29 May Encouraging investigation and discovery at home
Check out the video below for easy ways to incorporate science, math, investigation and discovery at home. ...
EFC Parent Blog
29 Apr Getting out in the garden
Spring is a time for observing and enjoying the budding life around us. Gardening is a wonderful way for children to learn new skills, develop an appreciation for the environment and even expand their food horizons. Check out the video and the links below for...
31 Mar Week of the Young Child
April 12-18 is the Week of the Young Child. (Though as parents, it likely feels that every week is the week of your child(ren)! :)) In celebration of our youngest learners, NAEYC has compiled some great activities for families. Below is a sample: Eight tips for...
24 Feb Building resilience in children, continued
In our Especially for Parents article this month, we discussed the importance of building resilience in children. Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, M.D., M.S. Ed, is a pediatrician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He...
26 Jan What is reflective listening?
Learn more about reflective listening and its benefits for parent/child communication in the video below: ...
23 Dec Helping children acquire skills in phonological awareness
Learn more about phonological awareness and how to promote it in your child by watching the video below. Check out these resources for more information: Phonological and Phonemic Awareness: Introduction, Reading Rockets Phonological Awareness Activities, Free Reading...
25 Nov Children: They’re not “just playing”
We hope that being part of the EFC family has already given you an awareness of and appreciation for the importance of play in children's development. Below is an inspiring video on the topic of play. In addition, the Washington Post published an article earlier...
28 Oct Fostering Children’s Friendships
Below are some of the ways teachers at EFC help foster friendships among children. The ways we communicate can help children learn cooperation, empathy and other crucial social skills. ...
28 Aug What is School Readiness?
With September being "Back to School" month, we thought it would be a great time to revisit some of the resources on our website about school readiness. You can find Minnesota's Kindergarten Entry Developmental Checklist here. It covers the following developmental areas:Personal and Social DevelopmentLanguage...
29 Jul Let’s Move!!
Here are some great activities to get children of all ages moving (Courtesy of Deb Lund, Occupational Therapist from the Hopkins School District). Push and Pull Activities Push Toys (toy shopping carts, baby strollers, trucks)Push a cart or box (filled with toys or books) across the...
24 Jun The National Toy Hall of Fame
The toy aisles of your nearest box store offer hundreds of options for your child's entertainment and learning. But since 1998, only 53 toys have made it into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Many of the toys are simple in construction (e.g. ball, blanket,...
29 May Intentional Parenting
At our company-wide in-service training last Friday we had a session on Intentional Teaching. As I listened to Sharon Bergen present, I thought about the many...
29 Apr Gardening with Children
"Gardening with children is like most sensory experiences with three and four year-olds. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and the more children you add to the scenario, the more instruction goes out the window and you just hope something is getting through. The amazing...
31 Mar A Good Time to Get Off Track
Guest post by Angie Williams With the weather finally warming up, my daughter and I have had the chance to get out for a few walks around the neighborhood. On our first walk of the season, she spent much of the time meandering up people’s...
27 Feb Open-ended Questions
It is important that adults use effective questioning techniques when speaking with children. Asking numerous questions is not always a useful technique. Instead, ask fewer questions that require more thought on the child’s part. Give the child time to process the question and listen to...