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Planning a family picnic is the perfect activity for fun summer learning. With all the outside games and food, it’s easy to see why your kids will never know you have a secret curriculum up your sleeve! Here are 15 great tips to make your summer picnics full of learning – AND lots of fun: […]

Summer is a great time to slow down, enjoy the weather, and have some relaxed family time with the kids. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to create fun learning experiences outside together, but if you don’t make plans now, those precious few weeks will slip by, and soon you’ll be prepping for back-to-school. Here are […]

I listen to the hushed murmurs of my youngest daughter, Jemma. Her small hands move her toy people as they “talk” to each other. The long hallway is a busy cardboard city. Currently, her attention is on the children in the school area. They’re busy rehearsing a play and festively attired in costumes of tape, […]

Is your child ready for Kindergarten? Here’s a quick list of 10 Kindergarten readiness skills and fun tips on how you can boost your child’s learning with the technology you use every day. 1. Hone Fine Motor Skills by Using a Computer Mouse – Using the mouse helps build little muscles in your child’s fingers […]

Is your child ready to start Kindergarten this fall? As a parent, I know it’s difficult to imagine your little one sitting in a “big kid” classroom in just a few months. Believe me, though, you’ll be amazed at the growth your child will experience before then. Here are my ideas for helping your almost-big-kid […]

Our goal is to help children cultivate a deeper understanding of how every person has the power to help. During this month of the Great Sprout Tuck-In Season of Giving, focus a little extra energy around the idea of gestures of giving. Throughout the month, talk with your children about a time you did something […]

We all want our children to love reading, to be good readers, and to build a strong literacy foundation for school. You don’t have to be a teacher or a specialist to positively influence your child’s reading success. But here’s what teachers do with their children that every parent can implement. Here are nine teacher […]

By the time the New Year rolls around, the stress of holiday shopping, gift wrapping, cooking and partaking in all of the festivities has worn most families out! Then it’s back to the just-as-busy everyday routines, and it seems there isn’t a chance to fully recuperate. Sometimes even the little things, like pulling out crafts […]

I’ve got another secret to share: Working on baby’s table manners is a stealthy way to boost learning. I don’t mean fancy-shmancy teacup-holding table manners. Instead, your goal is to have baby spend as much time as possible at the family table, participating in mealtime action. Forks, spoons, and cups are tools to help keep baby […]

Games for Toddlers Toddlers start to learn the alphabet by exposure. Seeing, hearing and playing with letters is the best way to start learning the alphabet.  1. Letter Sort –  Get out your alphabet letters (foam, magnetic, any kind). Sort by colors, shapes (curvy or straight), letters in the child’s name, or by any criteria […]

If your little Sproutlet is a fan of The Sunny Side Up Show then you probably recognize Chica. She is serious about staying healthy and having fun at the same time, which is how she came up with her very own healthy checklist. All you have to do is print it off and watch your […]

Learning is best when it’s fun, meaningful – and incognito! With a little help from technology, you can cleverly disguise important school readiness skills to help prepare your child this year. Here are some helpful tech tips to give your young child a jump start on five important early literacy skills they’ll need for school. […]