Archive: Early Education

Twisted Logic: Brain Boosting Apps for Kids

 
New app producer Twisted Logic produces one-of-a-kind gaming apps for kids of all ages. The small company is family-run and clearly a passion project, based on the business smart and tech savvy  husband and wife team. Together, they create fun, interactive apps that cater to learning as much as they inspire a good time.
 

 
So far, Twisted Logic has released three apps, all compatible with iOS and Android products. Their released gaming apps include:
 

• Monkey Match: Monkey Match is a matching and memorization game with lively illustrations. It helps kids learn by matching shapes, colors, sounds and more. Plus, every level is goal-oriented. It establishes a goal at the beginning of the level and rewards the player after the goal is obtained, all in all making for an engaging game. [itunes download] [android download]

• Monkey Spot the Difference: Monkey Spot the Difference helps little ones hone in on their observation and concentration skills. They look at two images and must compare and pick the differences out of each one.  It’s a great game to play with the whole family.  [itunes download] [android download]

• TicTacToe Monkeys: TicTacToe Monkeys gives the classic game a fun twist. Players must choose their winning monkey and then duke it out on the Tic Tac Toe board. This game of strategy definitely puts a cute twist on the classic we all grew up playing.  It’s a game for all ages.  [itunes download] [android download]

 
In addition to creating fun and educational games, Twisted Logic wants you to feel good about letting your child on their apps.  So far the company sticks to an internet safety code for their kids apps that leaves us wanting more from our other kids apps.  When downloading you can be sure there are:

• NO In-App Purchases
• NO Third-Party Ads
• NO tracking or collection of user data
• NO requests for personal information
• NO links to the web or social networks without entering a Parent Gate

The creative geniuses behind Twisted Logic make up quite a team. The Head Creator is a creative tech guru who tapped his passion for animation and design and turned it into colorful, creative gaming apps. The Chief Strategist heads the business end of the company, making business-savvy decisions and making sure the company and its workers stay on track. The best part? This family-run business knows exactly what kids want because their daughter Mackensie is the “Senior App Tester” for the company. Her bio reads, “From about the age of 10 months Mackensie has been learning the ins and outs of Apple devices. Currently having her own iPad and two iphones (handed down from Dad) isn’t good enough and she’s always after Dad’s newer devices. Now at the age of  2 years old, finding her way around mobile devices is a breeze. She can even teach her Mum a thing or two…”

Twisted Logic brings creative, colorful apps to the market, developed in a family environment and tested by their own daughter and family friends. This team knows what kids and parents want in an app!  Download these apps today!

CHALK Preschool: In-Person or Free Online Options for Early Education

CHALK Preschool is one of the most technologically advanced early education programs of its time. Its online program is totally convenient and totally free. If parents prefer a more traditional, in-person option for their child, they’re invited to opt into one of CHALK’s five in-person preschools, located in Chicago and Los Angeles.

The CHALK Preschool Mission

CHALK Preschool believes that every child deserves access to an early education. That’s why, in addition to offering several in-person locations in both the Chicago and Los Angeles areas, it’s also available to preschoolers around the world through CHALK’s online preschool program. And because CHALK knows how vital those first few years of learning are, it offers its online curriculum for free.

CHALK’s Teaching Philosophy

Teachers at the in-person centers believe in a warm, welcoming environment where children learn by embracing the arts and achieving classroom goals, based on studied learning standards. CHALK focuses primarily on a hands-on learning style. Even the online courses are about much more than screen time. This hands-on teaching approach means preschoolers learn both inside and outside, with both the online and in-person options. The curriculum focuses on primary learning objectives centered on literacy, math and science. But CHALK goes beyond the books. Preschoolers in the program hone their creative skills through art projects and perfect motor skills through music and dance activities.

The Nitty Gritties of CHALK

The online courses are available on regular computers, as well as on smartphones and tablets. While age varies, based on the needs of each individual child, most are ready to join the preschool program somewhere between the ages of two and five. While they’re first separated into classes by age, if a parent feels it’s not a perfect fit, staff members are happy to switch children to more suitable class groups.

CHALK’s History

The idea for CHALK was first established in 2004, but the first center went up in Illinois the following year. For the next few years, more and more centers were opened in the Chicago area and in 2009, the first Los Angeles CHALK Preschool was established. Since then, the centers have continued to multiply in both cities. Because the founders of CHALK wanted their preschools to reach across the country, and even the world, they decided to launch the online preschool option. With this digital curriculum, even those who don’t live in Chicago or Los Angeles can still reap the benefits of a CHALK early education.

Parents are welcome to enroll their child in the online program at any time, simply by visiting CHALK Preschool’s website. In-person programs accept applicants year-round, so Chicago and Los Angeles-based families are also welcome to enroll at any time.

UPDATE 1/26/15: CHALK’S FREE SITE IS NOW AVAILABLE AT WWW.FREEONLINEPRESCHOOL.COM

Why We Love CHALK Preschool Centers

At MomTrusted, we have a lot of favorites when it comes to preschools. We devote our time to spreading word of outstanding programs and helping match parents with child care and education options. One of the preschool programs at the top of our list is CHALK Preschool, available at several locations in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas. Here’s why we love them:

CHALK’s belief in the learning process

At CHALK Preschool, staff strives to appeal to all parts of learning in an effort to provide a well-rounded education and preparation for kindergarten. CHALK supports each child’s emotional, physical, social and cognitive growth through carefully chosen lesson plans. A warm and welcoming environment is what staff members of CHALK work to provide for every preschooler in the program. They stress hands-on activities, including, but not limited to, a wide variety of songs, games and crafts.

CHALK prepares children for the leap into school

Teaching is the main goal at CHALK Preschool, and each center focuses on preparing its students for kindergarten, prepping them for a long road of academic success. While the lessons focus on math, science and literacy, a CHALK education reaches beyond the traditional sense. The preschools also work to help young ones perfect their motor skills and help children acquire social skills.

CHALK offers an online program

CHALK Preschool gets a ton of bonus points for spreading knowledge around the world by offering an online preschool option. Parents can login whether or not their child is already enrolled in preschool. The lessons, which are focused around key points like literacy, math, science and more, can be used as bonus learning material for those already in a tradition preschool, or a unique, digital preschool option for those who don’t go to preschool every day. The online version is even free for parents to enroll their children in and use.

CHALK Preschool has a total of five locations spread between Chicago and New York. The first went up in 2005 and popular demand for the program resulted in more and more preschools. Children between the ages of two and five are welcome and the preschool accepts applications year-round, so don’t wait until next year to enroll. Schedule a tour and see if it’s a good fit for your child. Click here to find the closest Chalk Preschool to you.

See more examples of just one day of their online preschool program below.

UPDATE 1/26/15: Chalk’s free site is now available at www.freeonlinepreschool.com

How Parents Can Use CHALK Preschool

Whether your child is already enrolled in a separate preschool program, starting next year or learning at home until they begin kindergarten, the CHALK Preschool online curriculum can help children expand and enhance their early education for free. All you need is your computer, smartphone or tablet to enroll and get started.

The CHALK Curriculum

CHALK Preschool focuses on preparing preschoolers for kindergarten. Lessons revolve around learning numbers, letters, shapes, sizes, colors, pattern recognition, weather, days of the week and more. The best part? There’s constantly new, challenging material for your little one. With a new lesson list every day, your child can expand his or her knowledge by exploring new games, songs and activities.

The CHALK Learning Approach

Despite being an online program, CHALK Preschool is about much more than sitting in front of a screen, clicking a computer mouse. The curriculum is centered on hands-on learning, involving both indoor and outdoor play and discovery. From art projects to song and dance, CHALK gets little ones up and moving, learning through exploration, the way that they learn best.

Here’s how to use CHALK Preschool to enhance your child’s learning:

1. Enroll

To get started, all you need to do is enter your email information and your child’s name and birthday on CHALK’s website.

2. Select a lesson to focus on.

Choose a topic on the left hand side of the screen. You can opt for dailies, which changes every day, weather, literacy, math and science or art. Each comes with videos, games or activities. Some even feature all three.

3. Print off printables.

Next, check out the printables available on the left side of the screen, under the lesson options. Here you’ll find coloring sheets, graphs and more that your child can draw or write on.

4. Free play!

If your little one still wants to learn and you’ve already covered his or her daily lesson plan, click on the free play link on the top right of the screen. Here, you and your little one can watch videos and learn fun, educational songs to sing along with.

5. Stop by the Parent Portal.

This section of the website, located on the top right of the screen, is completely dedicated to parents like you. Here, you can learn more about the CHALK Preschool program and leave helpful feedback for the staff. You can also head to the advice corner to find helpful tips on everything from teaching about manners to helping smooth out the bedtime routine.

Free Program at CHALK Preschool Makes Early Education Accessible for All

We promise it’s not too good to be true. CHALK Preschool offers an online curriculum to children across the world for absolutely no cost at all. With preschool tuition on a seemly constant rise, the option for free learning is key.

In recent years, preschool has gotten so expensive that it’s even been compared to college tuition costs. Depending on location and which specific program parents choose, preschool for just one child could set them back anywhere between $4,400 and $13,000 each year. The average cost of tuition at a public college is under $9,000. That means that parents could actually pay more for their child’s preschool education than they do for their college. And as a country, we can’t afford these steep tuition costs. College students and grads owe around $1 trillion in student loans, begging the question, if we can’t afford to pay for our children’s college tuitions, how can we afford to pay around the same amount for their preschool education?

That’s where CHALK comes in. Because of this interactive preschool option, children across the world are able to attend preschool. The online, free curriculum through CHALK Preschool is accessible to everyone, regardless of household income. It gives children across the world access to a quality, early learning education. The program is open to any child, but primarily aimed at kids between the ages of two and five.

Learning is vital within those first five years. It can pave the road for academic success in the future. Kids who attend preschool enter kindergarten with a higher understanding of vocabulary, math and pre-literacy skills. And a preschool education goes beyond the books. It teaches children to socialize and can even help develop motor skills. Later in life, preschool matters. Studies show that adults who attended preschool are less likely to be held back in school, placed in special education, rely on welfare or even break laws. There’s no doubt that preschool plays a big role in both the immediate and future success of children.

Everyone should be given the advantage of preschool. Because CHALK knows the importance of an early education, they strive to make it accessible to all children. To enroll your child in CHALK Preschool’s free online program, simply visit the site and register today!

Sources:

-“Preschool: How much does it cost?” Baby Center

-“What’s the price tag for a college education?” College Data

-“Why preschool matters” Parents.com

-“Preschool: The most important grade” ASDC

Teaching Preschoolers About Money

New $100 dollar bill coloring page

A couple of months ago, in the midst of the government shutdown, the U.S. Treasury started printing new $100 bills. The new bills are more expensive to produce than the ones we’re familiar with. Each bill costs nearly five cents extra to create. In honor of the new $100 bills, we’ve put together a few ideas for teaching preschoolers about money:

New $100 Coloring Page and Lesson Plan

We created a coloring page so you and your kids can decorate your own $100 bills, cut them out, and make play money.  Plus we also added in a few other ideas for introducing the concept of currency to your little ones.

Give them an allowance

Parents interested in teaching their children the value of money can give them a small allowance. Even a simple $5 per week will work great. The idea isn’t to give money though. The allowance should teach the value of money, so it works best if little ones need to do some chores around the house to earn it. Maybe they make their bed every day or wash dishes. The idea is to teach them to work for and appreciate their little income and to save for special toys, books or other items that cost more than their allotted income.

Count and sort coins

Counting and sorting change will help teach kids the values of different coins. First, teach the preschoolers the names of each coin. Then, after those have been memorized, introduce their values. Use visuals to your advantage. Put five pennies together, next to a nickel. Then, explain that the five pennies equal one nickel. Do this for each coin and experiment by putting together different combinations.

Order coins

After the preschooler has mastered the monetary value of each coin, make a game out of it. Place coins on a table and have the preschooler sort them from most valuable to least. Then, place different coin combinations on the table and have the child or children do the same activity with groups of change.

Sources:

-“Money Games and Activities” Nick Jr.: http://www.nickjr.com/home-life/kids-money/money-games-activities/money-games-activities_ap.html

-“A preschooler’s allowance” Simple Mom: http://simplemom.net/a-preschoolers-allowance/

-“These New $100 Bills Are Going to be Huge Overseas” BloombergBusinessWeek: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-08/these-new-100-bills-are-going-to-be-huge-overseas

Rewild the Child: Learning Outside of the Classroom

The idea of hands-on learning has been around for ages. But now, multiple studies are showing what we suspected all along: learning outside of the classroom is the best kind of learning around. It improves test scores, memory retention and overall attitude. Even learning the stuff in the books in the country side proves better than lining students up in desks.

King’s College London, one of the leading research universities in the world, found that learning in a natural environment ups performance in nearly all subject areas, including math, reading, social studies and science. According to the study performed by King’s College London, exploring their surrounding gets kids excited about learning, amping up their information intake and overall test skills.

According to author Stuart Nundy’s book Raising Achievement Through the Environment, learning outdoors, in open country, was actually found to improve memory. These are just a couple examples, among a slew of research that points toward one answer: keeping kids in the classroom is not the way to learn.

According to multiple studies, scientists and authors, kids learn better outside of the classroom, taking advantage of hands-on activities. Plain and simple.  George Monbiot breaks it all down for readers in his recent article, “Rewild the Child.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: “REWILD THE CHILD” BY GEORGE MONBIOT.

Sources:

-“Rewild the Child” George Monbiot: http://www.monbiot.com/2013/10/07/rewild-the-child/

-“Understanding the diverse benefits of learning in natural environments” King’s College London: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/KCL-LINE-benefits_tcm6-31078.pdf

-Photo courtesy of jonny2love