Educational Tips

Storytime is almost as much fun for the grown-up reading as it is for the child listening! After all, you’re usually snuggled together, sharing some quiet time, enjoying an exciting story with imaginative illustrations and fun (sometimes new!) language. It’s such a shame when the tale comes to a close that we usually reach for another story, just to keep those good times going! The former teachers, child development experts, and parents at EI know just how you feel, so we put our heads together to come up with some together-time activities designed to extend story time by bringing your child’s favorite books to life. Help cement that lifelong love of reading that serves kids so well with an after-book activity like:Flipping a Fairy Tale—Together, imagine that the hero or heroine was really the bad guy and the villain was actually good. Talk through ways the story might have played out if roles were reversed!Alternate Endings—Did the story end the way your child thought it would? Were there other ways it might have ended? What would have made for a really sad ending? How about a really happy or funny one? Talk it through, together.Making Story Stones—Collect 6-8, smooth, fist-sized stones and heat them in your oven. Remove them, one at a time, place on a kitchen towel, and use wax crayons to draw a character or prop from the story (careful—they’ll be hot!). Then arrange and rearrange them to shake up the order of events and create your very own versions of the tale!Drawing, Painting, or Sculpting Your Favorite Characters—Using an age-appropriate medium like crayons, colored pencils, markers, watercolors, dough, Playfoam®, air-dry or bake-dry clay, recreate your favorite characters from the story. You can even go mixed medium and add button eyes, yarn hair, and fabric clothes.Updating the Cover Art—Challenge your child to design his or her own cover for the story by drawing or painting a favorite scene.Doing an Activity from the Story—Was there something in the story that you or your child would like to try? Why not give it a go? Read The Gingerbread Man, then bake some gingerbread cookies, together. Read The Ugly Duckling, then try ice skating at your local rink, gliding along the ice like beautiful swans.Trying Once Upon a Craft™—EI’s storybook-meets-craft-kit sets make it easy to bring your child’s favorite tales to life! Each set includes a beautifully-illustrated, fairy tale book to read together and all of the materials you need to complete two story-themed crafts! Complete the crafts and display your work or use them as props for your next telling of the tale.There are lots of creative ways to keep the story time vibe alive! Give one of these activities a try and let us know how it goes. Or, if you have a favorite way to bring your kids’ books to life, share it in the comments below!

Kids do some curious things—mostly because they're, well, curious! From following pets around the house to bashing pots and pans together, kids are exploring and discovering the worlds around them, and they're all drawn to different things. Read on to find out what your kiddo's specific curiosity might mean for his or her future and the unique career options that may await!

Kristen Kline, Associate Veterinarian

Is your kiddo curious about pets? Most kids love anything furry and four-legged, but if your little one's appreciation for pets goes beyond a passing interest, he or she might be inspired by the wonderful world of veterinary medicine!

Florida-based vet Kristen Kline admits to being a curious kid (she's still a curious adult!) and that curiosity serves her well at work. She's treated everything from a Bactrian camel and an elephant, to dogs and cats, and sometimes the diagnoses are not straightforward. In those cases, Kristen sets her curious mind in motion to research possible problems and solutions. Her everyday responsibilities include seeing appointments, reviewing medical records and lab results, and prescribing treatments and medications, but she's also had some spectacularly exciting moments in her career. She’ s even performed CPR to successfully revive a dog in complete cardiac arrest. Talk about job satisfaction!

Kimo Morris, Marine Biologist

Got a beach baby? He or she may be harboring an interest in marine biology, like Marine biologist Kimo Morris! Kimo spends many of his workdays scuba diving. From the frigid waters of Iceland to the tropical depths of Tahiti, Kimo has explored the oceans around the world! Part of his job is describing the amazing sights he sees to others and trying to understand why animals prefer certain habitats over others in the ocean.

Kimo is also an associate professor of biology at Santa Ana College and an environmental consultant, and says curiosity plays an important role in all of his work. He encourages his college students to ask good questions to help them grow and learn and finds that curious scientists are able to think more creatively. Kimo himself has been curious about the ocean ever since his first SCUBA outing with his father at the age of 14.

Nina Schau, Professional Facepainter

If your kiddo loves to color and draw, perhaps he or she is headed for a career in the arts! Artist Nina Schau still remembers what it felt like to layer and blend the colors of her set of 72 colored pencils as a child, and puts some of the same techniques to use as a professional facepainter.

Nina paints faces and bodies at special events and parties, designing custom creations for each of her subjects. She particularly enjoys painting children and adults with special needs, connecting with them, putting them at ease, and designing something special just for them. When she's not painting, Nina is busy marketing her services, networking with other artists, sending contracts and invoices, and stocking her traveling supply chest of paints. Curiosity keeps Nina creative and she enjoys dissecting the works of other painters to understand the layers, colors, and techniques they use. She advises kids who are interested in becoming face and body artists to study color theory as well as human and animal anatomy, and to do something artistic every day!

Steve Zuckerman, Mega Musician and More

If your little one loves banging and bashing pots and pans, don't despair! He or she could be headed for a career in music! After all, one of Steve Zuckerman's most memorable projects included dragging a superball (yes, those super-high bouncing balls from the '80s—many modern orchestrations actually call for the use of these surprisingly musical toys!) across a 15-foot sheet of metal for the crazy, experimental score he created for Disney's Black Hole trailer. Steve has composed music and songs for countless commercials, TV shows, and movies, including beloved Capital I and Lower Case N of Sesame Street fame.

Composing, orchestrating, writing, directing, producing, sound-designing, and commercial editing are just some of Steve Zuckerman's many musical responsibilities. Being naturally curious helps Steve keep one step ahead of emerging technology and tools, enabling him to offer his clients the very latest before it becomes mainstream. Steve advises kids to explore all of their interests, to be eclectic and curious, and to jump right in to what they love. And he's got secret weapon for competing against those who might just be a little bit better than you are—work harder than they do! It's the ultimate competitive edge.

Mary Jo Reutter, Game Inventor

If your kiddo can't stop asking questions, you may be looking at a future game inventor! Mary Jo Reutter, the inventor of dozens of best-selling adult and children's games, is constantly asking herself "what if?" As in, what if we changed the theme, the way the game plays, the size of the parts, etc. Mary Jo's constant questioning and curiosity leads to fine tuning that ultimately makes her games even better. Ask her what her favorite part about being a game inventor is and she’ ll tell you it's using her mind in creative ways all day long! Whether it's coming up with brand new game ideas, fixing a part of a game that's not working, or considering the graphics for a new game, she loves spending her days solving problems. Mary Jo recommends that kids who want to pursue a career as a game inventor study music, play sports, get artistic, and pursue anything and everything they're curious about!

Snowing? Pouring? Being stuck inside can be boring! Whether you’re a parent or a teacher, when winter weather keeps kids indoors all day, cabin fever can make you ALL a little crazy! Next time you’re trapped inside, give one of these fun, indoor kid activities a go—and find a cozy corner to sip your coffee in peace (well, in an ideal world)!

Take a Guess—“Gumball Guesses” are a great way to work on estimation—fill any container with gumballs or candy (you’ll need to know the final count), then use a scoop to remove a small portion and count them in front of your kids or class. Talk about the portion of the entire container that scoop might fill, then help your kids estimate how many scoops might fit into the entire container by multiplying estimated scoops by marbles per scoop. The winner gets a scoop of what’s inside (or the whole container, if you’d like!).

Join the Maker movement and make a marble racetrack—Join the Maker Movement! Provide construction paper, scissors, a stapler, and duct tape, then watch your kids go to town, designing and constructing their own marble track! Check out our previous Marble Run post for detailed instructions.

Bring the outdoors in—Create some wintery crafts using natural materials like pinecones, leaves, and branches. Glue a pompom head and construction paper wings and feet and turn a pinecone into a penguin. Add a tail and turn it into a mouse! Bundle twigs into a homemade frame. Twist them into a wreath and wrap it with colorful ribbon or pipe cleaners. The possibilities are endless—and creative!

Sparkle slime—Squish and squeeze your way to indoor fun with sparkle slime! Follow these instructions to make the slime ahead of time, sprinkle with glitter, then pass it out and watch the creativity ooze.

Craft a card—Revive the ancient art of correspondence with some homemade post cards! Stock your table with markers (our new Rainbow Prancers™ Markers add an extra fun touch!), crayons, colored pencils, glitter, glue, fabric scraps, ribbons, buttons, and any other creative materials you’ve got on hand. Provide stock paper cut into standard postcard size (4”x5”) and encourage your kids to write a message to a friend or family member before decorating the front of their cards. Then pop them in an envelope, hand cancel, and off go your handmade holiday wishes!

Get moving—Too bad the energy doesn’t disappear when the sun does! To help kids get the wiggles out, try a game of freeze dancing! Just turn on some (kid-friendly) tunes an get the kids moving. Then pause the music—the kids who are still moving are out! A game of hot potato is another great way to burn a bit of energy. Kids pass a real potato (but not hot, please!) round and round; the child holding the potato when the music stops must answer a question. (Example: “What’s 2+9?”) There’s no right or wrong with hot potato-kids take a crack at the question, you respond with praise or the correct answer, turn the music back on, and keep on passing that spud!

Sock basketball is another safe way to release some pent up energy, at home or in the classroom. Bring a box or laundry basket and several sets of rolled up socks (crumpled paper works, too). Divide into teams, set the timer, and see who can make the most baskets before time’s up!

We’ve got a few more tricks up our sleeve, especially designed to keep a smaller number of kids busy and engaged inside. Why not:

Try a string challenge—Tack or tape string around the living room or classroom at various heights and distances apart and challenge your children to snake their way through the course without touching a string! Time them for extra motivation, then let them redesign and mount the next course!

Go on an ice excavation—Frozen fun for everyone! Fill an ice tray or several small containers with objects (small toys, coins, buttons, rocks), cover with water and freeze. Provide each child with a frozen excavation site, in a bowl, and a kid-safe chipping tool like a butter knife and put your future paleontologists to work. Freeze edible objects for an extra incentive!

Take a guess—Introduce the concept of estimation with a game of Treasure Hunt. The Treasure Hunt requires a bit of prep on your part; first you’ll need to measure several objects around your house and make a list of your measurements, without identifying the objects you measured. Make some copies and set your kids loose, looking for household objects they think might meet your measurements, and measuring them. The first child or team to correctly note the objects matching your measurements wins!

Did you know that our brains are actually wired to release feel-good chemicals when we learn new things? Yep, we’re actually physiologically programmed to be rewarded for our curiosity. Obviously, curiosity is a critical piece of learning—it’s much easier to understand something you’re interested in, and research* indicates that being curious leads to a more positive academic experience and better results, both at school and at work. But the benefits of curiosity don’t end there! According to one study**, people who are curious exhibit more positive emotions, less anxiety, and are generally happier and more satisfied than their non-curious counterparts. Curiosity is also linked to stronger relationships and empathy. All good, right?So how can we encourage curiosity in children, at home and in the classroom? After all, we can only answer “why” so many times. Read on for 10 tips to encouraging curiosity (and take heart, none of them have to do with why the sky is blue!):

1. Ask open ended questions. “How was school?” “Fine.” We’ve all been down that frustrating path. But asking open ended questions like “What was that like?” when a child first jumps off of a diving board, or “How do you feel about…?” after reading a sad non-fiction passage in class leaves room for kids to formulate their own thoughts and perhaps even come up with more questions. Oh, and by the way, we also need to…

2. Teach kids how to ask questions. Formulating and articulating a confusing thought that needs answering is a skill unto itself.  Teachers and parents can aid kids’ natural curiosity by helping them learn how to assemble a question. Repeating what you think a child is asking in detailed question form helps reinforce this critical skill. But then we need to…

3. Make time for questions! Parents are busy and teacher’s days are jam-packed with mandated lessons and super-tight schedules. But making time for thoughtful discussions now and then provides an opportunity for kids to express their opinions, understand other perspectives, ask questions, and identify the need for more information in order to answer them—all cornerstones of curiosity. Teachers know that some of the best learning happens when their lessons get derailed by a particularly passionate discussion.

4. Work in groups. Group work in the classroom is a wonderful way to encourage curiosity. Provide enough context for kids to understand a topic, then assign each group a position and listen as they work through the ideas and challenges together, asking questions and formulating hypotheses.

5. Be a mirror. Before responding, deflect your child or student’s question back to her. “Why do YOU think porcupines have quills?” What do YOU think we could do to solve this problem?” These questions not only reinforce how to ask a question, but also encourage the child to get curious and prove that her opinion is valued.

6. Wonder aloud. To our students and children, we are adults who know everything. Curiosity, by nature, is wondering about things we don’t Show kids that YOU are curious, too, by sharing some of your own pursuits. “I’ve been reading about the pioneer days… I wondered what they ate during the winter when they couldn’t hunt.”

7. Follow their lead. Whenever possible, help kids pursue their own interests. If your class can’t stop talking about the ant infestation in the cafeteria, move your bug lesson up a month and dive in! Daughter doodling rainbows (with her Rainbow Prancer™ Markers) all the time? Research the weather conditions that cause the phenomenon online or hit the library for a book on rainbows.

8. Encourage open-ended thinking. So many of kids’ daily experiences are completely directed. From classroom learning to video games, kids are told what to do almost all the time. Providing open-ended play props like blocks, dolls, and puppets like our Puppet-on-a-Stick™ are a great way to encourage curiosity. Let the kids loose and watch them wonder what to do!

9. Stock the toolbox.Some tools are designed specifically for the curious. Providing kid-safe magnifying glasses, microscopes, telescopes, binoculars, chemistry kits, and other discovery tools gives kids the supplies they need to begin to discover and understand their worlds. Our GeoSafari® lines feature the perfect props to satisfy kids’ natural scientific curiosity.

10. Forget the mess. Speaking of satisfying one’s curiosity, that can sometimes be messy! Understanding why it’s hard to contain a handful of sand requires, yes, sand. Seeing what happens when you add water to a pile of dirt is downright filthy! Instead of discouraging messy exploration, contain it in a classroom center or backyard area and let kids go to town.

*http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/94/3/562/**http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327752jpa8203_05#.VlSOGHarTIV

The kids have been back in school for several weeks. The backpacks are full; new friends’ names are sprinkled in conversation; and (surprise!) lunch in the school cafeteria is a hit! The school year has been successfully launched, and now it’s time to check in with mission control in that annual fall ritual—parent-teacher conferences.Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled two to four times a year. Think of them as a kind of academic ‘check up.’ To help you make the most of the 15 to 20 minutes usually allotted, we’ve assembled some hints below and two handy downloadable tip sheets.CONFERENCE ETIQUETTE:Be professional.

• Schedule an appointment. Arrive on time or a few minutes early. Don’t overstay your time.
• Make childcare arrangements for younger children, if possible. They can be a distraction.
• Be positive and open-minded. You and the teacher are on the same team—your child’s.

BE PREPARED: Your child’s teacher will prepare for the conference and so should you.

• Review your child’s work in advance including class work, homework assignments, tests, projects or reports, and reading material.
• Ask your child about class work and routines, what happens at lunchtime, recess, or in special classes such as art and music. Use the downloadable My Learning Report to get the conversation started.
• Gather information from family members especially if they are unable to attend the conference.

ASK QUESTIONS: That’s what school is all about, right?

• Make a list of key questions that you want to cover with the teacher. Choose from our list to help you get the most from your appointment.  Download list
• Prioritize your concerns so that you’ll be sure to cover the most important ones before your conference time is up.
• Take notes!

FOLLOW UP: Express your appreciation and plan for the future.

• Agree on a specific action plan for any behavioral or academic issues.
• Determine how to best keep in touch with one another: e-mail, phone, in person, written notes.
• Confirm how frequently contact should take place: weekly, monthly, as needed.
• Offer your support. From volunteering in the classroom to prep work you can do at home, teachers really appreciate your involvement and help.

SHARE WITH YOUR CHILD:What did my teacher say?

• Talk to your child about the conference as soon as possible.  He or she will likely be curious.
• Describe the visit including observations, such as what you liked about the classroom, and what you learned.
• Explain any plans you and the teacher made to help your child with his or her class work or behavior. Solicit your child’s feedback and any suggestions he or she might have.

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING!Parent-teacher conferences are part of an on-going collaboration with your child’s teacher. Teachers are busy professionals, but most will welcome you as a partner in your child’s education and will appreciate your involvement.  Have a great school year! AUTHOR BIO: Marcia Gresko leads the Product Development team at EI. She was a teacher for 15 years and has written extensively for teachers. For the last 10 years, she has volunteered in a local literacy program, working with at-risk students.

If you’ve got school-aged children or follow educational news, you’ve probably heard about STEM. But what IS STEM, exactly? And why is it suddenly so important? Read on for answers to some of your most pressing STEM questions and ideas for simple STEM activities you can do at home with your kids this STEM-tember.What IS STEM?STEM is an American educational curriculum implemented in 2009 by President Obama, emphasizing Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering in public schools. Rather than teaching these subjects individually, STEM is a blended approach that integrates the subjects into single lessons in an attempt to teach real-world, scientific, problem solving and strategic thinking skills.Why is STEM important?America grew to be a global super power based, in part, on our superior science and engineering skills. The role STEM careers will play in our country’s continued success is growing exponentially. However, the number of students interested in and qualified to pursue these fields has diminished drastically over the years. By the year 2018, the U.S. will need 8.65 million workers trained in STEM fields*, but currently, according to the U.S. Department of Education, only 16% of American high school seniors are proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career. As a result, there is a push to increase the number of teachers trained in STEM instruction and to encourage students’ interest in pursuing STEM careers, in hopes of enabling America to continue to compete in the future global marketplace. This effort is so important to the U.S. government that the President’s 2015 Fiscal Year Budget Proposal included $170 million in new funding just to support the STEM initiative.What can I do to reinforce STEM learning at home?There are tons of fun ways you can support STEM learning at home, with FUN being the key word. Introducing the STEM subjects in playful, real-world ways increases the chance that your kids will want to continue to study them through school and beyond. Think scavenger hunt—not flash cards! Below are 10 ideas to get you started:

1. Block play—Building with blocks is a great way to introduce key STEM principles. How many bricks will you use? Why did the tower topple? How can you build a bridge? An arch?

2. Baking—Whipping up a sweet treat isn’t just together-time fun—it’s also an easy way to slip in a yummy lesson on measurement. How much is a tablespoon? A cup? What units do we use to measure liquids? Solids?

3. Kitchen chemistry—Kids love to measure, pour, mix, and add some more. Explore the basic principles of chemistry with a kit designed just for little ones, like the GeoSafari® Jr. Jungle Crew Lab Set including 10 hands-on activity cards.

4. Active math—Make math fun with movement! Take turns counting your steps or hula hoop spins and timing your races. Subtract to see who wins and by how much.

5. Nature collections—Take a walk and collect natural fall objects, like leaves, grass, nuts, and seeds. Discuss where they came from, why they look the way they do, and what purpose they serve. Google any unanswered questions when you get home.

6. Board games—Card games are a great way to hone strategic thinking skills. Koala Capers is a fun strategy game for younger kids; Crowded Waters develops problem solving skills and teaches older kids to think a few steps ahead.

 

7. Coding games—Introduce the basic concepts of coding with fun on-line games designed just for kids. Websites like Code.org feature games with familiar characters like Anna and Elsa and tutorials starring Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Angry Birds, and Plants vs. Zombies to lure in older kids.

8. Upcycled art—Engineering meets art! Provide a pile of recycled materials and let your kids go crazy building upcycled structures. Be sure to include a variety of materials, from egg cartons and empty milk containers to paper scraps.

9. Stargazing—An evening of stargazing is a wonderful way to introduce astronomy. Start simple, by locating the moon through an easy-to-use telescope like Nancy B’s Moonscope, then move on to constellations and planets. Click for 7 Simple Tips for a Night of Stellar Stargazing.

10. Marble Runs—Put your kids’ math, engineering, and scientific know-how to the test by building your own marble run! Follow our step-by-step instructions to learn how.

Welcome to EI’s ABC’s of Back to School, a blog series designed to help little ones – and their parents! – make the most of back to school time!Our A— “Are You Ready?”— is all about emotional readiness. Whether it’s your little one’s very first day of school or your older kids are transitioning from lazy summer days back to structured school days, change can be difficult, and can sometimes cause anxiety in children.In the hustle and bustle of back to school shopping, planning for packed lunches (check out our great ideas on Pinterest!), and sorting of school supplies, preparing emotionally for school sometimes gets lost, but it’s a crucial part of back-to-school prep. Try our five fun tips for getting your kids ready emotionally for school—guaranteed to gear everyone up for a great first day.

1. Get Some Shut Eye!Don’t underestimate the importance that being well-rested plays in emotional readiness. Starting two weeks before the first day of school, gradually roll back your child’s bedtime, remembering that most young children need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep nightly. As you roll back bedtime, also roll back the time you’re waking your kids in the morning until you reach your ideal school day wake up time. Turning off electronics several hours before bedtime and offering calming activities like arts and crafts – try some squishy, squashy, shaping fun with Playfoam® - makes the transition to bedtime easier.

2. Talk It Over! Starting a few weeks before school begins, talk up the fun things your child will be doing at school. From arts & crafts to story time, recess to new friends, there’s a lot to love about school! Try acting out a typical school day with your child – use one of our playful Puppet-on-a-Stick puppets as the teacher and you’re sure to get some smiles. For some kids, having information prior to a new event helps them process; for others, it stresses them out. Consider the amount of information your child is comfortable with and adjust the conversation accordingly. Some kids will take comfort in understanding the exact flow of the day – others might do better with the highlights.

3. Take a Walk – If your child’s school offers an orientation, go. A clear picture of the campus and classroom goes a long way to calm first day jitters, as does meeting the teacher and soon-to-be-friends. If there’s no orientation, take a stroll through the school together a few days before school starts. Locate the classroom, bathrooms, and drinking fountains and check out the playground. Discuss how your child will get to school in the morning and how he or she will get home in the afternoon. Answer any and all questions your child has.

4. Make the Mornings Meaningful! Starting a few days before school, begin practicing your morning routine, from waking up to actually getting out the door. Leave enough time to make the mornings calm and relaxed, not a stressful scramble. Preparing as much as possible the night before is a big help – have your kids help you get backpacks loaded, lunches made, water bottles filled, and clothing selected. Make sure your child has a nutritious breakfast before getting dressed, brushing teeth and hair, and gathering her things.

5. Goodbye Routine! It’s easy to get caught up chatting with other parents, but a solid, focused, goodbye routine is the foundation of a great day at any age. Come up with something special for your child and stay consistent – plant a kiss in his palm to hold all day long, see you later alligator/after a while crocodile, a kiss and a hug and squeeze you like a bug… Whatever you choose, do it with conviction, make eye contact, and tell your child you love them and that you know they’re going to have a great day.

A scavenger hunt is a great way to add some structure to outdoor exploration – and kids love it! Make a list of natural springtime finds, arm your child with a magnifying glass, binoculars and a marker (they love to check things off as they find them!), and get out there! Be sure to include natural items that are easy to spot in your neighborhood, as well as a few more challenging finds. Below is a list of kid’s scavenger hunt ideas to get you started:1. Bird feathers2. Bird nests (No need to disturb it! Just spot it and check it off!)3. Grass seedlings or other new growth4. New leaves5. Flower blooms6. Moss7. Caterpillars8. Cocoons9. Butterflies10. Baby animals (ducklings, squirrels, gophers…)Encourage creative observation and discovery by adding open-ended prompts to your list, such as:

• Something golden (or any other color)
• Something huge
• Something tiny
• Something new
• Something old
• Something in nature that starts with the letter A, B, C, etc.

You can even bring some finds home for magnified observation under a microscope – just be sure you aren’t disturbing anything living. Talk about your discoveries, using scientific vocabulary, or take it one step further by writing about what you’ve found. And don’t forget to take the same route next season and compare and contrast!At EI, we believe in sharing, and we bet you do, too, so please don’t forget to share this post with your friends!