November is Native American/Alaska Native Heritage Month – and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than to focus on oral storytelling. For most of us, no matter what your culture, there are stories that are passed down through the generations. No matter if you use a story knife or words, stories have Read More
Parent Center
Books to Explore the Sounds of Language
Babymoon by Hayley Barrett (Infant) This sweet and serene book celebrates the period after bringing a newborn baby home. During their babymoon, this family spends time together after the birth of their new baby, getting to know each other, learning about each other, and enjoying time together. This book is perfect for families who have recently welcomed Read More
Activities to Practice the Sounds of Language
I Know my Name | Birth-6 months This is a chance for your child to practice picking out the sound their name from other words. Read, Read, Read |All ages Expanding your child’s vocabulary with books is a great way to share all the sounds we use to speak English. Promoting Language through Nursery Rhymes Read More
The Sounds of Language
Sound(s) + Syllable(s) = Spoken Word Sorry to start off with an equation, but this one is pretty important. As young children learn to speak, it takes time to understand that words are broken into smaller parts. This skill is not only useful for learning to speak – it also sets the stage for sounding Read More
Books to Explore More Words
Look by Fiona Woodcock (All Ages) Using entirely words and phrases featuring a double o, this book tells the story of a day from morning to night for a brother and sister, including their visit to the zoo. The words are all incorporated into the pictures, making it a fun seek and find for beginning Read More
Activities to Explore More Words
No matter how young or old your child is, the best way to build vocabulary is reading together. Here are some other ways to get your kiddo speaking, learning, and hopefully loving new words: Talk to Me, Baby | Birth – 6 months Encourage babbling, repeat sounds, and teach how conversations work Where’s Your Read More
Ways to Explore More Words
Two of the best ways to grow your child’s vocabulary is to talk and read together. While these sound like no brainers, there are easy ways to expand these. Talk together Children learn by hearing a word over and over Introduce new words Rephrase words to add new words with similar meanings Ask open-ended questions Read More
Love of Words
Sometimes as adults, we can have difficulty finding the right words to express our thoughts and ideas. Now imagine what it feels like as a toddler or preschooler. When you’re a newbie to the world and to language, there’s a steep learning curve. Thankfully, children have a knack for picking up words and meanings from Read More
Books About STEM
ABCs of Physics by Chris Ferrie (All Ages) Similarly to the other titles in the Baby University series, this book introduces new physics concepts to the very young – one for every letter of the alphabet, all the way from Atom to Zero-point energy. Little ones will enjoy the pictures and older children (including grown-ups) Read More
STEM Activities for Curious Kids
Not sure where to start with experiments, messy fun, and playing with simple concepts? Here are some of our favorites STEM-y sources for curious kids. From Little Bins for Little Hands: Toddler STEM Activities Preschool Science Experiments From Playdough to Plato 24 Soothing Calm Down Jars (ages 3 and up) 40 STEM Activities for Kids Read More