Grade School (7-10)

Modeling the Way for Children through Adult Behavior

Posted on by Joan Morgenstern

The philosopher, essayist and poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “What you do speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you are saying.”  This has profound meaning for parents since children carefully look for cues regarding adult behavior, paying greater …

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Creative Play Number Match Game

Posted on by Creative Play Muse

Most parents will agree that mathematical skills are big deal.  So what do you do when your child doesn’t seem interested in numbers? Try this clever number match game from mommy blogger Allison at No Time For Flash Cards.  What …

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Benefits of Recess

Posted on by Kelly Christian

The social and cognitive benefits of recess and free play are too important to be ignored. During recess children learn valuable social skills like learning to negotiate with peers in order to keep playing with them. “I want to play …

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No Time for Recess

Posted on by Kelly Christian

Dr. Anthony Pelligrini is a notable scholar of recess and the education system. According to him, recess is disappearing because school administrators are more concerned with increasing instructional time and claim that recess promotes bullying and aggressive behaviors. The argument …

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Developmental Santa: Best Gifts for School Aged Kids

Posted on by Dr. Robert Needlman

School age kids are all about getting things done. The famous psychologist, Erik Erikson, wrote (famously) that the core of development at this age is the crisis of “industry versus inferiority.” In other words, children need to feel capable and competent. They need to make things, know things, and master skills. You can plug into this powerful drive when picking out the perfect presents for the kids on your list.

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Shared Experiences and Emotions

Posted on by Kelly Christian

Dr. Kessler recommends books by Judith Viorst, PhD who has written a number of wonderful books for children that talk about common experiences children deal with like having a bad day or feel neglected. One of Dr. Viorst’s most popular …

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Reading Together Out Loud

Posted on by Kelly Christian

Young school-aged children often want to read on their own and strive to read chapter books. However, there is a dilemma. Dr. Kessler spoke with us about how it is often the case that a child’s reading level is not …

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Chapter Books and Gender Differences

Posted on by Kelly Christian

Remember what it was like as a child. Reading your first chapter book can feel like quite an accomplishment. Dr. Kessler encourages parents who ask her for advice in picking out books for their child to pick a book that …

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