Explore the "universal language" of music with your children Children have a wonderful capacity to appreciate and make music. Early exposure to a music of all types has intrinsic value -- it can tell a story, set a mood, and reflect the character of a culture. Music stimulates the part of the brain associated with pattern r... Read More

We've all seen young children doing any number of imaginative things with wooden blocks: building a toy animal corral or a parking lot for cars, or a doll's cradle. What makes block play open-ended, after all? Merriam-Webster's definition of open-ended, applied:"not rigorously fixed": the outcome of the child's activity is ... Read More

"Children of three years already know how to count as far as two or three when they enter our school. They therefore very easily learn numeration, which consists in counting objects."—Maria Montessori, The Montessori MethodMaria Montessori wrote the above over a century ago. Today children entering pre-school or kindergarte... Read More

According to E.M. Standing, in Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, Montessori Grace and Courtesy activities are a natural expression of communal life. They teach children how to interact with people in a respectful way. Learning how to politely greet others, interrupt respectfully, open and close a door quietly, sit and st... Read More

The holidays are almost here and many of us are wondering how we will find our way through the maze of our strange new world. Despite many losses, our children often remind us that we can find joy every day. With some creative thought and planning, we can feel the season's spirit and create some special memories filled with... Read More

For young children, every bush is a forest, every rivulet a waterway, and every unfamiliar adult environment a trip to the moon! This year, consider skipping the exotic locale and long travel time. Your family can find plenty of summer fun right in the neighborhood. Even the most mundane locations offer fascinating treasure... Read More

"The dugout in the weeds or leaves beneath a backyard willow, the rivulet of a seasonal creek, even the ditch between the front yard and the road—all of these are entire universes to a young child."Maria Montessori? Not this time. This insight into the young child's relationship with the everyday world comes to us from Rich... Read More

Explore the "universal language" of music with your children Children have a wonderful capacity to appreciate and make music. Early exposure to a music of all types has intrinsic value -- it can tell a story, set a mood, and reflect the character of a culture. Music stimulates the part of the brain associated with pattern r... Read More

"I'm so excited Grandma is coming, " said the five-year-old to her mother. Puzzled, the mother asked her daughter why she thought that Grandma might be coming for a visit. The little girl replied, "The sewing machine is out, and Grandma is the only one who uses it."Our busy lives today leave little time for mending or sewin... Read More

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."—Elizabeth LawrenceThe fall equinox happens this week. No doubt by this time the school routine is running smoothly for you and your family. It's a new season, with time and space to enjoy some relaxing activities before the h... Read More