Do kids do better with their parents in the wings, on the sidelines, or on the other side of the observation window? A former childhood ballerina tackles this tough question by taking a good look at her past — and how it relates to her own ballerina-daughter’s experience today. By Katie Femia Every time you […]
Many of us are in the dark about what to say to a parent whose child has disabilities. We don’t know what’s okay (or offensive) language. We aren’t sure when (or whether) we should ask questions. We want to be sensitive — but worry we making unintended blunders. Here, our author — an educator who […]
“Ya got trouble, with a capital T” when your family time feels scattered and you’re not connecting with your kids. Here’s how The Music Man helped this single mother strengthen family bonds — while doing something special for herself. By Katherine Teel For the past four years, two things have happened every summer. The Hazelton […]
Kids want more screen time? Offer these options to build strong skills in keyboarding, online research, internet safety, and yes, video game play too.
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Summer Business Ideas for Kids
“I’m bored, there’s nothing to do.” “Can you buy me this new scooter? It’s on sale right now!” “Mom, I need some money to go to the movies with my friends tonight.” “Dad, can I have $50? Johnny wants me to go to a concert with him this weekend.” Summer is prime time for being […]
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5 Ways to Help Kids Learn a Language
The benefits of knowing a second language are multi-fold. It can increase your children’s future job opportunities, enrich travel experiences and stimulate their minds in new and exciting ways. If you’re not bilingual yourself (or all you have is a couple of years of high school Spanish), you may think you’re not equipped to help […]
If your middle schooler hasn’t fallen in love with reading, take a look at this list of books. From fantasy to non-fiction to movie stories and more …
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Everything is Awesome: Lego Activities
If you have a Lego lover, or even if you don’t, you can have some fun and creative activities with these everlasting bricks. These Lego activity ideas require minimal prep time and as long as you have Legos (or Duplos for the younger crowd) somewhere in your house, you are already halfway prepared. I pull […]
What kid doesn’t dream about becoming a pirate and digging up buried treasure to fill their chest? You may not be able to sail the bounding seas on your summer vacation, but you and your kids can enjoy nature while digging for buried treasure across the U.S. From gold and gems to actual dinosaur fossils, […]
With spring on the horizon, most of us start to plan our garden. At least here in my Chicago suburban home, planning our summer garden is one of the ways that our family survives the final push of winter weather. I can make it through any random April (or May!) snowstorm if I know that […]
Your child is special so why shouldn’t his birthday be just as special? When celebrating with friends and family at your home, you can make it themed like a birthday party place. With a little creativity, coming up with unique birthday party ideas can be super easy and super cheap. Most of the party idea decorations can […]
With his birthday on March 2nd, celebrate this week — also dubbed ‘Read Across America‘ — with fun, wacky words and silly stories with these great ideas. With the groundhog seeing his shadow, winter seems to drone on, so why not add some Wacky fun to March with a little Dr. Seuss. Make Green Eggs […]
Does your child want a skill they can keep after camp is over? Are they interested in making videos on their cell phones or devices? KMVT is offering an Intro to Video Production camp that engages students in fun, hands-on-activities where they will learn behind-the-scenes production skills while introducing youths to production experience in a […]
These days, most kids are heavily into video games and apps, but there is much to be said for a good old fashioned board game. No matter how old your kids are, sitting down for some dedicated time together will thrill them (even if they won’t admit it). Most Americans tend to stick to the […]
Whether or not you are superstitious yourself, you and your kiddos can probably name a few common superstitions. Beware of black cats crossing your path. Never walk under a ladder. Keep your eyes peeled for four leaf clovers. And for heavens sake, eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away. There are so […]