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What spicy words have you used today? At The Children’s Courtyard, preschoolers are learning fun and powerful new ways to express themselves with surprisingly sophisticated vocabulary. Words like enormous, creeping and fierce are celebrated as children first discover, then try out newly acquired expressions. “Children need to have a rich and robust oral language vocabulary […]

How soon is too soon to learn about collaboration?  Most babies get their first inkling of teamwork by the time they’re 6 months old, old enough to enjoy a rousing exchange of peek-a-boo. “From our earliest years, collaboration builds our critical thinking capabilities and introduces us to different ways of solving a problem as we […]

Most of us know the research about how important it is to read with children every day. And most of us have every intention of doing that. However, day to day life, with all of its tasks and distractions can get in the way of realizing our best intentions. Therefore, purposefully scheduling time to read […]

Anxious about math? You’re far from alone.  For millions of adults, a lack of confidence in math skills – often tracing back to negative childhood experiences – has had lasting repercussions. Besides leading to missed career opportunities and ongoing frustration in everyday tasks, studies show that math angst can even be transferred to others.  For […]

La Petite Academy will be celebrating literacy all month long! So, be sure to ask your teacher and school director about our book kits featuring great children’s books with wonderful learning activities to go with each! Through our book kit program, you can borrow a new book each month to take home and read with […]

How should I reach out? What do I need to know about Parent/Teacher Conferences? Am I asking the right questions? We asked some of our teachers to share their best parent and teacher communication tips so you can build a strong bond with your kiddo’s teacher this school year!   1. If you have a concern, never hesitate […]

By Mia Wenjen of PragmaticMom and I Love Newton Two of my kids are starting new schools this year. We, as a family, are finally done with elementary school and my youngest will be starting middle school with vastly more kids than before. My middle daughter has finished middle school so her brother will have it to himself; […]

March is National Reading Month! Of course, reading to young children introduces new vocabulary, but studies have shown that there are numerous other benefits, as well. Reading can calm your child, especially in times of stress. It promotes a longer attention span and improved ability to concentrate. It encourages communication and bonding between you and […]

It won’t be long and your child will be moving up our School Readiness Pathway and heading to a new classroom. We want to ensure this transition is a win-win for your child and for you. Transitions can be stressful, so the sooner we begin thinking about the transition, the easier it will be on […]

Even though you see your child’s teacher every day when at drop-off and pick-up times, and you speak to them about how things are going just as often, parent-teacher conferences are still an important element of the relationship between teachers and families. So why are these meetings so important for young children? The time spent […]

  All parents want the very best for their children. For instance, does your dream for your child include high intelligence and being well-prepared to enter the workforce when the time comes? If you’re like most parents, you probably answered “Yes.” But do you have any control over how intelligence and career preparedness plays out […]

Summer is over and you’re probably still getting used to that “back-to-school” mindset. Here are some tips for helping you maintain good communication with your child’s school, as well as how to manage homework time.   Maintaining Home and School Communication Introduce yourself to your child’s teacher. Communicate any specific goals you may have for […]