A few days from now (March 2nd) will mark the birthday of one of childhood’s favorite authors, Dr. Seuss. Over the years, Seuss has become a household name; the brief mention of him always brings crazy imagery and catchy rhymes to mind. 
In honor of his birthday, National Read Across America Day was named and is held on the school day closest to March 2nd (Seuss’ birthday).
Testing time is here in many US schools. When my kids were young, there was much less emphasis on standardized testing and test results. Now schools devote much of February getting kids prepared for standardized testing that happens in March.
In some schools preparation is a review of material they have been learning in the classroom. In others it can mean a whole shift to cover material that they haven’t covered, but will be tested on. With all that’s weighing on test results; from teacher pay to school funding, there can be a tendency to stress. Parents may be stressed on what it means for their child. How might their child be ‘labeled’. Teachers can be stressed. School and district administrators are stressed – again because there’s a lot riding on those test scores.
Here are 10 GREAT Math Apps I found for your little ones to visually practice their math skills!
Count Up To Ten: This app lets children discover numbers 1 to 10 and learn how to count using some of their favorite animals and characters.There is a rather critical matter at hand in education and I want to speak very directly about it. The arts are being eliminated from our schools and testing is on the rise. There is a prevailing notion that we need less of the arts in order to make more time for the subjects that are being tested and for the tests themselves.
This line of thinking actually results in lower test scores and disconnected, discouraged, under-achieving students. Why? Because the arts, the very thing schools want to eliminate, are essential to the majority of the student population; not because art is a fun way to relax or express oneself – but because the arts actually fuel the brain. The majority of the student population are visual-spatial learners that NEED the arts to think effectively.
Testing time is coming up and although it can be a stressful time of studying, quizzing and preparing your little ones, don’t forget there are more ways to encourage a love of learning than flashcards and drilling facts… try art! 
Use your child’s love of drawing and coloring to learn! Did you know you can apply your child’s naturally tendency to create towards learning new academic skills in a fun and exciting way? These Artoozie workbooks; Squares, Circles, Patterns and Cats, were intentionally designed as an activity that students can use with an adult or explore on their own for hours of fun.
“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.”- John Boswell 
February is Library Lover’s Month and there is no better time to revisit your public library than now. Libraries are one of the best parts of a community. Many are a center for activities, learning and community fellowship. I know our local library constantly has children’s programming, adult services and a lot of activities and space for teens to hangout in a structured safe place.
Last year I shared a lot about the importance of Preschool Development and helping young kids develop their own internal order. 
One of the ways we help our children and grandchildren accomplish this is through visual cues that help them move along independently. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from you, our parents and readers, that the Bedtime Chart is quite a hit, and a demand for the Morning Chart has arisen!
I love art and kids, so it makes a lot of sense that my business, Young Rembrandts, is all about teaching kids how to do art. In Young Rembrandts, we teach a lot of elementary drawing classes, but I have to say teaching preschool classes is my absolute favorite.
I love their enthusiasm and hunger to absorb the world around them – and their skill development is beyond remarkable.
Bringing art to children at an early age has tremendous impact, socially and academically. Look at these ladybug drawings and see what young kids can accomplish with some instruction and encouragement.
