In just a few short weeks, I’ll have a kindergartner graduate home for the summer. She’s learned so much this past year, and I can only imagine how much she’ll absorb once first grade starts up. Because our school district has a half-day kindergarten program, we supplemented her education with an enrichment program a few days a week: a great way of extending the learning and enabling her to grasp new concepts not covered by the Common Core. Sure, summer gives us a breather when it come to the frenetic pace of the daily grind, but I like to think my kids can still maintain an education outside of the classroom, even when they’re not hitting the books. If you find yourself looking for ways [&hellip
The Smart Walnut Archive
My kindergartner has found her latest heroine: PBS Kids’ Peg+Cat. If you’re not already familiar with the precocious preschooler, she and her sidekick kitty are often on the quest to solve the problem du jour–and with a sense of humor intact. Beginning this week, four new episodes will air that feature the dynamic duo on their latest problem-solving adventures. Because Peg+Cat finds creative ways to make math more engaging for its young viewers, you can expect plenty of problem-solving puzzlers in these episodes. Highlights include “The Arch Villain Problem,” during which alter egos Super Peg and Cat Guy must defend the make-belief city of Mathtropolis, and “The Long Line Problem,” one that envisions the joy being first in line (every parent’s dream!). No matter what [&hellip
How will you and your family be celebrating Earth Day? For starters, we’ll be filling up on water from the tap instead of stocking up on those fancy-schmancy bottles that come in super packs bigger than our car. We’re also gearing up to plant our annual garden, one that’s been on hiatus in the last few years but that we’re determined to start up again (can’t wait for that fresh mint scent that wafts through the open windows…). And naturally, we’ll be tuning into a special episode of WordGirl airing on PBS Kids, April 22nd (check your local listings for times). We like this show in general because it proves that reading is cool, even for superheroes. In honor of Earth Day, the show’s monthly [&hellip
We always get psyched when TV shows make their debut. For the grown-ups, we’re head over heels for True Detective and holding our breath for Believe. For the kiddos, there’s a slew of new educational and entertaining TV series coming to Nickelodeon later this year/early 2015, with plenty of crowd-pleasing choices for your favorite preschooler. (We’re particularly excited for the latest Fresh Beat installment!) Here’s the scoop on what to watch and when: · Dora and Friends: Into the City! is set in a fictional, pan-Latino city, where Dora is 10 years old, in school and at the center of a group that works together to give back to the community. This show aims to teach Spanish and introduces new educational areas to the curriculum, [&hellip
My kindergartner came home from school recently with yet another tale of a classmate. The same kid who called her “stupidhead” last week wrote “big blue butt” during sentence-writing time…not exactly what their teacher had in mind, I’m sure. I saw my 9-year-old stifle a giggle when her sister shared the story. And so it begins (sigh…). As any parent knows, calling other kids names is a big no-no, but it’s hard for little ones to discern between which words are right vs. wrong, especially when the result of your actions is laughter throughout the classroom. One mom has set out to change all this and (hopefully) put an end to fresh talk or, at the very least, discourage it. Tapping into her own experience [&hellip
Ever wonder what it’s like to zip-line through a rainforest? Or hike down a canyon? Kids will be able to find out for themselves on Monday–or, at least live vicariously through PBS Kids’ Dinosaur Train Nature Trackers Adventure Camp. This one-hour television special will take viewers along for a journey with the entire Pteranadon posse as they travel various terrains, from canyons to mountains, learning about geography and paleontology along the way. The show is divided into four nature-themed segments–rafting, mountain climbing, zip-lining and canyon hiking–with plenty of adventure to get kids interested in the great outdoors. It’s the perfect antidote to the winter blues, and proof-positive that there’s a great big world out there to explore. In a Nutshell: PBS Kids’ Dinosaur Train Nature [&hellip
When I was a kid, I chopped off my Barbie doll’s hair and gave her a bob. I figured she’d need a sensible hairdo if she’d be blasting off into space. That may sound like the makings of a future scientist, but alas, I became a writer. I still like the fact that I was able to transform my doll into something that was more my speed: a thinking hot chick rather than a fashion doll who aspired to nothing more than acquiring 100 pairs of heels. Sure today’s Barbies have morphed into career girls and the like, but I still can’t relate to their kitten heels and tiny waistlines (and neither can my girls). Lucky for today’s kids, British-based Lottie Dolls have made their [&hellip
My 9-year-old needs to get into the groove. A math groove, that is. Back to fractions, multiplication and all the other “fun” stuff that goes along with fourth-grade math. After a few months of fun in the sun, it’s finally back to the books, and I fear she’s not ready for all that lies ahead. Because the dollar store workbooks I picked up over the years don’t seem to hold her interest any longer (and I’d rather not always resort to apps and other PC games), we were on the lookout for something else. Well, when the Lakeshore Learning catalog arrived in our mail, it was like Christmas had come early. Ever the lover of playing school, my daughter happily flipped through the pages and [&hellip
One more week of summer vacation, so naturally it was time to bite the bullet and take the kids backpack shopping. Amazingly, it was relatively painless; my 9-year-old grabbed the first blue bag she spotted, and my 5-year-old made a beeline for Hello Kitty. Not a big surprise there; all things kitty continue to reign supreme in this kingdom. So naturally, when we got wind of the new Hello Kitty Sweet Little Shops game for the Leapster Explorer, I knew she’d be in heaven. Designed for ages 4-7, this game teaches kids all types of basic (and not-so-basic) math, including how to estimate, recognizing numbers and shapes and even how to read a bar graph (wow, already?). Of course, the learning is cleverly disguised within [&hellip
“Pure learning fun.” The new tagline for LeapFrog was a fitting greeting for the educational toy company’s holiday showcase this week in NYC. We were on hand to find out what’s big in teaching toys and from judging by the looks of the LeapFrog line-up, there’s plenty of opportunities to get kids excited about learning. First off, we had a chance to experience the just-released LeapReader. Bearing a striking resemblance to LeapFrog’s Tag Reader, this multi-level learning tool steps its up a notch or two, enabling kids to learn the basics of reading, begin to write their letters and enjoy the experience of listening to audio books. With so much functionality in one product, parents may wonder just how capable this product is in keeping [&hellip