Is your preschooler showing an interest in the letters of the alphabet? Clever Parents loves 3D Think & Blink Alphabet Flash Cards. Packaged in a reusable cardboard container that fastens with velcro, the pack includes 26 sturdy, brightly colored holographic cards, each one featuring a letter.
On the hologram side of the card, a window alternately displays a letter and an object (i.e. “H” and a picture of a house, “L” and a picture of a lion). By holding the card at a slightly different angle, the letter and the object appear in the foreground or background, respectively. The word describing the object is printed below the hologram. Read the rest »
By Kris on 03/1/08 in Toys, Featured, Main Feature, Online Boutique of the Week, Clever Learning
Since Thanksgiving, most of you have been pulling the decorations out of the attic and setting them up in preparation for the big holiday. While unpacking those boxes of decorations, I’m sure you ran across some of the old Christmas story favorites - Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, The First Christmas, the Nutcracker - the list goes on. Well, we are all very familiar with these stories, so I think many of us allow the season to go by without even dusting them off. Read the rest »
By Christy on 12/11/07 in Parents, Featured, Columns, Books, Main Feature, Clever Reading, Clever Learning
Looking for a clever and environmentally sound way to make learning the letters of the alphabet fun for your kids? Pick up an alphabet tee or two from bioME 5, an eco-friendly apparel company focused on using fashion as a tool for learning. bioME 5, which takes its inspiration from the earth’s biomes, produces a line of 100% organic alphabet tees each emblazoned with a single letter, superimposed with a wild animal representing the letter (’B’ for bear, ‘J’ for jaguar, ‘O’ for octopus…). The animal name is cleverly printed upside-down below the larger letter on the shirt, giving the child wearing the shirt the best vantage point for reading. Read the rest »
By Kris on 08/26/07 in Featured, Stylish Children, 2007 Business Spotlights, Online Boutique of the Week, Clever Learning
The time comes in every parent’s life, whether you’re employed, self-employed, or unemployed, when you must release your firm grasp on the little one and watch him/her begin to exercise their autonomy and enhance their social skills. This era is called starting school (be it preschool, nursery school, or elementary school). If you’re anything like me, this time period could prove to be a difficult transition for you, the child, or even both of you. In my case the transition was one we both had to adapt to.
As a fulltime case manager and a self-employed business owner, I decided it was time for my 20 month old to go to nursery school, a place where I can drop him off early in the morning, have a family member pick him up on the evenings when I must work later, and feel confident that my son is learning the social skills appropriate for his age group. On the first day of school, I prepped my son, letting him know what a big boy he was for starting school. I left him in the hands of the a.m. teacher and quickly walked away before he could follow me. As I exited the school my chest tightened, my breathing became uneven, my eyes got teary, and my hands began to tremble. I was panicking over leaving my only child in an unfamiliar place. Needless to say, that was one of the longest days I’ve ever had to endure! In retrospect, I realize that there are several things parents like myself can do to alleviate the stress that starting / going to school can bring. For this reason I have come up with: Five Simple Wayz to Easy School Dayz: Read the rest »
By Kenni on 06/12/07 in Parentrepreneur, Parents, Life, Featured, Columns, Clever Learning
Summer is here and the long days of relaxing at the pool or the beach have arrived. After two weeks or so with your children being home all day, you may be ready for some new adventures…. Even some educational ones!
As an educator of early language instruction, I am always looking for new opportunities and ways to expose my children to languages. Whether your child is learning a second language for the first time, or perhaps learning a third language, there are many ways to incorporate some bilingual fun into your summer. Read the rest »
By Jennifer M on 06/11/07 in Featured, Columns, Activities, Editor Picks, Clever Learning
Like their bodies, kids’ brains need exercise to stay in tip-top shape. It’s no surprise that during the long, lazy days of summer, many students lose the equivalent of one to two months of reading and math skills.
Because the best learning often occurs when children don’t realize they are learning, fun and creative activities like painting, visiting the zoo or creating a beach towel “journal” are ideal for keeping summer brains in peak condition. Read the rest »
By Richard on 06/4/07 in Featured, Columns, Activities, Clever Reading, Clever Learning
Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd. As we strive to make the earth a better place to live, there are many things you can do in your own home to make a difference and to teach your children about taking care of the world in which we live. Read on for fun activities, crafts, a yummy snack idea, a great EarthBall toy, a song and more! Read the rest »
By Kris on 04/19/07 in Life, Featured, Columns, Activities, Editor Picks, Snack Ideas, Holidays, Clever Learning
