This September, be sure to pick up a book, visit a library, and explore places you could only see in literature’s grandeur. September is National Literacy month, which promotes awareness and interest in improving the overall literacy of a community. This can have a pleasing ripple effect through every individual life, their children, and their families. Multiple efforts to impede illiteracy have been made since the first National Literacy Month, but even after all these…
Fall will be here before we know it, and there are lots of new children’s books to be excited about! Here are some of the most highly anticipated children’s books releasing in fall 2024. 1. Good Night Thoughts by Max Greenfield. From actor Max Greenfield, the author of I Don’t Want to Read This Book and its two companion titles, comes a sweetly funny bedtime book about anxiety and being present. What do we do…
Every year brings us a plethora of incredible new books for kids, and 2023 was no exception. Here are some wonderful books for kids from the past year you shouldn’t hesitate to check out. 1. Big by Vashti Harrison. A young girl transcends opinions of her to hold space for herself and own the person she is both inside and out. Powerful, full-page illustrations and striking use of color push the limits of the picture…
Before a child can learn to read, they need to have a good, well-rounded understanding of basic words and what they mean, and while that may sound a bit overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. There are very easy ways that you can build a preschooler’s vocabulary and introduce early reading concepts. In fact, you probably do some of these vocabulary tips already without even noticing it. From reading aloud to your preschooler to simply…
We’ve all heard about the benefits of learning to read quietly and independently. A big part of learning at school is all about reading, but it’s not always easy to find time for more reading at home. Families have busy schedules filled with after-school activities and homework. Plus — let’s be honest — with all the tech at kids’ fingertips and school days already filled with required reading, it can be hard convincing kids that…
In the wake of the pandemic, which shined a spotlight on the essential nature of early childhood education and care, universal kindergarten is poised to become a reality in California. Championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and several lawmakers, the $2.7 billion universal kindergarten program will be gradually phased in over the next five years, until it includes all the state’s 4-year-olds by the 2025-26 school year. Currently, transitional kindergarten, or TK, serves about 100,000 children,…
2020 was — to borrow a phrase from a popular kid’s book — a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year. That means having to discuss a lot of tough subjects with our kids, and for parents, one of the year’s hardest jobs was trying to explain the state of the world in a way children can understand. “We are living in challenging times,” says children’s book author Matt de la Peña — and kids are…
In the wake of COVID-19 and remote learning, some families are considering having their children repeat grades. This was true for Lauren Phillips, 37, of Los Angeles. After months of schooling through a screen, her 6-year-old daughter, Lola, would finally get the real kindergarten experience. As it turned out, in-person kindergarten wasn’t much different from remote learning. Lola sat in a room with her classmates while her teacher, who was home for medical reasons, taught…
For many families, reading is a pleasurable activity when kids are young, but then as kids get older, they start to hate reading. Parents are more aware than ever that strong reading skills are fundamental to academic success. Teachers also feel pressure to make sure students are reading on or above grade level, often with their evaluations and salaries hanging in the balance. On top of it all, kids may be quick to claim they…
Whether you’re a Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, or muggle still hoping your Hogwarts letter will arrive by owl, it is undeniable that Harry Potter has had a lasting impact throughout the world. Quidditch is no longer just a game of fantasy. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is more than a textbook to pick up in Diagon Alley. Hogwarts is no longer a place you can only dream of visiting. Let’s take a look…
