My four-year-old daughter, Matilda, has a major obsession with the Presidents of the United States. She discovered a placemat that had the faces and names of 42 of them at her grandparents’ house and after learning who they were, she was immediately drawn to their stories. Through her daily adventures, Matilda explores lots of subjects, stopping to read books about the solar system, counting the leaves that she finds on the ground, wondering about mammals, and experimenting with cooking. In … [Read more...]
Curiosity Forever #6: Learning Through Making
Tatum Omari, Director of Curriculum at education.com, talks to Kevin & Lily about maker education. In this episode you'll learn: How having kids learn through making helps kids develop resourcefulness and builds creative thinking skills Why making is way more than arts and crafts Why Tatum gave a class full of five-year-olds hammers (!) Ideas for fun projects to do at home To learn more about what Tatum's up to, visit education.com. If you're interested in learning more … [Read more...]
Curiosity Forever #5: How Families Can Grow, Make & Enjoy Healthy Food
Lilly Steirer, chef & creator of Lilly’s Table meal planning service, talks to Kevin & Lily about encouraging kids to eat healthy. She gives tips for gardening, getting kids to enjoy eating vegetables and helps unpack what “healthy eating” really means. To learn more about Lilly's Table go to LillysTable.com. You can also find Lilly at her blog cheflilly.com and in her Facebook Group, Simple Loving Table. The Curiosity Forever theme song is written & performed by Carolyn … [Read more...]
Color Mixing: An At-Home Learning Plan
All day long at home, my 3-year-old asks me what happens when different colors are mixed together. At first I just immediately answered her questions: “Blue and red make purple,” “Yellow and red make orange.” But then I realized that this approach wasn’t giving her opportunities to really explore her interests. … [Read more...]
The Coolest Innovative School
In architect Takaharu Tezuka’s TED Talk, he introduces an amazing Japanese kindergarten that blew the lid off my vision of what a kindergarten experience could be. The kindergarten is outside on a circular roof, so kids can run around. There are trees to climb and a covered area where kids can rest and explore. This school was created from a deep understanding of what kids need – play, activity, interaction, exploration – and the results are truly inspirational. This kind of innovative … [Read more...]
Inquiry: The Key to Helping Kids Become Joyful Learners
My son was born two weeks ago and his days are full of firsts: first walk outside, first bath, first time being licked by our dog. As his eyes open more and more, I can see his little brain full of curiosity. Sometimes he looks intently at something, trying to figure it out, while other times his eyes dash around the room as if they’re trying to keep up with the endless stimuli. My son’s wide-eyed wonder about the world (well, in the two hours a day when his eyes are actually open) got me … [Read more...]
How to Play with Children — Notes from the Master AKA my Dad
You might turn to some dads for advice on what car to buy or how to refinish your floors. But with my dad, I turn to him for advice on children. As a teacher and a professional storyteller, my dad has a magical way of captivating children’s attention. He’s my daughter’s number one favorite person and my inspiration for loving learning (and learning about children!). So when my dad, John Boe, offered up his advice on how to play with children, I knew we could all benefit from his wisdom. Here … [Read more...]