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Learning Care Group When my niece was six years old, she spent a week with me. Her favorite game was to write random letters in a line, push them in front of me, and ask, “What does this say, Aunt Shelle?” I would string the sounds together into a nonsense word that would send her […]

Learning Care Group I remember the day that I considered my son an official “reader.” He was in second grade and we were visiting Santa Claus at a local mall. There were banners detailing the history of Santa strung along the path on which we waited. I watched in utter amazement (and with a flash […]

“Grammy, the geese came back!” my four-year-old granddaughter exclaimed in a recent phone conversation. And while I am always delighted to talk with her, I was especially pleased to hear her story about seeing the geese this autumn. The story she told made it clear that her oral language abilities have reached a level that […]

I, like most parents, want my children to have all the tools they need to be successful in this world. And, what we know, is that literacy is so important in both academic and life pursuits. As a parent, and an early childhood educator, I know that we need to support children in becoming strong […]

School has started already here in Hawaii, but there’s no aloha in Aiden’s heart. Aiden is a new Kindergartener who started the year with enthusiasm, all ready for his “Big Boy Classroom.”  His first couple of weeks at school were a breeze – he loved his teachers, his classmates and activities.  But all of a […]

Battling back-to-school worries?  This time of year, parents have many questions – from how to transition from a laid back summer schedule to a busy school time routine, to concerns about discipline, behavior, and potty training.  Take a deep breath and take out your calendar.  Join a back-to-school live chat presented by Learning Care Group […]

Top Reasons You Should Encourage Your Child to Learn to Use Technology Positive uses of today’s technology can play a meaningful role in shaping your child’s future learning potential. Because a young child’s brain makes new connections each day, the experts at Discovery Kids Puterbugs share interesting information on why there is no better time […]

How did your school-ager enjoy his/her first day? Did he run out the door excitedly without even a glance back? Or couldn’t she stop talking about all the new friends at school? We want to hear your story! Drop us a note on our Facebook and Twitter pages to let us know about how your […]

What do children need to know as preschoolers to set them on the path toward high academic achievement? Do the children who know the most letters and letter sounds when they start kindergarten excel in reading later on, or are other kinds of early knowledge more important? Newly published findings from the first nationally representative […]

My son’s preschool teacher prevented a major meltdown the other day; it was a beautiful thing to watch. Two three-year-olds wanted the same toy truck. When she saw them angrily grab for it, she dropped to their level and gently touched their arms to get their attention. “Guys,” she calmly said, “looks like you both […]

How to Define — and Support — Literacy The foundational understanding of literacy is that the words we say can be broken down into sounds, which are represented by letters that we write. When other people read these letters, they come together to form words, which build sentences, which create wonderful worlds of stories and […]

This Fall, Childtime has begun a partnership with Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool channel featuring trusted favorites like “Sesame Street,” plus innovative originals such as “The Good Night Show.” At Sprout, we believe in inspiring parent-preschooler interaction and encourage families to “do it together!” We meet children in their worlds — so from breakfast to […]