Being Savvy: Activities, things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Washington DC, DC

Teaching math through laundry

by Leticia

Ok, you probably read the title and thought that Ive gone off the deep end. I assure you I have not. Like most families, we spend a lot of time conquering the mountain of laundry that is omnipresent in our house. Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer are at the age where they enjoy helping by folding washcloths, diving on the pile of laundry, or upsetting it as they crawl under the sheets. In ... Read more >

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Must Haves for Vehicle Enthusiasts

by Leticia

2 year old Captain Computer loves anything that goes. Fire trucks, ambulances, street sweepers, the trash and recycling trucks, buses- city or school, and any sort of construction equipment make him giddy with delight. Here are just a few products that set his little heart a-flutter and are sure to please your vehicle enthusiast too: Touch and Feel Fire Engine Fire engines are immediately ... Read more >

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Spicing up Early Literacy

by Beth Hoffman

I don't know about you, but I have a heck of a time keeping a three year old and a nine month old entertained long enough to get dinner on the table every night. At least I did, until I turned my spice rack over to the kids. Now, my spice rack is really a low shelf in a cabinet, so when I need to get dinner started I just open up the door and point the kids in that direction. The baby ... Read more >

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Butterfly Pavilion at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

by Beth Hoffman

If you are looking to add a touch of Spring to these cold Winter months, you need look no further than the Butterfly Pavilion at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (10th and Constitution, NW, Smithsonian Station in the Blue and Orange Lines). Start with a stroll through the Partners in Evolution Exhibition which explored the connections between butterflies and ... Read more >

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Kicking off the New Year

by Beth Hoffman

So, schools have been closed for a long, long time now and I'm sure many of us are looking for ways to get the kids out the house for a day. The good news is that many things are open on New Year's Day. Here are my recommendations for getting the new year kicked off to an educational start. The Smithsonian - all Smithsonian museums are open tomorrow, and most open at 10 ... Read more >

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Product Review: Leapfrog Clickstart My First Computer

by Beth Hoffman

My three-and-a-half year old received a Leapfrog Clickstart My First Computer for Christmas. My husband and I decided to get her a "computer" because she is fascinated by our laptops and because she enjoys the games she can play on the stations set up in the children's section of our local library. So far, the gift has been a huge hit with her and with us. As with all things, there are pros ... Read more >

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Kindergarten Readiness

by Leticia

Thinking ahead to kindergarten? Here's a list, compiled by kindergarten teachers, of skills a child should have when entering kindergarten. Language/Literacy Exposure to rhyming Discrimination between letters and numbers First name recognition (orally and visually) Know letters in first name Print first name Recognition ... Read more >

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