Growing up is tough, and one of the most lasting issues children face is body image. Children — especially young girls — face more pressure now than ever before to fit into society’s (and social media’s) standards of acceptable looks. While these pressures can lead to extremes like body dysmorphia or eating disorders, a much larger percentage of children struggle…

Summertime means fun in the sun — and also layering up on the sun-safety essentials! Each year, one out of three Americans struggle with getting a sunburn. Sunburns aren’t just annoying; they can be incredibly painful for children, and if left consistently untreated, they can lead to skin cancer.  Look for SPF of 30 or higher. Both lighter and darker…

Children are exposed to more of the world’s current events than most adults realize. That’s only increased as younger and younger children use social media. The average age of a child getting their first social media account has gotten younger in the last 5 years, and the average age for starting their own account is 12. However, that figure doesn’t…

In an era of smartphones and video game tablets, children today may roll their eyes at the concept of tabletop gaming. But traditional gaming is far from boring. Board games teach children an array of valuable life skills such as teamwork, focus, problem-solving, and decision-making. They’re also a fun way to pass time with family and friends without relying on…

We’ve all been there before. The teacher is going around the classroom and calling on students to read from the textbook when suddenly, it’s your turn. Your shoulders tense, your mouth becomes dry, and you feel dozens of eyes turn on you as your classmates wait for you to begin reading. What if you stutter? Will friends judge you if…

Learning to read is one of a child’s most important educational markers. A foundational piece of reading comprehension comes from developing a base of sight words. Sight words are words that young readers know by heart. They’re often high-frequency words, one or two syllables, and don’t need decoding skills.  Teachers equip students with sight word sheets and packets, but talking…

The summer months are coming up, and as the weather warms, kids will want to stay outside longer. Using sidewalk chalk to play hopscotch, tic tac toe, or four square has become summer traditions. But if you’re looking for new ways to put that sidewalk chalk to good use, here are some ideas that will keep your kids’ creative juices…

To young children, simply uttering the word “government” in conversation can raise more questions than answers: who is the President? What is Congress, and what do they do? Why do we hold elections? While they may learn about many of these topics in school, it’s important to ensure that teaching children civic responsibility doesn’t stop in a history classroom. Help…

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve learned to remedy limited social interaction by spending more time on our electronic devices. While technology can be a great learning resource for kids, too much screen time can have negative impacts. This spans from their physical health, emotional wellbeing, and social development. Instead of handing your kids a smartphone, tablet, or laptop the next time…

In the digital era, screens are everywhere. Tablets, phones, laptops, TVs — your family probably has them all. In fact, nearly half of all children under the age of 8 have their own device. Screens might seem like a smart solution to parents; popping on educational television or a screen-based brain game could be fun! However, data points to far…