Last spring I bought my four-year-old grandson a set of gardening tools and he helped his dad plant a garden. The next day he spent at least an hour digging one hole. He said he was "looking for things in the ground." The next day he went out to dig again. After a little while, he came in for his dump truck and bulldozer, s... Read More

"...for it is in giving that we receive..." —Francis of Assisi (13th century)Tis the season when the true spirit of giving is often overtaken by a frantic schedule. Before that happens, let's find ways you and your child can create a more meaningful holiday. Your child's innate sense of generosity can be expanded as you foc... Read More

"Now one day Pooh and Piglet and Rabbit and Roo were all playing Poohsticks together. They had dropped their sticks in when Rabbit said 'Go!' and then they hurried across to the other side of the bridge, and now they were all leaning over the edge waiting to see whose stick would come out first..."—A.A. Milne, House at Pooh... Read More

We often take for granted the natural growth of children that happens without our direct involvement. Just think of the physical changes that take place in the first year of life. We do so many things to encourage and support our children's growth, but often without knowledge of what we do or how we do it.We help children l... Read More

"Every child is gifted. They just unwrap their packages at different times."—AnonymousLooking at a shelf of parenting books in the bookstore recently made me wonder how parents today decide how to raise their children. One could become The Confident Parent or listen to The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer while trying to remem... Read More

Creating art and learning how to appreciate art take place at school, of course. Why not help children unleash their creative abilities at home? Art is an important part of a child's world. Art is a way for children to express themselves and it also helps them develop their fine motor skills. Learning how to mix two colors ... Read More

"I'm so excited Grandma is coming, " said the five-year-old to her mother. Puzzled, the mother asked her daughter why she thought that Grandma might be coming for a visit. The little girl replied, "The sewing machine is out, and Grandma is the only one who uses it."Our busy lives today leave little time for mending or sewin... Read More

If you wish to give the means to the child for his development you must give them in such a way that the child can, and must move. ...In all her books, lectures, conversations, Montessori incessantly returns to this great theme of the importance of movement. —E.M. Standing Maria Montessori, Her Life and WorkOf course, we al... Read More

"Kahoho kuhuma madzi is the Giriama/Kenyan name for toddler. It means 'a youngster who can be sent to fetch a cup of water.'" —David F. Lancy, Child Helpers: A Multidisciplinary Perspective As a struggling new mother, Michaellen Doucleff was frustrated that her two-year-old was slapping her. Doing research for a story... Read More

"No sensorial education can ever occur except as a part of some total activity in which both intelligence and movement are involved."—Maria Montessori, The Absorbent MindWhat's your first memory of using your toy blocks in a creative way? Did you build a castle, a garage, the perfect house, or just a wall to protect your ow... Read More