August and back to school comes with mixed feelings for school-age children and their families. The new school year is exciting but it can also cause some anxiety among both caregivers and children. Here are some ways that families can help smooth the transition and ease the anxiety, especially for children who are attending school for the first time.
Summer is finally upon us and children are enjoying the relaxed days and nights. But there’s always a worry about what has been coined “summer slide.” According to a recent study, children between the third and fifth grades lose 20% of their school-year gains in reading and 27% in math during summer break.
The good news is that there are fun, educational activities that can help prevent the slide. Here is a list of ideas that you and your family can incorporate into your lazy days of summer:
Spring is finally here! The weather is beginning to warm up, flowers are blooming and the little ones are playing outside more. Not only are children ready to feel the warmth of the sun on their skin and the breeze in their hair, but parents are also eager to get outside.
This is a great time of year for your family to create a bucket list of all the fun-filled crafts, recipes and outdoor adventures you want to do. Here’s some ideas to help you come up with your family’s spring-time bucket list.
Raising children involves more than ensuring their physical well-being, it’s also about supporting their emotional and social development. It is never too early to start teaching children about the building blocks of healthy relationships that include empathy, respect and communication.
Here are a few ways you can teach and model how to create and maintain meaningful relationships.
The holiday season can be a mixed bag of joy and stress, especially for parents trying to balance traditions, family dynamics and kids’ expectations. In fact, 9 out of 10 U.S. adults say the holidays give them some stress.
Here are some practical tips to help make the season more enjoyable and less overwhelming:
Read More about I’m Dreaming of a Calm Christmas: How to Reduce Holiday Stress »
The daily stressors that come along with raising children can feel overwhelming and can leave many adults who fill a parenting role in the lives of children feeling isolated. The surgeon general recently called parental stress in the United States “a significant public health issue.” One way to combat the tremendous pressure and uncertainty of being a parent is to form a network of support–people you can share experiences with, ask for help and give and get practical tips for overcoming parental challenges.
As a parent, grandparent, or caregiver reading to a child from their earliest days is one of easiest and best activities you can do. Children who are read one picture book every day are introduced to about 78,000 words per year.
Building Brain Activities 
Children learn and practice important executive function skills through games and playful activities. For babies and toddlers, play can start to build brain architecture and the foundation to lifelong learning and healthy development. Use the tools in the 4C for Children quality practices library to support the following skills:
Read More about Resources for Child Care Providers to Promote Lifelong Learning »