Changing Tykes Blog
Finding a Balance with Screen Time
By Kirsten Lee Howard November 2020 If sociologists fifty years in the future were to characterize parents in the 2010s and 2020s, one trait I imagine they would highlight is our desire to do the right thing: we research and read obsessively to make sure that we’re doing what’s best for our children. Something we are likely to worry about: screen time. Are we giving our children too much? Too little? Are we interrupting their development? Not allowing for optimal development? Help! Another part of that reality is that screen time can offer a...
read moreGet Moving!
Words of wisdom (and a fond farewell) from our beloved Activity Room Teacher, Samantha Galui Howdy from Texas! Annandale Cooperative Preschool, to say I miss you is an understatement. I miss seeing your smiling faces whether in the parking lot, the hallways, our classrooms, and especially the activity room. I know that, for some parents, the activity room was a loud, scary, place where kids could possibly get injured, but, for me, it was our learning lab. The activity room is an unconventional way of learning, through games and fun. We...
read moreDon’t Let the Pandemic Drive the Bus!
A conversation with Rachel Bailey By Jen Greanias, ACPS Social Media Coordinator July 2020 Wow, what a year! You can’t log on, tune in, or step inside a store without the reminder of the all-encompassing threat of COVID-19. So we thought it our Disney ballad-belting, La Croix-guzzling, Mo Willems-obsessed, Baby Shark-humming, minivan-driving duty to relaunch our ACPS blog by interviewing our favorite breath, nay GUST, of fresh air, the ever-enlightening Rachel Bailey. Rachel is a mom and Parenting Specialist who specializes in offering...
read moreFavorite Stories for Preschoolers
If you’ve ever been asked to read a novelization from a second-rate kids movie at bedtime, you might be forgiven for thinking that 2018 is well past the zenith of the golden age of children’s literature. While we are certainly in a glut of middling children’s media, there are some gems out there deserving of a place on your family bookshelf. Here are a few recommendations to help you break free from the book-movie-merchandise feedback loop. The Love Monster Series This kitsch series by Rachel Bright follows the only (and...
read moreThink: Novelty
Keeping kids entertained on cold or rainy days Oh, those long, cold days of winter! It can be so hard to think of ways to keep our children entertained while they’re cooped up inside, especially when many of us just want to curl up with some hot chocolate, a book, a blanket, and no interruptions… Beyond inviting them to join us on the couch with hot chocolate and a movie (always a good plan!), here are some ideas of things to engage their wonderfully active minds and bodies. Keep in mind that you can (and should!) change any of this up...
read moreWinter Activities and Outing Ideas
Two words can strike fear into parents everywhere. Permanent marker? Nope. Finger paint? No, again. Winter break. Seventeen consecutive days with no school, no routine, and, often, very cold weather. What is a parent to do? Since running away from home or locking oneself in a closet with a pack of Oreos doesn’t work (not that I’ve tried, of course), I’ve found that doing a little pre-planning, while requiring up-front work, can alleviate the stress and pressure of creating an activity or outing each day to keep kiddos occupied and engaged and...
read moreKindergarten Readiness
Sending your child off to Kindergarten can be a daunting task, especially after having been a strong presence in his or her academic career here at Annandale Cooperative Preschool! Many parents want to know how to prepare their child for Kindergarten but what they often do not realize is that being prepared is more than academics; it additionally means being ready physically, socially, and emotionally! However, let’s tackle academics first. While academics are obviously a large part of the kindergarten experience, I want to begin by...
read moreThe Importance of Being Outside
Children are better able to make sense of their world when they spend lots of time outside. They can see how things grow and change over time. They are more fully able to experience the world in which they live in. This can be so powerful. They are able to stretch their imaginations as they create worlds and scenarios that are larger than themselves.
read moreFood Allergy Fundamentals
In this “FROM THE TEACHERS” post, we discuss the fundamentals of food allergy and how to address this in a group setting like the co-op. Even if your child is not one of the estimated 15 million Americans affected by food allergies, she will undoubtedly share a classroom at some point with children who are. The prevalence of food allergy has risen dramatically in the past decades. Today, nearly 8% of children in the U.S. under the age of 18 have a food allergy. That’s about two kids per classroom across the country. Because of the...
read more5 Reasons to Attend Annandale Cooperative Preschool
Just a few short months ago, we were making a big fuss over starting a new preschool, and now the school year has already come to an end! That old saying time flies when you’re having fun is so true. Not only did my child have fun, he also learned a lot of things such as when is culture day at school 2022, and grew more than I could have ever hoped for this last year. Since he is new to Annandale Cooperative Preschool (ACPS) and I thought his last preschool was good, I would like to highlight the top five things that set ACPS apart from the...
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