by Kate Dust BS, MSEd.

Most children love bath-time. A warm bath is often a precursor to bedtime rituals—starting with the bath, leading to pjs and then a goodnight story.  Sometimes bath-time is in the morning on a lazy Saturday . . . but there is really no such thing as a lazy Saturday in busy households, so we will…

One of the joys of working with young children is that change happens constantly.  Learning is a part of the everyday and conversations with families are both interesting and enlightening.  At this very busy time of year adults become rushed and can feel pressure to be everything—to everyone. Often there are times it seems jobs…

Our classrooms are filled with young children shaking toys, moving blocks, squeezing play dough, stringing necklaces and organizing pegs  on pegboards. They are not watching television, poking at iPad or pushing computer keys. This is on purpose. Child development is our cornerstone at EduKids.  What we know about children’s interests and needs at each age…

Halloween is a “tricky” holiday for many reasons.  Schools, communities and neighborhoods have begun to organize safe Halloween events that are organized, held in one spot at a specific time and include many adults monitoring children and activities.  Our neighborhood elementary school has a “Trunk or Treat” evening.  Families gather in the parking area of…

Young children look for language.  They respond to sound even before they are born!  There are studies that conclude babies are attending to sounds, rhythms, language “lilts” of their culture and the sound of voices while they are in utero.  It is fascinating.  Annie M. Paul, author of Origins has a wonderful Ted Talk titled…

How did you survive the first week of the new program year, school year, soccer team or change to the schedules in the house?  This time of year is tricky.  No doubt about it. While visiting children throughout the EduKids Centers this week, it occurred to me – again – how absolutely marvelous childhood is. …

It is hard to believe that this is the final week of July!  Yet even though August is around the corner, I’d like to share some nice reminders for continued enjoyment of days filled with sunshine, splashing and fun; Take a break. If you are like my family it has been a season of full…

Summer presents its own pleasures and challenges when our family includes babies and toddlers.  There really is nothing cuter than a little one in a ruffle bathing suit splashing in the water, or a new walker trying to figure out how sand works under his feet.  But these beginning splashers and steppers need us more…

Did you know that Toddlers have a creed all their own?  Hard to believe that there is a Dogma, a Doctrine, a Credo just for these little ones – but it’s true.  And if you are the parent of a toddler, a teacher of toddlers or have had toddlers in your home and family, you…

  Young children are magical thinkers.  They are also very concrete thinkers.  While this seems to be in contradiction, in the world of 3 and 4 year olds it isn’t. Listening to a very gabby 3 year old recently I heard a story that was both very concrete and highly magical.  It also was a…