NOVI, Mich., April 27, 2017 – What spicy words have you used today? At Childtime, preschoolers are learning fun and powerful new ways to express themselves with surprisingly sophisticated vocabulary. Words like enormous, creeping and fierce are celebrated as children first discover, then try out newly acquired expressions. “Children need to have a rich and […]

Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, now in its eighth year, is an annual reading celebration that highlights the need for high-quality early education in America by mobilizing adults and children to set a record for the largest shared reading experience. This year, children, teachers, parents and more will all read the book Otis by Loren […]

It’s easier than you think to fill your preschooler’s summer days with playful learning experiences. In fact, with some basic activities, you’ll be providing opportunities for your child to develop, grow, and learn. And the best part is these activities don’t cost a fortune or require too much preparation. 1.    Pretend Play Encourage your child […]

We all want our children to love reading, to be good readers, and to build a strong literacy foundation for school. You don’t have to be a teacher or a specialist to positively influence your child’s reading success. But here’s what teachers do with their children that every parent can implement. Here are nine teacher […]

Learning is best when it’s fun, meaningful – and incognito! With a little help from technology, you can cleverly disguise important school readiness skills to help prepare your child this year. Here are some helpful tech tips to give your young child a jump start on five important early literacy skills they’ll need for school. […]

I figured both my kids would love reading since I did. Not so much. It was a humbling blow when my first daughter didn’t want to sit still for an entire story. Apparently kids aren’t born readers. So, what’s a parent to do? Anything to raise a reader, including standing on your head. (It won’t […]

It’s time to get kids ready . . . and excited to go back to school! How? Go shopping and read books. Both are something you already do, right? Here’s how they can help get your child ready for school. Read Books Reading books about school gives kids a story in their minds. It tells […]

We’re excited to bring these fun learning activities to your community! Help your child spot the differences in the drawings, or help Wags find his missing bone! Print these out and try them all!    Which activity was your child’s favorite?  Tell us below.

Kids love pretending to be grown-ups with jobs. Jobs such as doctor, teacher, librarian, firefighter, scientist, vet, cook, artist or mail carrier. Encourage and enrich their pretend play and you’ll give your children beneficial literacy learning opportunities. As you know, pretend play benefits children in so many ways – with social skills, vocabulary, imagination, self-control, […]

  Playdough, that squishy childhood staple, gets kids’ hands pounding, poking, rolling, and shaping while their brains find the play a valuable learning opportunity which builds literacy skills. Whether store-bought or homemade, playdough is a great way to engage children in hands-on learning. Try one of these engaging playdough activities and your child will be […]

Children are born storytellers and authors. Did you know that even the scribbles and drawings of a child count as writing? Yes! In fact, you’re seeing a writer grow before your very eyes because these are important pre-writing skills. A Scribble a Day Make scribbling and drawing part of every day. In an easily accessible […]

I love babies. Babies do a lot of adorable things – cooing, smiling, laughing, and snuggling. But there’s something babies can’t do – read. But you’d never know it. We’re surrounded by messages that make us think babies are supposed to be doing “academic” work younger and younger. And that worries us. Are our babies […]