiences of brothers and…

The temperature outside is getting warmer, and along with April showers, spring weather creates the perfect opportunity to go outside and play — even if it is raining. It’s especially fun to jump over muddy puddles or make mud pies right after it…

We all want to provide our children with the best possible environments and opportunities to learn and succeed. In recent years, there has been a debate about learning in the classroom versus the great outdoors. Children are curious and they love to…

We all want our children to succeed at reading and to grow up with a love of literature, and one of the best ways to encourage this is through early exposure to books.

Most parents know that it’s important to read to our children daily, even…

It's amazing the way babies come into the world as natural communicators. After their first cry, they exhibit an increasing variety of gestures and sounds; quickly becoming expert communicators, successfully letting us know their needs and desires…

How many times have you heard that it's time to spring into reading? Your child, however, still hasn't taken a confident step toward literacy. Well, this is a season of new beginnings, and maybe the timing will be right to press the reset button for…

My own love of reading was cultivated in an era with fewer distractions than today. At that time, all of our play was physical and concrete—we played with hands-on toys and games, we rode bicycles and played outside (which held opportunities for all…

Believe it or not, in just a few days it will be spring! Now is a great time to spring into action and ask your little ones to help you clean out the house. Spring cleaning and toy purging are wonderful opportunities to help teach children sorting…

Reading aloud to children is one of the most important activities parents can do to help little ones develop essential skills in reading, math, and more.

In fact, you can use story time to expand your child’s learning by using an engaging book as…

In their first year of life, while kittens are catching mice and foals are galloping about, human babies are carefully studying and mimicking their parents. Unlike other mammals, children need adult help for nearly everything. Over time, they come…

Big, at, can, does, go, see: these are just a few of what are commonly referred to as sight words. Sight words are those foundational words that appear frequently wherever you see words in print. Children should recognize sight words without…

If your preschooler will head off to kindergarten this fall, you're probably starting to prepare for the transition. From school registration, to planning the change in family routine, there's a lot for parents to consider.

One topic that parents…

Want to know what I love about President's Day? It's a day that reflects on our country's history and some of our most prominent founding fathers. Young children may not know much about presidential history yet, but it doesn't mean that it's not a…

February is officially the shortest month of the year with only 28 days, but it’s packed full of holidays! From Groundhog's Day to Valentine's Day, Black History Month to Presidents' Day, this tiny month is big on celebrations. February is…

The month of February is best known for Valentine's Day, a holiday often linked to romantic love. But for young children, this time of year presents a wonderful opportunity to discuss and celebrate the importance of friendship as well as showing…

Once, when my son was 5 years old, we were out for a Sunday drive. I had the radio on and he was sitting in the back seat. I can’t remember what song started playing on the radio, but my son's sweet voice cracked as he said, "Mommy, could you please…

If snow is heading your way this week, take advantage of a great opportunity to keep kids busy outdoors by trying a few easy science experiments. From tracking animal prints to making maple sugar candy, all of these activities can be done in the…

We love snowy days! Is there anything more magical than waking up to a white, winter wonderland, or watching snow fall gently outside from the cozy warmth of your home? For kids, snow means snowball fights, sledding and, perhaps, an unexpected day…

The multiculturalism represented by children in today's classrooms presents a wonderful opportunity for teachers and parents to spark conversations about diversity. Children begin to notice gender and physical differences in each other when they are…

I love classic games like Go Fish and Telephone. As a child, my sister, cousins, and I would sit on the beach in the summertime and play them until dark. My favorite game was called I Packed My Suitcase. We would come up with crazy things to…

The winter can be a tough time to stay healthy and active. Besides all the yummy comfort foods, being stuck inside on frigid days can lead to little or no daily physical activity. During the school week, it can be worse, as many kids often don't get…

Even a distracted viewer of the evening news will notice that recommendations on kids' healthy eating and diet tend to change frequently. Eggs are bad. No! Eggs are good! Don't feed peanuts until age three. No! Introduce them in the first year! If…

Have you ever been to a party where it seems that every parent you talk to lives in an alternate universe? They say their child goes to bed straight away, on a predictable schedule, followed by 12 uninterrupted hours of sleep! First, they are most…

All of us, it seems, are zinging along these days at a million miles an hour. In many families, parents and kids sprint to keep up with what might be described as hyper-scheduled, overly connected, and perpetually rushed lives. When do we have time…

Where did the time go? The gifts have been given, the presents unwrapped, and the holiday meal eaten. It's hard to believe the holidays are over and a new year will soon begin.

Even though schools are closed for winter break, you can still keep…

The holidays are a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about your family's cultural traditions, as well as those of your friends and neighbors. If you're looking for a fun learning activity to teach your children more about the reasons for…

We all remember great stories from our childhood or our parents' childhood. Remember the time your dad made a mess in the kitchen? How about how our grandparents came to this country, or when everyone came to watch you in the school play?

These…

Cooking is always a great learning opportunity for young children. Helping in the kitchen gives kids hands-on experience with food preparation and provides a wonderful family bonding experience. The holidays, in particular, put a lot of emphasis on…

Involve little ones with sending your family's holiday greeting cards this year by completing this fun weekend challenge. Kids love being included in holiday preparations and excitement, and while some tasks might be too big for them, making and…

The holiday season means family get-togethers and travel to relatives' houses. Whether by train, car, or plane, travel time can be stressful with young children. Navigating the busy airport or anticipating a long road trip with "bored" kids often…

It's that time of year again! The kids are off from school, relatives are coming to visit, and your to-do list is getting longer and longer. It's easy to feel the stress building along with the holiday excitement, and it can be very tiring. Our…

There's an old saying that goes "little pitchers have big ears," which means that we should be careful what we say around young children since they're always listening. However, sometimes it can feel like they aren't listening at all, or even…

Holidays are a wonderful time to share family traditions or invent new ones, especially in the kitchen. My kids get very upset if I make a change to a traditional recipe or forget to cook something, so I need to make sure to include the whole family…

One topic that often comes up this time of year is teaching gratitude. Many parents approach me with questions about how to help them instill feelings of gratitude and thankfulness in their young children. My mother always made us write thank you…

Now that the holiday season is upon us, it's a terrific opportunity to teach our kids the importance of giving. In my family, we played a version of Secret Santa by putting our extended family members' names in a hat. Then, we would each draw a name…

My mother's kitchen was the center of much learning during my childhood. There, she taught me how to read the alphabet, follow a recipe, set a table, and more. However, one of the most important lessons was printed on a small pink magnet attached to…

Getting along with others and learning how to collaborate are important life skills, and it's never too early to learn. We all want our children to be happy, and are hopeful they will make friends and be included during playtime. As both an educator…

Oh, the playground . . . just the word conjures up images of lovely green spaces, children laughing, parents chatting, and everyone getting along peacefully. Sometimes, however, it can feel more like a war zone.

The playground is a wonderful…

We don't immediately think of math when we hum a favorite tune or get up and dance to a favorite pop song, but amazingly, there are mathematical concepts in all of it. Don’t tell the kids though! As an educator, I loved playing music in the…

Making friends and keeping them are important skills for healthy childhood development, but how do we help our children build these skills? One great way is by reading books together. From funny stories about finding and building relationships, to…