The Benefits of Outdoor Play in Child Development
As an adult, it can be challenging to cut back on screen time and sometimes it can be much more of a challenge to encourage your children to take a step back as well. They live in a world where digital games, TV, phones and iPads are more accessible than they’ve ever been before. However, while screen time does have some benefits, research shows that finding a healthy balance between physical and outdoor play and screen time can help improve physical and mental health. Furthermore, research confirms that physical play can partially reverse negative effects on the brain associated with exc...
5 Ways to Help Children Adjust to Daylight Saving Time
As we approach the end of Daylight Saving Time, many families may be bracing for a shift in their children’s sleep routines. Although gaining an extra hour sounds appealing, it often takes time for children to fully adjust, and that adjustment period can sometimes lead to upset children and disrupted sleep schedules. Here are five helpful tips to ease the transition and ensure smoother mornings and restful nights for your children. 1. Begin the Shift Gradually A few days before Daylight Saving Time ends, you can start moving bedtime and wake-up time by small increments. Adjusting the sc...
Supporting Healthy Screen Habits for Children
In today’s digital world, screens are everywhere. From smartphones and tablets to TVs and computers, children are exposed to technology daily, often for long periods of time. While devices can offer educational benefits and entertainment, it is also important to understand how too much screen time can affect your child’s development and what you can do as a parent to support healthy habits. Research shows that too much screen time can have a significant impact on a child’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Language Development - According to a study published b...
Halloween Safety Tips for Families
Halloween is an exciting time of year for children and families. As the big night approaches, it’s important to ensure that fun is paired with safety. Here are some practical safety tips to keep your Halloween celebrations enjoyable and worry-free. Careful Costume Considerations Think Visibility: Visibility is one of the biggest safety concerns for trick-or-treaters, especially after dark. Help children be seen by adding reflective tape to their costumes and treat bags. Glow sticks and flashlights with fresh batteries are also great ways to ensure that your child stands out in the dark...
Fun Fall Activities
Fall brings with it the perfect opportunity for families to spend time together enjoying the beauty of the season. From pumpkin patches to cozy crafts, there are countless ways to celebrate fall with your children. Here are some fun activities and safety tips to help your family make the most of this special time of year. 1. Pumpkin Patch Adventures Visiting a pumpkin patch is a classic fall tradition, and it offers the chance to enjoy the outdoors while selecting the perfect pumpkin. Many local pumpkin patches offer family-friendly activities like hayrides, corn mazes, and petting zoos, ...
7 Way to Create a Calm and Consistent Nighttime Routine for Children
Establishing a reliable nighttime routine is key to helping young children transition smoothly from a busy day to a restful night. A consistent routine promotes better sleep and provides children with a sense of security and predictability, which is essential for their emotional and physical well-being. At Stepping Stone School, we understand how important sleep is for a child’s growth and learning, and we want to share tips to help parents create soothing and effective bedtime routines. 1. Set a Regular Bedtime Young children thrive on consistency. Choose a bedtime that works for your ...
Understanding and Addressing Biting in Young Children
Biting is a common concern for many families with young children. While it can be distressing, especially when it happens unexpectedly, biting is a typical developmental behavior often seen in infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds. Children usually outgrow this behavior as they mature, develop self-control, and learn better ways to express their needs and emotions. However, it's important for families to understand why children bite and how to respond in a way that encourages healthy behavior. Why Do Young Children Bite? Children may bite for various reasons, and understanding the cause is...
Discover the Value of All-Inclusive Tuition at Stepping Stone School
At Stepping Stone School, we believe every family and child is unique and deserving of individualized care and attention. From the moment you walk through our doors, our priority is to understand what matters most to you and your child. We don’t see you as just another family—we see you as a vital part of our community. Every interaction begins with listening to your needs, your child's development, and your hopes for their future. Our deep commitment to building meaningful relationships ensures you and your child feel valued, supported, and truly cared for every step of the way. Our...
Easy Morning Routine Tips
Mornings with little ones can be a whirlwind, but establishing a smooth routine can set a positive tone for the entire day. With a bit of planning and consistency, mornings can be a positive experience for all. Here are some tips and tricks for Stepping Stone School families to help make mornings easier for the whole family! 1. Start the Night Before Preparation is key to stress-free mornings! Take some time in the evening to do these tasks: Lay out clothes: Let your child help pick out their outfit for the next day. This gives them a sense of control and cuts down on morning decisio...
Essential Skills Parents Can Help Children Develop in the Early Years
The first five years of a child's life are filled with rapid growth and learning, and it’s during this crucial time that children lay the foundation for their future success. At Stepping Stone School, we recognize the importance of equipping children with a blend of academic, social, emotional, and physical skills that are essential for success in elementary school and beyond. While our nurturing environment and Future Strong™ approach provides a solid foundation at school, parents play an invaluable role in extending this learning at home. Here are key skills parents can help their chi...
The Importance of Strong Grandparent/Grandchild Relationships
The bonds between grandparents and grandchildren have real, significant effects on each other’s psychological well-being long into grandchildren’s adulthood. Now, more than ever fostering these types of family relationships is vital to a child’s development. In addition, it gives your child the opportunity to learn valuable lessons and stories from older generations that can continue to be passed down before they are forgotten. In honor of Grandparent’s Day on September 8th, here are five ways to foster that relationship between your child and their grandparents: 1.) Suggest g...
Prioritizing Health and Nutrition Early
If you are a parent to a young child, odds are you have already begun to prioritize health and nutrition into your child’s daily routine. With a heightened awareness of the lifelong impact of early dietary habits, it is important for toddlers to receive balanced and nutritious meals. Why is nutrition so important? Good nutrition is important for all of us, however it is especially important for children in their early years. Young children have very specific energy and nutrient requirements supporting their growth and development. Making sure your child has balanced meals daily can someti...
The Joy and Benefits of Singing with Your Child
At Stepping Stone School, we believe simple moments of connection can have a profound impact on a child's development. One simple activity that embodies this is singing with your child. Not only does it create beautiful memories, but it also offers a variety of developmental benefits. The Power of Music Singing with your child isn't just a delightful way to spend time together, it's a powerful tool that supports their development in several key areas: Language Development: When you sing to your child, you're exposing them to new vocabulary, sentence structures, and rhythms of speec...
Focusing on Parental Well-Being & Care
As a parent we all put our child’s needs first, however, self-care is not a luxury, it is a necessity! Taking the time to take care of yourself mentally, physically and emotionally can help you be a more present parent, role model and person. Self-care is any action you can do to improve your overall health and well-being. It can include activities, such as eating well, getting adequate sleep, exercising and taking care of your hygiene. You may be wondering what the benefits of self-care are and how you are going to fit this into your already busy schedule as a parent. The benefits of ...
Ways to Raise Eco Conscious Children
Living a more sustainable lifestyle is a goal that many of us have for the overall health of our planet and the future of our families. The best way to take care of the environment and to uphold a sustainable lifestyle is to raise the next generation to prioritize mother nature. Like many aspects of parenting, creating healthy habits involves repetition and teaching our children the values and reasons behind why we do things. We can explain why composting keeps material out of landfills and the importance of recycling. We also have the power to build empathy within children by explaining th...
The Importance of Water Safety Instruction
With summer just around the corner, the allure of pools and water activities is undeniable. As we prepare for a season filled with fun, it's essential to prioritize the safety of our children around water. Water safety instruction might seem like just another item on your schedule, but they are incredibly important for your child's safety and development. Let's explore why enrolling your children in a water safety instruction program this summer is a wonderful decision. Why Water Safety Instruction Matters Safety First: Water safety is a critical skill for children, especially presc...
Planning a Trip? How to Include Your Child and Develop Literacy Skills at the same time!
Spring break is almost here, and whether you're embarking on a family trip or staying local, it's a great opportunity to involve your child in planning while also boosting their literacy skills. Here are some tips and resources to make trip planning an exciting and educational experience for your family. Create a Schedule Together: Sit down with your child and create a schedule for your trip. Use a visual table with time indicators, words, and pictures to help them understand the plan. Let them choose activities they're excited about and anticipate what comes next during your advent...
🚀 Welcome to Destination Exploration: Your Summer Adventure Awaits! 🌟
Are you ready to embark on an unforgettable journey filled with excitement, discovery, and fun? Look no further than Destination Exploration at The Brainery™! Our summer camp program is designed to ignite the spirit of exploration within your child while fostering critical thinking, creativity, and a love for learning. Here's what you can expect from our action-packed program: 🔍 Exploration Themes: Each week, your child will dive into a new and fascinating theme inspired by legendary explorers. From delving into the depths of the ocean with Jacques Cousteau to soaring through the...
Fostering a Healthy Relationship with Food for Your Child
Raising happy, healthy and thriving children is a primary goal for parents. Helping your child develop a healthy relationship with food at an early age will provide the foundation for healthy nutrition later in life. Food is not only a vital element for our survival, it is also at the very heart of our lives and plays an important role in our social gatherings, whether at home, at a favorite restaurant, or the lunchroom. At Stepping Stone School we believe in cultivating healthy eating habits with every meal. Our meals are healthy and wholesome, and made from scratch. Our produce is locall...
The Value of Constructive Play & How to Encourage it at Home
As a parent, it is easy to overlook the value of everyday toys, such as blocks, Legos® and Tinker Toys®. However, the daily utilization of these toys are proven to be a vital benefit to a child’s development. These toys fall under the category of constructive play. Through constructive play, children learn about materials and objects and how to use them to create, build, order and manipulate. By age four, constructive play is the most common form of play. Constructive play is also a big part of our S.T.R.E.A.M. curriculum at Stepping Stone School has been suggested that children who eng...
Fostering a Playful Environment at Home
Play is an important part of childhood, helping children learn and grow. Often, when parents think of play, their minds are automatically drawn to the idea of providing children with more toys. However, cultivating a playful environment in your home is equally important, if not more than the objects your child plays with. For example, laughter is a universal language bringing people together. For children, it may just be moments of joy, but in the bigger picture it is a vital element for healthy development. Embracing silliness and engaging in playful humor can foster your child’s emotion...
Outdoor Classrooms
As parents of young children attending Stepping Stone School, you're likely aware of the importance of outdoor play in your child's early education. But do you know just how impactful it can be? Let's explore the numerous advantages that outdoor play brings to your child's learning and development. It Invites Children to Learn Science - Nature is a perfect classroom for young explorers. You don't need formal science lessons; outdoor play naturally encourages your child's curiosity. Children are born discoverers, and their questions can become group inquiry projects. Outdoor play natur...
How to Prepare for Beginning Early Care & Education
We understand how changing routines, new encounters, and meeting new people can be challenging for both parent and child. Stepping Stone School wants to make the experience as comfortable as possible for you and your family. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of suggestions to help you and your family feel prepared for this important and exciting transition. What can I do to prepare my family for childcare and get my child excited about his/her new school? Before Your First Day: Become Familiar with the School. Get to know the environment and your child’s teacher before the f...
Fun Spring Activities to do With Children
Spring is in the air and with the warmer weather brings bright colors and new blooms which can be exciting for children. Activities with children in the spring are a way to celebrate the changing weather and nurture an appreciation for the season when everything comes to life. Many of these activities are easy to put together with materials you may already have on hand. These are also great activities to do over spring break as well. Here are some fun and engaging Spring activities for children: 1.) Make a Magic Potion. Spring feels like a magical time with plants and animals coming t...
Your Guide to Exploring the Great Outdoors with Your Child
As the weather warms and Summer approaches, most parents are planning fun outdoor activities with their children. For a child, everything is new and even the tiniest things are interesting and exciting. In today’s technology-driven world, exploring the great outdoors is an opportunity for children to actively engage in learning. Children are natural explorers. They like to run, jump, dig, climb as they discover new places and use their senses to explore. As with any outdoor exploration, it is important to set some basic boundaries so that children can discover their surroundings in a s...
Three Ways to Improve Your Child's Sleep
For many families, sleep issues are present for parents and children alike. Many adults experience problems with getting a good night’s rest due to everyday stress factors, such as balancing work and family life, along with all the stressors of everyday life. Research shows many younger school-age children have issues getting quality sleep. In the past two years, bedtimes and wake times have drifted 30 to 60 minutes later for some families. If your children are having trouble catching those Z’s, here are some ideas that might help: 1.) Enact New Bedtime Rituals. Current research s...
Easter Baskets to Make with Your Child!
These easy to make baskets are the perfect activity to welcome spring! Tissue Box Basket Materials: construction paper, glue, scissors, stapler, empty cube tissue boxes or other small boxes, ribbon, and markers or crayons Preparation: based on the age of the children Directions: 1. Cut top or flaps off boxes 2. Decorate using paper, glue, markers, and ribbon. 3. Cut a handle and attach Paint Stamped Basket Materials: construction paper, scissors, stapler, paper bags, paints, and cookie cutters or other shapes...
Two’s Day Activities for Tuesday 2/22/22!
Here are some fun ideas on how to celebrate 2/22/22 with your child! 1.Enjoy some skip counting fun! 2.Create a mini book all about the number. 3.Go on a two scavenger hunt looking for the number two. 4.See how many different exercises your children can do in 2 mins. 5.Learn how to count in 2's. 6.Create the number 2 using Playdough Number Mats. 7.Create a number 2 poster to decorate. 8.Go on a scavenger hunt through magazines for the number 2 represented in different ways. 9.Create a number line using chalk and have your children place a rock on each of the numbers that feature ...
6 Ways to Beat Boredom on a Family Road Trip!
The holiday season is here! And that means hitting the road and traveling for many families. Although road trips can be a great time to bond with your children, traveling together for long hours can be quite boring, especially if there aren’t a variety of activities to keep your children distracted. Here are some activities to keep your children engaged while on the road: 1.) Travel Journals. Have your children be on the lookout for fun roadside treasures that they can sketch in their journals. Your child can also write about their experiences while on the road trip. 2.) Play a R...
Fun Ways to Teach Children About Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a special holiday that signifies gratitude and compassion for others, community, sharing and spending time with those you love. Children, especially at a younger age may have a different perspective of Thanksgiving. They may see it as the beginning of their school holiday vacations, or stuffed turkey and whipped cream-topped pumpkin pie. While those elements are what make a thanksgiving fun and enjoyable for children, it is important to take the time to teach them about the values and true meaning of Thanksgiving. Here are some fun ways to teach your children about Thanks...
Stargazing: A Fun Family Activity!
Spending time outdoors can be both fun and educational for families. In fact, the Draconid Meteor Shower, runs through October 10th. As we venture into the final months of the year, celestial events are set to grace our night skies, painting them with breathtaking displays. According to the Farmer's Almanac, we can anticipate a shower every one or two weeks from now until the end of December. Among the meteor showers on our celestial calendar, the Orionids will take center stage, dazzling us before dawn on October 21. Then, as we transition into mid-November, the skies will come alive...
The Benefits of Aromatherapy for Children
Aromatherapy has been around for centuries. There is vast scientific evidence that aromatic plant and flower extracts have many therapeutic benefits for mental health, not just for adults, but for children too. For many of us, Covid-19 restrictions are coming to an end, but for children, especially those that are not old enough to be eligible for vaccines, pandemic stresses still might be in the forefront of their minds. Much has been made about supporting children’s mental health and many experts agree that implementing aromatherapy to a child’s routine can have many positive effect...
Night Time Fun!
Nighttime games can liven things up—and maybe boost mental health. For most children the dark is a scary place. When the lights go out, imaginations run wild and our visual and auditory senses become more active. Since the connections between the Amygdala and Frontal Cortex, which are associated with regulating emotion, develop through early childhood and teen years, over time children are better able to manage their responses to more intimidating situations. Engaging in activities that are mildly risky, or scary can be especially helpful in a child’s chaotic life, as well as mentally p...
Peace of Mind for Parents - Make Mealtimes Learning Opportunities!
Mealtimes are great opportunities for children to have conversations, use their manners, and even practice math. Here are some ways to keep the fun and learning going at your next family meal. Set the table. Together you and your child can count the number of forks you need, note where each piece of silverware goes, and point out that there is one place setting for each person. This allows children use and practice an important math skill: one–to–one correspondence. Try new foods. Children learn to be more independent and open-minded when they choose to try a new f...
How to Achieve Successful Transitions from Home to School!
Stepping Stone School is uniquely qualified and committed to help support warm and positive transitions at all levels. The teachers and campus administrators at Stepping Stone School are specially chosen for their Kindness, Helpfulness and Empathy. They are educated from day one to provide a seamless transition between home and school for our children AND parents. We know that All parents want their children to be loved, cared for and to be treated with kindness and acceptance. We do all we can to ensure your children experience this daily! Stepping Stone School professionals treat ea...
Raising Responsible Digital Citizens
The Internet is a wonderful place for learning and entertainment, but like the world around us, it can pose dangers if precautions are not taken. Allowing free access puts your child, your computer and your personal data at risk. Remain positively engaged: Pay attention to and know the online environments your children use. Surf the Internet with them. Appreciate your children’s participation in their online communities and show interest in their friends. Try to react constructively when they encounter inappropriate material. Make it a teachable moment. Support their good c...
34 Random Acts of Kindness to Try Today!
In honor of World Kindness Day on November 13th, we are sharing several ideas that you can safely try with your family - many can be done from home or within your neighborhood! It’s important to have compassion for yourself, too! Make time for one act of self-care each day, like going on a walk or eating a healthy, homemade meal. Help a loved one with something they’ve been struggling to complete, like homework or a big work project. Give a hug to someone in your immediate family or in your household. Write a note to someone you care about containing the top 10 reasons you...
Peace of Mind for Parents - Fun, Easy Ways to Play with Math at Home
Sing songs and chant! Many songs, chants, and verses have patterns. Learning a song’s pattern helps children remember the song. Patterns repeat in a predictable way that helps children know what comes next. Songs and chants, like “Five Green and Speckled Frogs,” “Five Little Monkeys,” “Hokey Pokey,” and “Ten Little Fingers,” teach number order—children count up or down from a number. They also teach spatial words, like on, in, out, and around. Read picture books. Visit your local library and check out great picture books about counting, numbers, p...
Peace of Mind for Parents - Going Beyond the Playground: Math, Science, and Outdoor Fun
Going outside for a walk or to a local park to play are great ways to help your children learn! In addition to spending time at the playground, take time to explore: do you see trees to count, neighbors to greet, or street signs to read? Here are some ideas for playful learning that will help you make the most of your family’s time outdoors. Street sign scavenger hunt While walking through the neighborhood, invite your child to look at and identify signs, like Stop and No Parking. Talk about them. This helps children understand that written words and symbols have many important p...
Peace of Mind for Parents - Four Fun Ways to Learn Everyday Information
Recipes to Road Maps: Four Fun Ways to Learn from Everyday Information Information is all around us. Learning how to find, critically read, and create information are important skills that you can start helping your child build today. In fact, you’re probably already doing it! Are you reading about places to visit with your child or writing family recipes together? Then you’re showing your child the value of informational texts. From a picture book about how rainbows appear in the sky to an in-depth website on car repair, informational texts help us follow our interests and solve ...
Peace of Mind for Parents - 25 Simple Ways to Encourage Children
Simple Ways To Encourage Children When you’re used to recognizing children with traditional praises, using encouraging phrases can be a little awkward. Since saying ‘good job’ is a favorite praise among parents and caregivers, here is a list of alternative phrases you can use instead of saying ‘good job.' Instead of saying ‘good job’ when children do well on tests/exams, you can say: You worked really hard to understand the material. Your hard work and effort paid off. Look at that! You spent a lot of time studying and your test score shows it. Wow! You got ‘...
Stepping Stone School Provides Safe Full-time School Age Virtual Learning Pods This Fall
We are ready and eager to assist our school age children begin the fall semester virtual learning in a safe and clean learning environment. Since March, 2020, we have continued to successfully provide healthy and safe full-time School Age Programming to assist our families and children who are unable to attend elementary school in person. We have retrofitted our school age classrooms to accommodate full-time At Home elementary school (public & private) fall curricula. We are providing safe, highly sanitized individualized learning environments for...
Peace of Mind for Parents - Fun Ways to Build Your Child’s Literacy Skills While Doing Laundry Together
Turn laundry time into learning time! Whether you're washing clothes at home or at the laundromat, there are plenty of things to talk about with your child. These rich conversations help to build your child's language and literacy development. Try the following activities the next time you are doing a load of laundry. Hunt for numbers and letters: Play a game with your child to find numbers or letters of the alphabet on signs, laundry products, clothes, and washing machines. Count: Laundry time provides plenty of opportunities to count with your child. Your child can count the num...
Progressive Learning Plans and Learning Pods at Stepping Stone School
As ISD's and private schools are approaching the gradual opening of school, we would like to confirm the continuation of our verified and progressive learning plans and LEARNING PODS for all children in our educational care. With the official beginning of school, we are continuing school age online learning in order to meet the needs of our students and families. Learning pods have been in full effect in our classrooms since the beginning of the pandemic. Children have been separated throughout this time while we continue to enhance education through social-emotional learning with ou...
Peace of Mind for Parents - Spark Creative Thinking with Open-Ended Questions
It’s easy to fall into a routine of asking your child simple questions. Many yes, no, or other one-word response questions are necessary—but to help your child learn and develop, open-ended questions are better. Questions that ask children to share their ideas and feelings are much more engaging. They encourage curiosity, inspire creativity, develop language skills, and build vocabulary. Here are some prompts to help you build open-ended questions into your routine. Questions for Science and Math Exploration Tell me about your ___________. What would happen if you _________...
The Necessity of Beauty
Four-year-old, Jamie stood motionless in front of a flower. Moving closer, I noticed a small white butterfly perched on the petal of a purple flower. Jamie reverently whispered, “See the dot on its wings, it has the same on both!” Going on he said, “It’s so quiet. I like it.” Throughout the rest of the day, Jamie talked about the butterfly. He thought about which flowers it may like best, where it may fly to next, he even wondered if he stood really still whether or not it may think him a flower. Jamie paused in the presence of a beautiful insect perched on a beautiful...
Ten Tips for Working at Home with Your Children
Many parents and their children are immersed in a new reality, working at home together because of the Coronavirus. While veteran teleworkers may have the perfect setup, they never planned on including family members in their work, much less children. Families can learn how to work and play together all day, every day. Below are some tips to create a new work at home plan that works best for you and your children. Understand from the start, things may not go as smoothly as you had hoped, but we’re all providing for the common good by staying safe and healthy. Try to replicate ...
Helpful Tips for Practicing Patience with Children
Every parent loses their patience, it’s a fact of life. We all get angry and frustrated and lose it from time to time, but patience is vital because it is a part of creating a deep and meaningful connection with our children. There are real benefits to becoming a more patient parent. A study from 2014 out of the Washington University School of Medicine found that children with more supportive, nurturing and patient parents experienced more brain growth. These children were also less likely to be depressed and better able to cope with stress and adversity. They were better learners and ...
How Gardening Benefits Children
While many families are at home together this Spring, this is the perfect time to start a garden or revamp one you may already have. Children are curious, like to learn by doing and love to play in the dirt. Working in a garden, a child can experience the satisfaction that comes from caring for something over time, while observing the cycle of life first hand. Gardening gives children a chance to learn an important life skill, one that is often overlooked in standard school curriculums. Gardening is also a great way to teach environmental awareness by exploring the workings of nature. ...
Five Ways to Develop Empathy in your Children
The definition of empathy is the ability to identify with or understand the perspective of another and share their emotional state. Empathy involves putting yourself in the place of another. It is dependent upon a person’s ability to feel their own feelings and be able to identify them. Dr. Michele Borba, the author of the book, Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World, believes our world to be in an empathy crisis. She found that today’s teens are 40% less empathetic than they were 30 years ago. Lack of empathy can hurt your child’s academic perfor...
Help Your Child Think Before Acting
Executive Functions are the ability to “stop and think,” regulate emotional responses and focus attention. These functions are strengthened as the brain (specifically the frontal cortex) develops. Executive Functions have three major components: Self Control – the ability to resist doing something tempting in order to do the right thing. It also helps children pay attention, act less impulsively and stay focused on work. Working Memory – the ability to keep information in mind where it can be used to make connections between ideas, to make mental calculations and to p...
Make a "Coupon Book" of Helpful Gifts !
Use this activity as an opportunity to talk about the many ways we each give and receive and a way to encourage your children to develop “an attitude of gratitude.” Materials Several sheets of paper or index cards Kid-safe scissors Markers or crayons Stapler Pictures from magazines Instructions 1.) Start by cutting or tearing pieces of paper in half to make blank coupons. 2.) Ask your child to come up with ideas for ways he can help the family. Here are some suggestions: Play quietly so a parent can have some peaceful time Give a hug, Sort socks in th...
New Year's Resolutions
The dawn of a new year is traditionally that time to celebrate new beginnings and for many of us, the new year means that it is time to take stock of our lives and set resolutions, that positively promote our growth. Not only do adults benefit from New Year’s resolutions, but children can benefit from them as well. Making resolutions with your child can be fun and exciting while teaching them the value of self-discipline and the value of making goals. This is also an opportunity for family bonding. Here are some simple and efficient ways to teach your children about making New Year...
Finding a Balance with Technology
Technology has improved our lives in many ways and in this day and age, plays a vital role in our day-to-day activities. When it comes to children, especially, the right amount of exposure to tech can spark an interest in STEM subjects and can also enhance critical thinking and analysis into how the world works. It is important to view the use of technology as an engaging shared experience, rather than a passive activity. Our desire is to support families as they determine how to balance healthy technology usage in their homes while enabling their children to learn through the benefits tech...
Mr. Rogers and His Spirit of Compassion
Over Thanksgiving weekend, I joined the crowd of moviegoers to watch A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood starring Tom Hanks. Hanks plays the role of the beloved children’s show host Mr. Rogers. Throughout the movie, each person who interacts with Mr. Rogers’ character is changed for the better because of his compassionate and caring attitude which radiates in all his interactions. Prompted by the movie, I continued to read about Fred Rogers long after the movie credits had run. In life, Rogers demonstrated compassion to children and adults of differing abilities - each life touched...
Learning Gratitude with Thanksgiving Activities
Thanksgiving is the time of year when we express gratitude and give thanks for the blessings in our lives. Gratitude is a fundamental component of both our overall happiness and our relationships with loved ones. Expressing gratitude is just as important for children as it is for adults. While gratitude can be a difficult trait for children to grasp, children learn best by doing. Here are some activities that your child can participate in during this Thanksgiving holiday: Thankful Tree. This is a wonderful craft that can be used throughout the month of November for the whole family ...
How to Teach Perseverance
My oldest son scraped at the interior of the giant pumpkin he was preparing this past month. “This is hard!” he exclaimed. I smiled, “You’re sticking with it though, that means you’re developing perseverance!” After some time, he came to me, hands covered in pumpkin, “I’m finished!” He beamed as he carried his pumpkin onto our front porch. There are many opportunities throughout the day for children to persevere. It is in the struggle and challenges of life that perseverance develops. At Stepping Stone School, we recognize the value of perseverance and ...
Cooperation Counts!
In eager anticipation, children recently began a new school year. I heard child wonderings about new friends and old friends, new classrooms and new teachers, and what they will learn. At the beginning of the year, it is the goal of teachers to take the group of individuals assigned to their classroom and form a cohesive group of learners. Through cooperation, children learn aspects which make this transition into a group of learners possible. By focusing on aspects of cooperation like sharing, taking turns, and working together, the teachers at Stepping Stone School are prepared ...
Cultivating Creativity
It is a common assumption among many parents that creativity is a talent their children are born with and either do or do not have. While it is true that a creative talent does not come equally to everyone, evidence suggests that creativity is more skill than inborn talent and it is a skill that parents can help their child develop. Creativity plays an important role in health and happiness and is not limited to artistic and musical expression. Furthermore, it is essential for math, science and emotional intelligence. Here are some ways you can encourage creativity in your child: Pr...
Helping Young Children Understand Fairness
A teacher invited the children to sit down for circle time. Holding up a box of band-aids, she asked the children to pretend with her as they began a discussion on fairness. Turning to the closest child in the circle, she asked him to show her where he had a pretend boo-boo. He pointed to his hand. The teacher placed a band-aid on the child’s hand and continued to the next child. “And where is your boo-boo?” the teacher asked. “On my elbow,” the next child said. The teacher placed a band-aid on the child’s hand and went to the next child asking the same question...
Creating Child Initiated Learning Opportunities at Home
Nurturing self-directed learning is a combination of allowing for free and loosely-guided play and activities. Cultivating curiosity and independence in your child are the first steps to helping them become self-directed learners. Self-directed learners know how to use resources to find answers to questions or to learn to solve problems. At Stepping Stone School, child-led learning is an integral part of our curriculum in early childhood education. However, you can use these methods in your everyday home environment. Here are some ways you can implement self-directed learning at home: ...
Summer Activities that Promote Learning
Summer is here and it is the time of year when parents take on the challenge of keeping their children actively and mentally engaged. With Summer Brain Drain being a very real occurrence, it is important to choose activities that not only encourage learning but also utilize skills that your child already has. Here are some ideas to keep your child’s mind stimulated throughout the Summer months. Embrace his/her interests: If your child is enthusiastic about a certain activity, hobby or subject, make sure that you give them the opportunity to explore their passions. These interests cou...
How to Instill Responsibility and Independence in Your Child
Over the last several weeks, I have been working with my children to instill a sense of responsibility and independence in preparation for the birth of their baby sister. We have focused on establishing morning routines to help us get out the door each day. This morning, my three-year-old came to get me, “Come and see, come and see!” Not sure what to expect, I walked somewhat hurriedly to the door of her bedroom. “Look!” she stated pointing to her bed. I saw her wrinkled blanket draped over her bed. “I made my bed all by myself!” I smiled giving her a huge hug...
Supporting the Understanding and Development of Ownership
Fred Rogers, the host of Mister Rogers Neighborhood, testified before the Senate in 1969 discussing the need for the continued support of public broadcasting. Towards the end of his testimony, Rogers quotes the words to his song, What Do You Do with the Mad that You Feel? His statements before the Senate describing the need for educational and developmentally appropriate programming in which children can learn that feelings are mentionable and manageable earned Public Broadcasting $20,000,000 in funds for continued work. The last stanza of Rogers’ song describes the ability to control...
Teaching Your Child Health and Wellness Habits
As a parent, you instinctively want your children to grow up leading happy and healthy lives, while developing good habits. Not only are good eating habits important for a child to learn, but, establishing health and wellness habits that nurture the mind, body and spirit as a whole are significant as well. Teaching your child a healthy routine when he is young can prove to be beneficial for his mental development and encourage a positive relationship with his health. Here are some of our favorite healthy habits: Eliminating junk food. Feeding your child a balanced and nutritious diet h...
3 Important Ways to Communicate with Your Infant
For a new parent, it can be frustrating not knowing what your infant’s wants and needs are. What does a loud screeching cry mean? Does it mean that he is hungry or hurt? What about a soft cry? Aside from the crying, what do her body signals mean, such as arching her back, rubbing her ears, or moving her arms around? These are all questions that go through a parent’s mind on a daily basis when they are caring for their infant. Infants communicate well before they are able to speak and are born with the ability to express many different, and rather important, emotions. Here are some gen...
Teaching Children to be Trustworthy
This month, Stepping Stone School will focus on the character development trait of trustworthiness. A trustworthy person is honest, follows the rules, keeps a promise, is not unkind, and does not take things that do not belong to him. Developing an attitude of trust, being trustworthy, and building trust with one another takes time, but through responsive caregiving, children learn in a manner which supports the development of trust. According to developmental psychologist Erik Erikson, children begin learning trust in infancy. Erikson developed a theory of psychosocial developme...
The Benefits of Gardening with your Child
With spring right around the corner, most families look for opportunities to experience the outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather with their children. The list of possible outdoor activities that are fun for you and your child is endless, but one that has proven to be beneficial to a child’s development and growth is gardening. Children are naturally curious. They like to learn by engaging in activity and they love to play in the dirt. For a child, working in a garden can grant him the satisfaction of caring for something over time, while exploring the workings of nature. Whether you are ...
Infants and Toddlers and Math, Oh My!
The idea of very young children participating in mathematical thinking may seem strange to some, however, researchers have observed infants at six months of age demonstrating matching skills, sorting and classifying, and recognizing amounts of more and less. These basic math skills exhibit as children work to understand the world around them. Between the ages of one and two, children develop number sense and are able to pick out one or two objects when asked. They develop a sense of shape and space, as they sort objects, stack blocks, and complete simple puzzles. By the middle of th...
Family Traditions
The winter holiday season is often accompanied by specific activities we participate in each year like visiting family, giving gifts, feasting, lighting candles, and celebrating. These traditions often go back generations in one form or another. Research demonstrates that family traditions are valuable for building strong family relationships and developing a sense of belonging between family members. When children are invited to participate in family traditions by talking about the reasons behind these special activities, the traditions become more meaningful often providing a se...
Living a Compassionate Life
The holiday season often causes us to think of others. What is it that a loved one needs physically or emotionally during this time of year? We ask ourselves questions like, “What can I do to make another person feel the joy of the season?” Compassion involves not only recognizing the needs of others but also following through in action to meet those needs. Over this month, the children at Stepping Stone School will have opportunities to think of others as they learn about this important character trait. They will create gifts and cards for families and friends. Teachers ...
Welcoming a New Sibling
After almost nine months of preparation, most parents feel prepared to welcome a new child into the family. But when the new child is a second or third child, how do parents prepare the soon to be older siblings? Various doctors and child psychologists have made several of the following suggestions: Make them friends before birth. Help your older child get acquainted with the new baby before birth by showing sonogram pictures of how the baby is growing. Let your child pat your belly, feel the new baby kick, and talk to the baby. Tell your older child stories about when you were ...
Developing Perseverance
Beyond intelligence and raw talent, the ability to push through challenges and continue reaching towards a goal is the best indicator of the future success of children. Persistence, as described here, is a character trait which can be taught and learned. (Crawford, 2016) At Stepping Stone School, we recognize the value of perseverance and encourage growth in this area daily.OurPlatinum Learning for Life™curriculum is specially designed to provide developmentally appropriate activities for children of all ages. Each child is provided the support and care she needs to become confiden...
Developing Integrity at Every Age
Each month, Stepping Stone School classroom teachers focus on specific activities to teach character development in an age-appropriate manner through our custom-created Kindness and Empathy™curriculum which is part of our Platinum Learning for Life™curriculum. Our focus for the month of October is the character trait of integrity. Integrity means following through with what you say you will do, doing what is expected of you no matter who is watching, and demonstrating consistency in both your words and actions. Experts have suggested the following to teach integrity to child...
Cooking with Children
Have you ever had Thunder Cake? It was my first successful from-scratch cake and I made it with a classroom full of four and five-year-olds. I was still fairly new to the world of Early Childhood Education and my principal challenged me to incorporate some cooking into my classroom highlighting the many benefits. Initially terrified at the thought of cooking with young children, I had brought in a prepackaged mix so the children just had to add water, stir, and bake - not a very engaging or tasty experience. Several weeks later, a colleague introduced me to the book Thunder Cake b...
How to Help Your Child Learn to Cooperate
I recently came across a cooperative board game in which three or four players work together to complete a task to win the game before they run out of time. Interested, I tried the game out with my own children and here is what I found: While playing a cooperative game versus a traditional “single winner” game There was less arguing and whining between children, More laughing and encouragement of one another, and A quicker recovery time when the group lost the game. Working together, cooperating, provides an opportunity to come together for a common goal. Whether pl...
Creating Routines: Promoting Love and Learning
From those earliest days after a child is born, parents begin employing new routines to meet the needs of an infant and keep up with the daily obligations of home and work. As children grow and develop, family routines change. Research demonstrates when children follow a daily routine they may be healthier, better behaved, and could even perform better at school. (Education.com, 2018) Rules and routines create order and structure to the day. Knowing what to expect allows predictability, builds independence, and promotes emotional regulation. When creating routines, the CDC recommen...
Preparing for Beginning Early Care & Education
We’re excited you’ve chosen to enroll your child sat Stepping Stone School. We understand how changing routines, new encounters, and meeting new people can be challenging for both parent and child, and we want to make the experience as comfortable as possible for you and your family. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of suggestions to help you and your family feel prepared for this important and exciting transition. What can I do to help my child get excited about his/her new school? Talk positively with children about going to preschool. Discuss what it means, what ...
Best Childcare in Austin
EDIT: Update July 2024- Stepping Stone School has now won Austin's Best in Childcare for a 26th year! What does it take to be voted “The Best Childcare in Austin” for 26 years? It takes a dedicated, loving, family owned business, that truly cares about the families and children it serves. It takes over 40 years of experience and research into the best early childhood practices, and it takes compassion, nurturance, and commitment to the community we serve! Stepping Stone School has been voted Best in Childcare by Austin Family Magazine once again this year, making it 24 years we h...
10 Safety Tips for Independence Day
My memories of Independence Day celebrations are filled with cookouts, visits from friends and family members, and staying up late to watch the fireworks displays. My siblings and I would spend most of the day chasing each other around in the backyard and then join with our neighbors in the front yard to share in a cookout. It was always an exciting time Now with my own children in tow, the celebrations and fireworks take on a slightly different kind of excitement: keeping my children safe throughout the crowded parade routes, cookouts, and firework spectaculars. I have compiled s...
The Value of Drawing
Starting with Scribbles Handing a child a crayon for the first time is a game of chance often ending with the removal of crayon wax from his mouth. However, once he is taught to use crayons with paper rather than as a teething toy, he soon notices the cause and effect relationship between his hand movements and the colorful marks on a paper. The realization causes exhilaration: “I have control.” Scribbles progress becoming more purposeful as he develops motor control. Around three and a half, children begin to connect the two ends of a line to form enclosed shapes. At this sta...
Explore Your Creative Genius this Summer!
Summer at Stepping Stone School During Stepping Stone School’s Summer Break Camp at The Brainery™, students will investigate their own unique Creative Genius while exploring the various art forms that inspire us. Each two-week session learning plan will focus on a different type of artistic expression, along with a leader in that art form. Campers will discover the potential opportunities open to them to become the creative geniuses of the future. Our camp offers six specialty camps in one place. All of our bi-weekly lesson plans are based on our unique Platinum Learning for Life™ cu...
Kindergarten Readiness at Stepping Stone School
This month, many of the children whom we have watched grow from infancy will be donning their cap and gown as they walk across the stage to receive their prekindergarten diploma. Our end of the year programs celebrate the accomplishments of our advanced prekindergarten classes over the past school year. It is always a bittersweet moment: a mixture of the overwhelming sense of accomplishment and the uncertainty which comes when starting the next chapter in one’s life. Engaging with our Platinum Learning for Life™ Curriculum, these children have come to identify many letters a...
5 Ways to Help Children Take Ownership of Their Behavior
My four-year-old is obsessed with connect-the-dot puzzles. Revealing the hidden shape after connecting each letter or number in sequential order brings him a special thrill In life, helping children “connect the dots” or recognize the link between actions and results enable children to see the relationship between their choices and the consequences of their behavior. This month, Stepping Stone School teachers will discuss the Kindness and Empathy™goal for the month: Ownership. Children will participate in discussions, learning activities, and read children’s literature demo...
Earth Day Activities for Children
Earth Day is April 22th and Stepping Stone School is celebrating the roots of Earth day as well as sharing an appreciation for learning through hands on exploration and investigation! The idea for a national day to focus on the environment was Gaylord Nelson’s idea. On April 22,1970, 20 million Americans came together for a healthy, sustainable environment. In 1990 Earth Day went worldwide, uniting 200 million people in 141 countries bringing the importance of protecting the Earth and our environment to a global audience. After Earth Day 1990, a huge increase in recycling efforts ...
5 Ways to Teach and Encourage Respect
In preparation for this month’s Kindness and Empathy™ focus, I asked my four-year-old about Respect. He pondered for several moments and then provided an exasperated reply, “I don’t know; what is it?” I found myself challenged to come up with the words to describe this character trait and fell back on examples of when we have seen respect displayed through the actions of others. Respect is one character trait you may easily recognize when you see it and just as easily identify when it is absent. Partnering with you to encourage this valuable character trait, our Steppi...
Developmentally Appropriate Chores for Children
Spring is in the air! Which also means spring cleaning is just around the corner. This year, consider including your children in this annual home ritual. Through age-appropriate tasks, children acquire important social skills as they continue to learn what it means to be a part of a family. Children learn responsibility, how to care for materials and pets at home, and how to work cooperatively with family members to get things accomplished. The 2015 Texas prekindergarten guidelines suggest that right around the time a child turns four, he or she begins to recognize personal role...
The Five Best Coding Toys that Won’t Break the Bank!
At Stepping Stone School, we are excited to unite technology and learning as we teach introductory skills in our early childhood classrooms by focusing on Coding Foundations. Coding foundations include higher order thinking skills associated with the coding process, including tasks like analyzing, predicting, planning, patterning, sequencing, sorting, organizing, and evaluating. Before introducing children to the technology tools used for coding, we practice the concepts of higher order thinking skills through screen-free, hands-on activities basic to the coding process. These a...
Seven Ways to Encourage Healthy Eating Habits with Your Children
Stepping Stone School is your partner in raising healthy, happy and confident children. To that end, we serve balanced and nutritional meals and snacks and offer the following suggestions for encouraging healthy eating in children. Keep healthy food on hand. Keep snacks like fruits, veggies and low-fat cheese in a special place that children can access easily. It’s OK to have an occasional treat, but if you buy smaller packages of “junk food,” it’s easier to keep these snacks to a minimum. Make healthy foods fun. When offering something new try to mix it up and be crea...
Kindness Matters
February 17th is National Random Acts of Kindness Day, to celebrate, Stepping Stone School is teaching children about kindness through daily interactions by focusing on acting friendly, giving generously, and being considerate of others. Acting Friendly Exchanging Pleasantries Encouraging children to smile or wave is a small act of kindness in which even our youngest children can participate. As they get older, teaching children to use polite phrases like, “Nice to meet you” and “Have a nice day” provides kind and friendly interactions in everyday situations. Inv...
Toilet Training Toddlers
It is that joyous yet challenging time in the life of a child, the moment parents trade in their child’s diapers for the coveted “big kid underpants.” Most children begin toilet training between 2 and 3 years of age, but each child will reach this developmental milestone in his or her own time. The following provides tried and true toilet training strategies from our own Stepping Stone School toddler teachers as well as expert advice from pediatricians. Remember as you enter this stage, it is important to let your child’s classroom teacher know your intentions. Talk about t...
Higher Order Processing Skills to Improve Resilience
When you look closely at the Stepping Stone School learning plans, you will see a set of parentheses under each activity in which teachers communicate the purpose of each activity. We call these descriptive words our “Purpose Notations.” As a teacher, I often used the purpose notation “self-regulation” interchangeably with “self-control.” Not really understanding the differences. Recently, I read an article describing the differences written by Professor Emeritus and author, Stuart Shanker, “self-regulation is what makes self-control possible, or, in many cases, unnece...
The Importance of Classic Literature
Research demonstrates that the single activity with the greatest impact on a child’s reading readiness is being read to on a regular basis. Each day, the children at Stepping Stone School listen to read-alouds, observe environmental print, delve into the classroom library, interact with our classic children’s literature collection and explore other books and printed material. These activities benefit children of all ages and support numerous pre-reading skills. Daily Reading As Stepping Stone School, teachers read to the children in their classrooms and employ a number of st...
Self-Regulation Tips for Toddlers
At Stepping Stone School, we strive to support our families through the many ups and downs of early childhood. The toddler years are a pivotal time in the life of a child. No longer infants, toddlers are transitioning, developing communication skills, and gaining independence. This developmental stage is both exciting and challenging as we share in the joy of discovery, but also the frustration of toddler tantrums. Fortunately, experts provide several ideas to reduce the number of tantrums: Give Positive Attention. In a toddler’s mind, attention is attention, whether it is p...
The Benefits of Quality After School Care
Many parents rely on afterschool programs to care for their child(ren) after they get out of school until they can pick them up after work. Often though, it is difficult to know which program to put them in when the benefits of one program are unclear as compared to those of another. Many research studies over the years have shown that there are indeed benefits to enrolling your child in an afterschool program, but only after certain conditions are met. A study done at New York University that was recently published in Science Daily entitled Afterschool Programs Environment...
Fun Things to do With Your Children!
When the weather turns wet and cold and school is out for the holidays, it is nice to have some fun and educational indoor activities in your bag of tricks to keep your children engaged and learning. The best thing to do is to identify things your children can do themselves. Aim for activities that engage the senses and are at the correct level of difficulty (e.g. not too easy, not too challenging). Create an “Activity Box” with coloring books, action figures and a puzzle to encourage independent play. You can update the activities in the box every few months. If you are looking for ...
Traveling with Children 101
Destination – picked; Plans – made; Luggage – packed… But what about the journey there?!?! You plan a great vacation, but then remember you must travel for SEVERAL hours with young children before arriving at your destination. You may be thinking to yourself, “Whoever said ‘the fun is in the journey’ did not have to travel with toddlers.” Developmentally, young children have very short attention spans and require interaction and physical movement – all of which can be difficult to accommodate in the confined spaces of a car or an airplane. Helpful Tips for Your ...
Screen Time Guidelines
At Stepping Stone School, we continue to explore the latest research on behalf of our families to remain current with the most up-to-date educational practices regarding early childhood development. In doing so, we have closely monitored the developing body of research surrounding the use of technology in early childhood education. Our desire is to support families as they determine how best to balance healthy technology usage in their home while enabling their child to learn about the benefits technology offers. In recent months, much research has surfaced regarding the effects of e...
3 Ways to Teach Compassionate Living
As this year’s calendar flips to its final month, I reflect on moments over the past eleven, noting certain instances which stand out in my mind. These times are often the result of either being on the giving or receiving end of compassion. Whether by tangible gifts of charity or simply the exchange of encouraging words, compassion takes many forms. In children, compassion may involve one child offering a comfort item like a teddy bear or blanket to a crying child. Helping a friend pick up her toys or asking someone to come play. Recent research supports theories stating childr...
Helping Families Cope with Separation Anxiety
For many parents, it is the most challenging part of the decision to go back to work after having a child: the idea of leaving your child in the care of another. This feeling of separation can be emotionally challenging for both parent and child alike. At Stepping Stone School, the initial separation of the child from their parent(s) is of utmost importance. Rhonda Paver, M.A., founder and executive director wrote her master’s thesis on this topic and we continue to provide the smoothest transitions for families possible since our inception. Helping Parents Cope with Separation Anxie...
Importance of Sleep
I pulled up to my daughter’s elementary school at the end of her first day of Kindergarten. I saw her waiting in the car rider lane with half of her hair pulled out of her pony tail and her thumb in her mouth – the tell-tale signs that my five-year-old was exhausted. Not all children are as obvious in displaying their exhaustion. Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and a leading specialist on sleep disorders, connects a slew of behaviors with the amount of sleep a child gets each night. Children who get enough healthy sleep are “optimally alert” which means they demo...
It’s a matter of Integrity…
This morning a parent told me, “I was so surprised… my children (almost 5 and 3) got themselves dressed, made their beds, and brushed their teeth without me asking them!” I told her their actions demonstrate that she is consistent in her expectations and she has established good routines in their home. I heard her repeat those words to herself as she headed out the door, “consistent expectations and good routines.” Each month, we at Stepping Stone School focus specific activities to teach character development through our Kindness and Empathy™ curriculum which is a p...
The Importance of Reading Aloud
It was just like every other afternoon in fifth grade, Mr. Huff gathered my classmates and me together to read a chapter aloud from a book. This particular afternoon, we had set aside a few extra minutes to finish reading Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. A coming of age story about a boy, Billy, and the two dogs he loved dearly: Little Ann and Old Dan. After just a few short weeks of following Billy and his dogs through the woods chasing racoons, we came to the saddest part of the story and there wasn’t a dry eye in the entire classroom. That school year as we sat at our...
5 Ways to Encourage Cooperation
I heard excited tones from across the room. Children had gathered around the block center in anticipation. Four children had been working for the past fifteen minutes creating a structure. Their goal was to use every block in the center. Making sure everyone had stepped back and out of the way, Elijah stood on his tip toes to reach across the broad base of their structure and set the final block in place exclaiming, “It’s the tallest tower ever!” The class erupted, “Wow, that’s so big!” … “I want to build one next!” … “I wonder how big it is?” … ...
Coding Foundations
This past Saturday, I sat waiting for my four-year-old to complete his swimming lesson. Looking around the pool deck, I noticed several people (children included) who were engaged with electronic devices: tablets, cell phones, e-readers. I began to think about the many aspects of our lives affected by changes in technology both socially and economically. Due to advancements in technology, the job market has changed doing away with some current jobs, but also creating new ones. Years from now, there will likely be jobs available which do not exist presently, but are brought abou...
5 Things to Do with Your Children Before School Starts
My soon-to-be kindergartener asks regularly, “Do I get to go to Kindergarten today?” We’ve marked the calendar, purchased school supplies, met with other up-and-coming Kindergarteners, but, the day is not coming soon enough for my excited five-year-old. Whether your child is entering elementary school for the first time or returning for another year, here are five things you can do to help your child prepare mentally for the challenging rigors of the upcoming school year: Get Reading. Beginning in infancy, reading together builds language acquisition and literacy skills. A ...
Four Ways to Teach Young Children Fairness
That’s How You Play Three children were sitting around a table playing Candy Land. After a few rounds, Naomi, age 5, picked up the deck of cards and started flipping through them to find the Princess Frostine card which would move her piece to a space close to the finish. Isaiah, age 7, spoke up, “You can’t do that. You have to take the next card in the pile or it’s not fair.” “But last time, I got the Gingerbread card and had to move backwards, that wasn’t fair,” whined Naomi. “But that’s how you play the game. I would have to go back to the gingerbrea...
Nurturing the Development of Responsibility
Just after my daughter turned two, she moved into Ms. Alisa’s classroom at one of our Stepping Stone School locations. My daughter had a doctor’s appointment that day, so I picked her up early. I walked into the classroom just as the children were transitioning between activities and was amazed to see each child pick up his or her toys and place them back on the shelves where they belonged. “How did you get them to do that?” I asked. “They’re cleaning up after themselves and putting things away nicely… they’re only two!” Alisa looked at me very matter-of-factly, ...
What I Learned at Stepping Stone School
It seems that many of our most important life lessons are learned during our early formative years. As adults, we take for granted these instrumental lessons picked up while painting and playing in our earliest classroom settings. Excerpt from “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum “These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Wa...
Teaching Ownership
In early elementary school, I started playing The Blame Game. My parents would confront me about a situation and I would blame someone else or something else for my choices. My dad’s solution - a song he made up and would sing with enthusiasm: “No more excuses, excuses are useless!” Too embarrassed to stick around, I often missed Dad’s choreographed dance moves. Through my dad’s refusal to accept excuses and his “delightful” little song, I learned to take ownership of my attitude and actions. As children grow, they often go through periods when they assume shifting b...
Gardening with Children
“Gardens offer children perfect laboratories where scientific concepts literally come to life.” -Pam Mohrmann, author and educator My three-year-old can tell you the parts of a plant, a plant’s life cycle, and which parts of the plant are good to eat. He can identify several insects that help our plants along with several of the harmful ones. He enjoys pulling weeds, inspecting fruit and vegetables, and eating them fresh from our garden. This knowledge is the result of numerous experiences “playing” in the garden. Shortly after his second birthday, I gave him his fi...
Journaling with Children
Most of us think of writing in a journal as a “diary” kept locked away or something we wrote in when we were teenagers. However, journaling is an essential literacy experience. Journal is defined as… Journal 1 a: an account of day-to-day events b: a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use. Given this definition, a journal can be a rich resource for all. For young children, journaling can be an opportunity to write the experiences and reflections of their lives. How can a preschool child journal if they cannot write? Literacy activi...
Three Stars and a Wish
The world we live in is hyper connected and technology driven, but in this fast-paced society we may have forgotten how to be present and connect with those around us. There are many times I catch myself checking e-mail or mindlessly scrolling through the Internet when my two beautiful children are playing happily in front of me. I am missing the most important moments with my children, and I begin to think, “Do I even know my children as well as I think I do?” Taking time to connect and re-connect with those we care about and love is fundamental to our happiness, but how c...
What is Respect?
What is respect? According to four-year-old Julia, respect is “being nice to other people.” Pressing further, I asked “What does being nice mean?” She delightfully answered, “it means you give someone chocolate or a kiss!” As young as she is, this child recognizes that respect is the way you choose to treat another person. “Being nice” as she puts it, is how one acts when demonstrating respect. How does one teach respect to young children? Demonstrate respectful behavior. Children often watch their caregivers looking for clues defining the expectations. If they ...
What to Do on a Rainy Day in Austin?
Although this time of year can bring a wide variety of weather, we can keep our children active and challenge them physically and mentally year round! “Rainy day” activities can be especially helpful to keep handy for any time outdoor play isn’t an option. Physical activity is a vital aspect of development and for leading a healthy life. Benefits of Physical Activity include: Muscle Development Strong bones, muscles, and heart Building stability Locomotor Skills Developing Self Esteem Small and gross motor skills Cardiovascular endurance It is very import...
Teaching gratitude and giving to young children
*As of August 2019 Stepping Stone School has donated over $80,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas Generosity and gratitude are fundamental cornerstones of character development behind Stepping Stone School’s comprehensive Platinum Learning for Life™ curriculum. As our faculty model, our efforts begin in the classroom, practicing and teaching the value of sharing and caring for others. We promote these attitudes through charitable giving events throughout the year and teach monthly character building with focused learning activities. Research demonstrates that ...
Embracing Nature!
In the spirit of fall, I took my children to a nearby farm for some outdoor fun. Squatting in a small field, I attempted to capture some cute pumpkin patch photos while the children sat on the itchy hay squinting in the sunlight: “It too bright, Mommy!” my three-year old says. My older daughter whines, “I’m hot!” And then the baby falls back, hits her head on a pumpkin and begins to wail. Outdoor time over… All too often outdoor time is grouped in the “Maybe later…” category of our lives or we shorten it to fifteen minute chunks of time and call it reces...
September Character Development: Cooperation
Two opposing teams stand on the cusp of a pit of mud. A single rope with a flag tied to its center snakes through the ranks as the teams face off. Tensions mount as each individual anxiously awaits the dreaded whistle blow which will announce the start to a summer camp favorite: the Tug of War! The goal: Work as a team, pulling as hard as you can so you all don’t end up in the pit of mud. That “work as a team” part is key. Unfortunately, many of us land in the proverbial “mud” before we realize that working together, cooperating, is key to many of life’s successes. Tra...
The Benefits of Handwriting for Young Children
This past school year my kindergartener spent several hours a week learning keyboarding and document processing right alongside reading and writing. As an up and coming first grader, he has been begging for access to my computer all summer long. Beyond the games he can play, he has stated his joy at being able to write quickly while using the keyboard. It is the same reason many adults enjoy using a computer versus writing with pen and paper: in the words of my six year old, writing by hand “Takes FOREVER!” But, the formation of letters through the sequence of hand strokes prov...
Why young children are thoughtful and curious beings.
“Don’t put that in your mouth!” “How did you get there?” “Yuck, don’t touch that!” Sound familiar? Phrases like these are often heard erupting from the mouths of the parents of young children. So close to the ground, infants and toddlers often find the one lost cheerio that rolled behind the couch or wriggle their way into the kitchen cabinet with no plan of how to get back out. Their eyes ever scanning their surroundings, touching everything, tasting anything, listening to the background noises we adults have learned to tune out - using each of their senses ...
Nine Things Parents of Successful Children Have in Common
"While there isn't a set recipe for raising successful children, psychological research has pointed to a handful of factors that predict success," states Rachel Gillett in her article from Independent, "Nine Things Parents of Successful Children Have in Common." According to a series of studies from psychologists at Duke University, UCLA, and other esteemed university research departments, these factors predict success: 1. They teach their children social skills. 2. They have high expectations. 3. The mothers work. 4. They have a higher socioeconomic status. 5. They've attained hig...