kindergarten

outdoor portrait of a cute young girl reading a book

6 Essential Books for Kids that Make Social-Emotional Learning Fun

What a parenting relief to find great kids lit that helps kids identify and process emotion! These 6 books, recommended by a librarian and a theater teacher, can boost kids’ emotional intelligence and help them manage complex feelings.

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brain breaks

18 Brain Breaks That Will Make Your Kids’ Minds Happy

Brain Breaks are brilliant ways to energize your kids in the classroom or at home. These short movement activities invigorate kids so that they can learn with calm bodies and focused minds. They tap into imagination and word play too!

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reading books for empathy

Afraid Of “Improv”? Simple Is The Best Way To “Silly”

Improv gets me through the winter with kids!   All those long hours of hangin’ indoors, while fending off the inevitable requests for screen-time, can make a parent go bonkers.  You guys who just had a snow day know what I’m talking about. But sometimes it’s best to take a break from structured games and

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Jocelyn sitting with kids as they clean up putting things away in basket

How To Make Clean Up Fun

Using positivity and playfulness you can transform even the most annoying task of clean up, into a game! Watch this short video I made about the Clean-up Game!  I use this tactic in my classrooms and in my living room.  Learn about positive discipline techniques to make cleaning up more fun.    “Children are incontrovertibly

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Jocelyn with a group of kids jumping and laughing

Tips On Getting Cozy With Your Kids

It is a rainy-snowy weekend for us in New York and I have just learned a new word:  Hygee It’s Danish, but I’d like to start working it into my English.  Pronounced “hoo-ga” – it is more a feeling than a word and is purportedly impossible to translate.  But let’s say it roughly means: “a feeling

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Jocelyn sitting with young girl playing Story Clap

Practice Listening With Story Clap!

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is upon us! You may be already preparing the brine, buying cranberries in bulk or finding the perfect wine pairing for poultry.  I’m looking forward to four days away from the routines of school and work. And I’m grateful for the time to think about what I’m grateful for…which is

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Young boy doing Animal Yoga with Jocelyn teaching

Move Your Body, Stretch Your Imagination With Animal Yoga

Playground season is over.  It’s officially cold.  Let’s all have a moment of silence.  And then a moment for a silent scream as we contemplate all those after-school and weekend hours that we are about to spend indoors. If you are reading this from California or some such climate, good for you.  But here on

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