Whether the idea of teaching your own young child gets you excited, makes you nervous, or some combination of both... one thing I'm pretty sure everyone thinks about is how to do their best.  I mean we only get one chance at these important developmental years.  Hopefully we don't mess it up!  I am happy to share with you some of the most important tips and tricks I've learned after teaching preschoolers for over a decade so you don't have to guess.

Before I get too deep into the details, I want to clear one very important thing up:

IF YOU TEACH WITH LOVE, YOU CAN'T GET IT WRONG!

Coming from a place of love means you will be paying attention to what your child needs, open to making changes as you go, and understanding when your child struggles with something.

Ok, let's get to the details...

#1 - Read a TON of books  

Seriously, reading to your child is one of the best ways to not only create a love for reading, but also helps teach your child cadence and beginning word recognition.  Choose books that are interesting for your child.  All different kinds are great: funny ones, seasonal ones, lesson teaching ones, etc.  Go to your local library, visit a thrift store, check out yard sales.  

Not only is this a great way to bond with your child and encourage a love of reading...but also think about all of the topics your child can learn about!  Does your child like dinosaurs?  Butterflies?  Planets?  Cooking?

Books are an amazing way to help a child grow his or her knowledge about what they already want to know more about.  So, not only can reading books help your kid develop pre-reading skills, but they will also learn so much about the world.

And I'm sorry to say...but watching a video doesn't quite provide the same benefits.  Sure, some videos are great.  But, overall, reading an actual book provides the human interaction that is so important for children to develop healthfully.
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#2 - Keep learning FUN

Yes, that is a very broad statement.  I know.

But, I really do mean it overall.  Anytime you can possibly make anything into a song, a game, include movement, art, or other creativity, DO IT!

Not only will this keep your child engaged and ultimately make your job easier, but it will also help your child actually remember and understand topics a lot more if it is fun.

Children really do not LEARN by sitting and doing worksheets in general.  Or by hearing someone just talk/lecture about a subject.  Kids learn best by doing.  Most people of any age learn best by doing.

Sure, you can tell a child something and then have them repeat it 10 seconds later.  However, if you want them to REALLY understand it, they must DO something with/about it.  

Trust me, teaching little kids for over a decade has shown me this.  We teach and then check for knowledge regularly - and know what works.  (See the next points below for some of the ways we have learned kids REALLY remember things best.)
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#3 - Teach through songs and movement whenever possible

We teach our preschoolers A LOT of topics.  And then we assess throughout the year to see what children actually remember (more than for that day or two).

I have to tell ALL parents...pretty much every time we teach important topics with songs, almost everyone remembers them.

It can be letters, numbers, Spanish, science, history...almost anything.  If we do it with a fun song that isn't too hard to remember, kids remember.

We started seeing this pattern years ago.  There would be one topic we would do with a song, and another with some fun games.  The children enjoyed the games, of course, and seemed to learn it at the time.  However, when we went to assess later on, they almost always remembered the topics much better that were taught with a song.

In case you are wondering, YES, we have made up zillions of songs over the years to teach so many different topics in many different subjects.  And the kids LOVE them.

Think about some of the most annoying (I mean, memorable) commercials you have ever seen or heard.  The ones with great little songs are hard to forget!  So...why not use that when we want people to remember something we are teaching?

I'm pretty sure you know what I mean!

#4 - Keep kids moving

Trying to teach shapes?  How about Spanish?

This is my other most productive method for teaching anything.  When kids involve their body, they are much more likely to internalize the topic.

My most favorite way to teach is through music (because I KNOW it produces great results), but the next best way is through movement.

In fact, as I'm sure you can imagine, music and movement clearly go together very well.  We usually will at least add some hand motions to any song we have kids sing.

Not only does that help to keep them from poking their neighbor in a group setting, but it also keeps them involved, interested, and reaches another type of learner.

So, go ahead...encourage your child to form letters with his/her body, or act out being the earth going around the sun.  Trust me, it works.

Plus it's fun - so you get bonus points here as the teacher, too.

​Most of our major lessons includes lots of movement!
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#5 - Include lots of sensory experiences

Sensory activities help children develop healthfully in so many different ways.  Over the many years I've worked with children, it has become very apparent that kids who have experienced a variety of sensory activities regularly are better equipped to handle so many aspects of life compared to kids who have not had the opportunity or have chosen to avoid sensory experiences.

This may seem like a simple thing, but it has been a clear repetitive behavior - and it happens way to often to be a coincidence.

So...what does this mean for you and your child?  Pull out that shaving cream, make slime, play with dirt, plant a garden, finger paint, visit the petting farm, encourage water play...all the things!

The more experiences like these, and the more often they are available, the more fully developed your child will be emotionally, socially, and ultimately academically.

Years and years of experience with many types of children just doesn't lie.  

Bonus:  It's fun!  Yes, these things can be messy, but you can always do them outside and just hose the area off afterward.

I promise it's worth it!
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#6 - Repetition is the way, I repeat: repetition is the way

So many preschool curriculums try to teach a "letter of the day" or similar...

While that may be easy to plan, and sounds like a fun idea, it does NOT work for actual learning for kids.  Yes, they will learn the letter or topic for that day or two, but then quickly forget it.

How do I know?  When I first started teaching preschool, I followed along with a very popular zoo animal phonics program (you may be able to guess the name).  This is what they recommended.  Have a really fun, big day or so for each letter - and then move on.

Well, when we performed our assessments, we learned that by just focusing on one topic for a bit and then moving on, that is exactly what the children's brains do.  They soak it up, but then forget it.

So, whatever you want your child to learn, be sure to revisit it!  That is why in our curriculum, we consistently review our most important kindergarten prep topics such as letters and numbers.

You can choose to keep doing something the same for review, or to find different ways to cover the topic - but the most important thing is to be repetitive.
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#7 - Get outside everyday

Some of you may be thinking...what does this have to do with learning and kindergarten prep?

Well, just like with anything, preparation and priming is often just as important as the action.

Kids NEED to be outside.  Trust me.  The more we get our preschool kids outside, the better prepared they are for learning.

Not only is it easier for kids to run, move, and release energy, but the fresh air and sunshine just really prepares their brains for learning.  Whether it is for later that day, or the next one, the results are amazing.

Going outside doesn't have to be anything fancy.  Go for a walk around your block, visit a park, or even just set up something fun in your backyard.

These simple actions will help learning time go so much better.  You can thank me later.
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#8 - Establish a routine

​Do you ever feel better when you know what your plans are for the day?

Well, kids do, too!

However, young children often can't look at a schedule, read it, and understand it.  They go off of what they know in their head.

If you have a schedule that you tend to follow daily, this will help your child feel much more at ease.  He/she will know what to expect and not have to worry about what is coming next and when.

Not only will it ease your child's mind (thus allowing more focus for learning and growing), but it also makes your life easier!  If you have ever planned out meals for the week, you know what I mean.  When you don't have to consistently try to figure out what to do, life is so much easier.

Do I think there should be flexibility in a routine?  1000% YES!  We pivot all the time in our daily plans.  However, if each day is very similar, it will help put everyone at ease.
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#9 - Follow your child's lead

The very best laid plans with wonderful intentions may sometimes turn out VERY differently than you imagined.  THAT'S OK!

It may mean that your child is growing and developing their own thinking, it may mean that someone didn't sleep well, it might mean that the super cool project you found on YouTube doesn't actually work...

Whatever it means, just go with it.  Everything has a learning lesson in it.

I also want you to follow your child's lead in what he/she shows an interest in, and what they don't really care about.  You don't have to completely skip what your child doesn't like, but you don't need to spend a ton of time on the topic.  I mean, you could... but you will most likely. be talking to yourself.

And sometimes, if you move on for the day, you can revisit that topic another day and it might go completely different.

If you follow what interests your child, you can even include these other topics or subjects within that.  Be creative, go with the flow, and just enjoy each other.

For example, dinosaurs can be used to teach letters, numbers, measuring, history, etc, etc.  Find what your child really loves, and follow the lead.  In the end, there will be more learning and less struggle.
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#10 - Don't worry

I know, I know.  That's easier said than done.

But your child is only young once.  

What's more important?  That he/she is one of the first ones to read, or the most happy and kind?  I know my answer.

Take some time to think about your long tern goals for your child.  Beyond letters and numbers.

Focus on that when the days get long or don't go as planned.  The bigger picture is whole child development.

If you love your child with all your heart, you won't get this wrong.  Take care of yourself so you can have patience, energy, and joy.  Your child learns more from what you do than what you say.

Hug often.  Stop to look at the clouds, smell the flowers, stomp in the puddles.

These small things you do will have a bigger impact than you know.  Enjoy these moments as they will be gone in a blink!

xoxo, Jennifer
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Looking for more support for your preschooler?  Whether you teach him/her at home or want to supplement learning from another program, we have many great options available!

See more about our support for preschoolers:
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Art is amazing for kids in countless ways.  It allows them to be creative, express themselves emotionally, and develop in many other ways.  One of the great benefits of many art projects is that they can also help children in many academic ways - but don't tell them!  

So many art projects can help strengthen their little fingers and hands.  This is super important for children who will eventually be writing quite a bit.

I absolutely love using art for this since you can easily disguise the ultimate goal with beautiful, creative activities.  One of my favorite ways to do this is through ripping, scrunching, and holding small supply pieces.

The particular example shown with this post is phenomenal because they really need to use their finger strength to scrunch up all the little tissue squares to make this beautiful fall tree.  For old or more advanced kids, you can even have them cut or rip their own little squares before scrunching them up.

With preschoolers, I really like to set them up for success and so do not want to give them too many tasks.  We do plenty of other projects where they do get the chance to rip and cut, though!  I do my best to just give them one challenging task for each project so they can feel successful.

This tissue paper fall tree project is really a beautiful piece of art for the classroom or home, and I highly recommend giving it a try if you haven't done it before.  I personally like to cut the trunk with branches out and glue it on a piece of paper for the children.  Once again, you can modify this for older children who could do that on their own.

For preschool, I then supply them with a bunch of tissue paper squares for scrunching.  Once they are all scrunched up, I give them their paper with the trunk and some glue.  For easy clean up, I like to give them tiny cups of washable glue and cotton swabs to paste the pieces on.  I was lucky to get large boxes of tiny sauce containers from Costco years ago so we can use the cups over and over and only throw out the cotton swabs.  But dixie cups or anything you find can work too!

I hope you will give a project like this a try!  If you don't want to make fall trees, you could do so many other great pictures like pumpkins, turkeys, snowmen, etc.

Have fun with it and don't let the kids know they are developing their handwriting muscles!  They will never know :)

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I also have available our entire curriculum for purchase for parents and teachers, as well as a mentorship program for anyone who would like to start their own preschool, too.

Feel free to message me directly at info@youaremysunshinepreschool.com if you have any questions!  

With Joy, Jennifer

This is one of the BEST stories for fall time and apple picking!  It's great to include a quick lesson about how apples grow and the important role of bees along with this story as fun little unit.  Feel free to add how other fruits and vegetables grow, too!

You may want to add props, puppets, etc....you will DEFINITELY want to get a RED apple.  Be sure to cut it in half along the midline to see the "star" where the seeds are (it is opposite of the way you usually cut it!.  (Picture at the end of the story.)
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I hope you and your child(ren) enjoy this one as much as we do!  It's a lovely story tradition to repeat every year.

Want access to our FULL curriculum?  Coming SOON for parents and teachers to use at home or in their own program.  Helping children reach their highest level of success in kindergarten and beyond!

Most kids looooove to swing!  Ever wonder why?  It's because it feels so darn good!  Well, that is so very smart of the little ones to realize.  Because it doesn't just FEEL good, it IS good for them!  Swinging, and other similar movements, actually help the brain develop.  Kids just may be smarter than we think!

When a child's brain is involved in a swinging motion, it actually is stimulated in the vestibular and proprioreceptive parts of the brain.  This means that their brain will grow in this area. just by enjoying an activity that is fun.  How cool is that?

When a baby is in their mother's womb, they get to experience a lot of motion.  Just because the mom moves around.  After a baby is born, they are kind of stuck being still, unless a caregiver provides them with motion.  Why do you think a baby cries until they are picked up and rocked, or similar?!  Because they CRAVE that type of motion.

However, their neediness is not without good reason.  Lots of movement is so incredibly good for brain development.  

We all want our little ones to have super well-developed brains, right??  So, let's give them the movement they crave!

As kids get older, we can simply take them to the park to get their movement on!  Swinging, spinning, bouncing....all of these movements actually help their brain.

Lots of movement helps a child understand where their body is in space, and how to navigate this "space" correctly.  These are important pre-learning skills and are absolutely NOT to be skipped.

You can think of these movement skills as being pre-requisites to academic skills.  I can honestly say that time and time again, children who have issue with proprioreceptive development, or understanding their body in space, also have a hard time with academic development.

So, the more you can get your young child moving, the better off their brain will be to learn in the later years.  

Okay, hurry up already!  Go to the park!!  Or at least swing your child around the living room with your own hands.  

xoxo Jennifer

You know you want your kids to be smart, and you want your kids to like learning, but you are not sure how to achieve this?  Well, luckily for us, there are people out there studying just this sort of thing!  And they have good answers for us.

Scientists have done studies on the brain of little ones, and they have determined that one of the very most important things parents can do for young children to help ensure future academic success is read to them!

They have actually studied brain activity of children being read to, and have learned that it definitely stimulates the part of the brain that is involved in language development and visual imagery.  Children who have parents that regularly read them stories have a more well developed language brain area than children who do not receive this same benefit.

The simple act of story time together can actually make your kid smarter!

Reading to your child will help them learn more vocabulary, understand cadence and rhyming, and help them learn the rules of syntax.  Plus, it will create a better bond between parent and child.  Enjoy those special story moments together.  They are priceless in many ways.  And don't stop once they are able to read alone, studies show that it is still helpful to continue reading to older children as well.

What more could you ask for?  Now, go to the library!  Or, nowadays...Amazon.  Ha!

xoxo Jennifer

Did you know that make believe play and time spent running around a playground actually correlates to academic achievement?  Seriously.  Scientists have done studies on this and have found that not only does play time help the brain develop, but it also makes the brain more ready to learn new material.  That should make you feel good to know that all those hours spent going to the park were actually making your kids smarter!

Creative Play Help With Problem Solving Skills

During creative play, children grow in many ways that will benefit them in the future.  One of the biggest areas this helps, is with problem solving skills.  As children work together to build tall towers, link up train tracks, decide how to "cook" the wooden eggs, etc, they must navigate through challenges of deciding which piece to add next or who gets the next turn to add a piece.  It may seem simple, but this is the start to learning how to work together which is a super important skill for later group projects and eventually in the workforce.  Problem solving is also valuable for creative thinking.  In order to keep developing new solutions in our world, we really need creative, problem solvers.

Creative Play Helps With Language Development
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Also, as they learn to work collaboratively, they make considerable growth in language development.  They are able to learn new words from each other, try out words with their friends, and practice their pronunciation.  Learning to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills anyone can learn.  I mean, if you think about it, how many adults do you know that might benefit from a little more time honing this skill?  Let's make sure our kids play a lot so they can communicate effectively by the time they are grown-ups!

Free Play Prepares the Brain to Learn

In addition to developing their creative thinking, problem solving abilities and increasing their language, free play time also prepares the brain more for learning tasks.  Research has shown that children who get more free play breaks actually learn more of what is being taught in the classroom.  Structured PE type activities do not provide the same benefit.  The play must be child-led and open to creativity in order for the child to receive the most benefits.  

Schools that make sure to incorporate free play time throughout their days consistently have children that perform better on learning tasks.  More research is still being conducted, but the best amount of free time for brain benefits during a school day seems to be in about 10-20 minute periods.  

Free play and recess helps with memory and brain growth.  It really is beneficial for children in so many ways!

So, the next time your kids are working for a long time on homework or a project, be sure to give them play breaks.  It will not only make them happier and the work feel less like torture, but it will also make them smarter, too.  

In addition, be sure to encourage creative, free play with young children.  Building with blocks, and playing with imaginary creatures will help their brain grow for future academic success.  Knights and unicorns should be welcome additions to any playroom or classroom.

​Play on!  xoxo  Jennifer

Children never like it when they hear "no" over and over.  Well, did you ever think of simply trying to turn your "no" into something that sounds more like yes?

Not only will it create a more positive environment overall and teach children more positive language, but it will also gain you more cooperation since the kids will be hearing more of a "yes" than "no."

Here are 7 ways to get you started:

1. When you want to say, "No yelling in here."  
Say instead: "We use a quiet voice inside."

2. When you want to say, "Don't throw the toys."
Say instead: "Set the toys down gently."

3. When you want to say, "No pushing."
Say instead: "Say excuse me to get by."

4. When you want to say, "Don't grab the toy from your friend."
Say instead: "Ask for a turn when your friend is done."

5. When you want to say, "No running."
Say instead: "Use walking feet."

6. When you want to say, "No, you can't have a cookie now."
Say instead: "You can have a cookie after lunch."

7. When you want to say, "No hitting."
Say instead: "We keep our hands to ourselves."

The point is that anytime you want to say something negative, just think about what it is you want the child to do instead - and just say that!  It's as simple as it sounds.  The struggle becomes when your mouth opens and out comes "no" before you have a chance to find a better way to say it.  The more you practice, the more natural it will become.

Not only will this create a more positive environment, but it will help everyone focus on the desired outcome instead of what you don't want to happen.  Give it a try!  I bet you will be pleased with the results.  

xoxo Jennifer

Ask any preschool or kindergarten teacher what you can do to help your child to succeed in school, and you might be surprised what you will hear.  It's not going to be academics or reading.  Any guesses?

1. How to listen when someone else is talking.  

This is HUGE in a group.  Of course, when a teacher is talking, it is super important for children to listen, but it is always critical that children can listen when peers talk as well..  First of all, it is impossible to learn from a teacher if you are not listening.  Second, if everyone talks at the same time, then no one can hear each other.  Third, it is just good manners to be quiet when someone else is talking.

To teach your children to listen to others, insist that they practice this at home.  Take turns at the dinner table, and remind them to listen when other people are speaking.  You can even model this with your child and make a game out of it by holding a special "talking item" and passing it back and forth.  Only the person holding the item may speak.  

Another really helpful method to teach waiting their turn to talk is to teach your child to put his or her hand on your arm when they want to say something and you or someone else is talking.  This is a great method that you will probably appreciate, too!
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2. How to take turns.

Teaching your children how to take turns is a necessity for getting along with a group of children.  It is super important that they know how to wait when it is someone else's turn.  Waiting for a turn is definitely not always easy.  I mean, who likes to wait at a traffic light to go when you are anxious to get somewhere?  That is probably how children feel when they want to have their turn.  

A great way to teach kids about taking turns is by playing board games together.  Not only is it fun, but also you absolutely have to wait your turn while the other person goes.  You can even find board games that incorporate colors, numbers, shapes, etc.

3. How to share.

Sharing is probably one of the trickiest things in any group of kids.  It's one of those things that will just always be tricky.  Inevitably, there will be a toy that no one wants laying on the floor.  However, as soon as one child picks it up and makes it look interesting, a handful of kids will all suddenly become interested in it as well.  It's just the way it works.

Taking your child to playgroups and setting up playdates is the best way to practice sharing.  Then, at the play times, be sure to monitor that your child knows how to share and how to ask for a turn.  Teach your children to use their words - no grabbing or allowing another child to grab!  This can be a difficult skill to master, but it is so very important.

9. How to follow 1 and 2 step directions.

This is very important for classroom success.  Children must be able to listen to and follow directions.  If they can't do this, then it will be almost impossible to complete learning tasks in class.  

Practice this daily at home.  Ask your children to to something specific, and then make sure they follow through.  If your lucky, your kids will be able to do this easily.  However, there will be some children who need to be reminded several times before they complete the assigned task.  You can make it a game for these kids.  Set a timer, and see if they can get it done before it beeps.  Or, if you don't have a timer, you can count how long it takes to complete the task.  See how fast they can be!  Anytime you can make a job fun, you are more likely to get cooperation.

Once a child can complete one step directions, it is time to add on to them.  Now, see if they can do something with 2 steps successfully without forgetting one of the steps.  If this is easy, add another step and so on...  Once they can easily follow multi step directions, you know they will be able to complete learning assignments in the classroom with success.

10. How to play creatively without direction.

This may not seem at all related to school.  However, it is actually a very important skill for several reasons.  First, children will have time in early education classrooms where they get to choose an activity for free choice time.  It is not fun for them or the teacher if they cannot find something to do and entertain themselves during this time.  It really is kind of sad to see a child just standing there or roaming around not able to choose something to play with during the time that is supposed to be the most fun.

Many children have such over-scheduled days or too much time on electronics so that they cannot figure out how to just play and have fun.  To help your children with this, be sure to have some time during each day where they must entertain themselves.  

Not only will it make free choice time in class more fun, it is also so very good for their brain.  Creative thinking is a better predictor of long term academic success than academic skills alone.  You may feel that creative play is just a silly, optional activity, but it is actually a super important skill that will help your child succeed in life well beyond preschool and kindergarten.  Innovative thinkers are going to be more precious in the workforce than people who can complete automate tasks!  So, play on little ones!!

Now that you know 10 ways to help your child succeed in preschool and kindergarten, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss more helpful tips to raise the best children you can!

Everyone likes a child who is kind to others.  But...how can you be sure to teach your kids these important qualities?

Teaching children to be kind to others is one of the very most important tasks in our preschool.  Truth be told, I care more about teaching preschoolers to be a good person than about their reading skills.  However, teaching reading can actually be easier in many instances.

Preschoolers (and most children) typically think about their own wants and feelings first.  Well, if we are being really honest here, I think it's fair to say that many adults do, too.  It's just kinda human nature.  It probably stems far back from some sort of survival need.

With little kids, one of the biggest challenges is always around everyone wanting the same item at the same time.  There could be 500 toys in a room, but inevitably 5 kids will all want the same truck, or the same princess dress, or the same...well you get the point.  If someone else is playing with it, it must be good!  That is just the way it goes.  So, how do we handle this and teach empathy and kindness in the meantime?

We are really big on teaching young ones to use their words.  So, when another child is using something and they would like to also use the same exact item (because now they noticed it since other said child made it look appealing), we teach them how to go ask the other child for a turn when he/she is done.  It's pretty simple, they just need to say, "Can I please have a turn in a few minutes?"  However, this is something that most young children would not think of saying on their own. 

Instead, most little ones will choose to either grab the toy from the other child, whine and cry about how they wanted that toy, or just throw a full on fit in hopes that they will get their way.  Teaching young children that their voice is important and can be heard can truly be empowering.  It's typically not a natural first response, but it can so easily be taught.

Another extremely common occurrence with little ones is destroying someone else's hard work with a block tower or similar.  Building a big huge tower with blocks or Magna-Tiles can take a long time, and children are often so very proud of what they have built.  They will often work together in a group (blocks and Magna-Tiles are some of the very best cooperative toys, by the way) to make something amazing.  It really is pretty cool.

Unfortunately, it is very appealing, even more so sometimes, to knock down one of these super cool towers.  Usually, the child who wants to knock these cool buildings over is not one of the children who helped create the amazing tower.  This leads to big tears sometimes.

I can understand how it looks like fun to try to be King Kong, but obviously the other children working so very hard on the building do not appreciate the movie scene.

No matter how hard we try, it is just going to happen sometimes.  So, what do we do?  How do we teach the "King Kong" child that it was not a kind choice?

One again, we like to teach them about the power of their words.  First, we ask the offending child to look at the other child(ren)'s face.  It's important that the child can see how the other child is feeling sad.  This helps to cultivate empathy.  If a child can learn empathy, it will really help him/her learn how to naturally be kind to others in the long run.

Next, we have the child apologize.  Even if he/she does not feel truly empathetic, this is an important step because the child can learn this is the right thing to do.  I know some people will disagree with this, but even if you cannot make a child feel empathetic, you can still make the sad child feel validated if they can hear an, "I'm sorry."  It's almost just  form of good manners.

Finally, we ask the offending child to help rebuild the building or tower or whatever it was.  It may not end up being as cool as it was originally, but at least the child who knocked it over will learn to help fix something they destroy, and the child(ren) who built it will feel cared for.

We also like to teach children how to wait their turn to talk and share their ideas.  Little kids like to immediately share their ideas as soon as it pops into their mind.  They are not trying to dismiss what others are saying, but they are just so very excited by whatever is in their head.

Some things a child can do to be respectful of others when they want to share something:

In a classroom, raise a quiet hand.  This means his/her voice and noises need to be off.

Another group setting option is to hold up a quiet candle.  This just simply means to hold up an index finger.  And once again, be quiet.

One more fabulous idea for at home or small group settings, is to have the child put a hand on the adult's arm.  This means the child needs to quietly wait until the adult is ready, and hold his/her hand on the adult's arm.  I personally love this one with my own kids.  It works great!

The last kindness tip I'm going to share today is how we teach little ones to wait to start eating until we say a thank you poem.  It's just one more way to think about others, and practice self control.

Watch my YouTube videos to learn the motions for our Thankful Poem and for a review of the methods described in this post.  Hope this helps you raise more kind children for our world!  xoxo