Tag Archives: education

By Elena Epstein, Director of the National Parenting Product Awards Hop, Waddle, Stomp! Toss the soft, colorful ball, choose a matching puzzle piece and waddle across the room to unite the baby animals with their families. Variant rules allow you to adapt the complexity of play. $19.99, ages 2+, amazon.com Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic Podcast A weekly 5-minute podcast featuring …

  Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) have a brand new sport for their fall season. Thanks to a partnership with sports apparel giant Under Armour (UA) and the National Football League’s Baltimore Ravens, girls’ flag football is being offered at all 10 of their high schools. “We are always looking at expanding our athletic offerings,” says  Kevin Kendro, FCPS’s supervisor …

Running around and getting physical activity. Breathing in the fresh air. Listening to the birds as they sing. Sitting in the shade under a tree and looking out at the sun. These activities are refreshing not just for us, but for our kids, too. And for many educators throughout Maryland, connecting kids with nature presents intriguing learning opportunities that balance …

When the pandemic caused the operation of school buildings shops, restaurants, theaters—and many extracurricular activities—to grind to a sudden halt, no one knew how long that hiatus would be. Some businesses and organizations had a brief hiccup until mask wearing and sanitizing stations allowed them to reopen. For others, the break dragged on and on. Many are still recovering from …

Whether they are twirling in the aisle of the supermarket, bobbing their heads while sitting in a car seat or jumping around the room, many children love to express themselves through dance. Dance is almost like the doorway to everything else creative,” says Mallory Coombs, director of the Musical Theater Factory at 24-7 Dance Studio in Frederick. “When you have …

More and more families are traveling during the school year. Here’s how to minimize the impact—and maximize the benefits—of school-year vacations. Last January, my family took an epic 11-day vacation to Oahu, Hawaii. We swam, snorkeled, hiked and—most importantly—bonded. The best part? Our kids, twin boys in fifth grade and a daughter in second grade at the time, only missed …

Entering preschool is an important developmental milestone for children and their parents. When you think about it, preschool is a child’s first introduction to a school setting. Naturally, parents want to find the right school for their 3- and 4-year-old children. If you’re looking for a preschool that meets the needs of your child and family, some preparation on your …

The late Rear Adm. Grace Brewster Murray Hopper once said, “The most dangerous phrase in the language is ‘We’ve always done it this way.’” I’m always reminded of this quote when changes need to be implemented, no matter how large or small. It’s human nature to abhor change; resistance is usually rooted more in fear of the unknown than in …

In WalletHub’s new list of best and worst school systems across the country, Maryland ranked in the top 10. To determine the rankings, a team of researchers compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 32 metrics of quality and safety. They also took into account performance, funding, safety, class size and instructor credentials. In the personal finance …

This summer Baltimore middle school teacher Elisabeth Budd is developing a website with a very specific purpose, one that arose after online learning challenges in this year’s pandemic. Budd will use the site to post the content that she teaches her students, so parents can see and help their child if they have any questions or issues at home. She …