Please find below our daily SolBe Family update letter containing helpful resources and exciting projects to explore while we all do our part to stay home during this pandemic. Subscribe here to receive daily updates.
May 13, 2020 SolBe Families, Are “Science Wednesday’s” a thing? If they are not, I sure think they should be! This experiment is FUN (and did I mention, easy?). Channel your inner “Bill Nye” with this Rain Cloud experiment. The sun may be shining today in Boston…but its raining in here! While we’re at it, let’s learn a little bit about the science behind rain clouds!
Project of the Day: Rain Cloud Science Experiment
Materials
Clear Container or Bottle
Shaving Cream
Food Coloring
Droppers or Pipettes
The Experiment
Where does the rain come from?
Watch this video for step-by-step project directions and ways to communicate the science behind this experiment to your kiddos. If you try this at home, share your pictures and videos with us on Instagram @solbe.learning so we can see how your experiment turned out! Most important direction, as always: HAVE FUN!
More resources to follow in the coming days. Feedback and more ideas welcome! Above all, be well and stay healthy! The SolBe Team
Read More...
Related Articles
Explore our latest insights and resources.
Using Your Voice Effectively: Intentional & Positive Phrases to Use With Your Child
This post emphasizes the power of using intentional and positive language when addressing challenging behaviors in young children. It offers practical tips and phrases to promote their well-being, growth, and autonomy.
Work and Family: 7 Strategies to Find Balance as a Parent
This blog post offers helpful strategies for parents to balance their work and family life, emphasizing the importance of self-care and support systems. It highlights how a healthy work-family balance positively impacts both parents and children.
Understanding and Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health
This post from SolBe Learning discusses the importance of early childhood mental health, debunking myths and offering strategies for parents to support their children's emotional well-being. It emphasizes that mental health starts developing early and provides actionable steps for fostering a nurturing environment.
Understanding and Monitoring Developmental Milestones
This blog post explains developmental milestones, why they're important, and how parents can monitor their child's progress, highlighting resources like the CDC Milestone Tracker App. It also emphasizes that every child develops at their own pace and that SolBe educators and the author, Head of Family Empowerment and Success Rebecca, are supportive allies for families.
Understanding and Identifying a Developmental Delay
This blog post explains developmental delays in children, including how they are identified and the support available. It emphasizes that children with delays can still thrive and learn at their own pace.
The Value of Process-based Learning
This post discusses the value of process-based learning in early childhood education, emphasizing open-ended exploration and the importance of teachers asking 'why,' 'how,' and 'what if' questions. It highlights how this approach fosters creativity and respects children's cognitive development, encouraging them to explore and build a meaningful relationship with their learning.
The Garden Project: Interview with Reyna
This SolBe Learning update shares resources and projects for families during the pandemic, including a personal reflection on the garden project. Subscribe for more updates and feel free to share feedback!
The Value of Imaginative Play
It also offers practical tips for parents and educators to cultivate and encourage imaginative play at home and in the classroom, fostering creativity and essential life skills.
The Impact of Part-Time Childcare on Child Development
This blog post from SolBe Learning explains the various benefits of part-time childcare for children, including improved social skills, cognitive development, and emotional growth. It also highlights the peace of mind it provides to parents.
The Truth about Parenting: Being a Thriving Parent
This blog post from SolBe Learning discusses that there is no single "right" way to parent, encouraging parents to focus on thriving and adapting their approach. It emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, seeking support, and building a loving relationship with your child.
The Garden Project: Interview with Talia
SolBe Learning shares a daily update with families, including resources and project ideas for staying home. Ms. Talia from the Green House classroom shares garden project inspiration!
The Garden Project: Interview with Carissa
SolBe Learning provides families with updates, resources, and project ideas during the pandemic. This post introduces a garden project and encourages feedback from families.
The Family-School Team: 3 Tips to Build an Effective Partnership
Building a strong family-school partnership is essential for children's success! By fostering open communication and collaboration, families and educators can create a supportive environment where children thrive.
The Benefits of a Montessori School for Early Childhood Development
This blog post explains the benefits of Montessori education for early childhood development, highlighting its focus on individualized learning, independence, and fostering a lifelong love of learning.
The Curious & Creative Classroom
SolBe Learning believes in fostering curiosity and creativity through play and exploration, inspired by Montessori and Reggio Emilia philosophies. We create learning environments that encourage children to become active explorers and collaborators in their own education.
Social-Emotional Learning: Five Competencies and How to Teach Them at Home
This blog post from SolBe Learning explores how to teach social-emotional learning (SEL) at home, focusing on five key areas of competence. It offers practical learning experiences and book suggestions to help parents foster their child's SEL skills, emphasizing that it's a continuous journey for both children and adults.
SolBe's Vision: The Future for Children and Families
SolBe Learning shares its vision for children and families, emphasizing exceptional early learning experiences and community support. The post encourages parents to share their hopes and collaborate to ensure children thrive.
Social-Emotional Learning: A Process of Child Development
This post explains social-emotional learning (SEL) as a developmental process, highlighting how children of all ages build these crucial skills. It also provides age-based milestones for SEL development in infants through preschoolers.
Social Emotional Learning Part Five: Teaching Growth Mindset to Inspire Change
This SolBe Learning blog post discusses the benefits of a growth mindset for children's social-emotional learning, emphasizing how to encourage it through language and praising the process rather than just the outcome. It provides helpful resources and book recommendations for parents and educators.
Social-Emotional Learning Part Three: Teaching Friendship to Inspire Change
This SolBe Learning blog post celebrates the importance of friendship in early childhood, offering insights on how educators support children's social development through various activities and providing book recommendations to encourage discussions about friendship.
Social Emotional Learning Part Two: Teaching Acceptance to Inspire Change
This blog post from SolBe Learning discusses the importance of teaching children about acceptance and understanding differences, particularly in the context of race and culture. It provides resources, book recommendations, and practical tips for parents to facilitate these conversations.
Social Emotional Learning Part Six: Teaching Empathy to Inspire Change
This SolBe Learning blog post focuses on empathy, the final piece in their social-emotional learning series, emphasizing its importance and offering tips and resources for parents to foster empathy in children. The post also highlights the importance of modeling empathy and provides book recommendations.
SEL: Parent Social-Emotional Competence & Well-Being
This blog post emphasizes the importance of parents' social-emotional learning (SEL) for their own well-being and their children's development. It offers tips and resources to help parents improve their SEL skills, which, in turn, supports their children's social-emotional growth.
Social Emotional Learning Part One: Teaching Kindness to Inspire Change
This SolBe Learning blog post emphasizes the importance of kindness and provides resources and a fun project, like painting kindness rocks, to help families practice Social-Emotional Learning at home.
Social Emotional Learning Part Four: Teaching Respect to Inspire Change
This SolBe Learning blog post explores how to teach children respect through modeling and mutual respect, rather than demanding it. It emphasizes the importance of parents demonstrating kindness and understanding to foster respectful behaviors in children.
Reflective Learning: 10 Meaningful Questions to Replace “How Was School Today?”
This post explains how reflective learning, encouraged by asking open-ended questions, benefits children's development. It provides helpful questions parents can use at home to foster deeper understanding and communication about their child's school day.
Prosocial Behavior: Strategies to Model, Practice and Praise
This blog post discusses the importance of prosocial behavior in early childhood development, like kindness and sharing, and how parents can encourage it through modeling, practice, and praise. It emphasizes that children are not perfect and these skills help children thrive socially and emotionally.
Recipe of the Day: Smoothie Bowl
SolBe families can find a healthy and fun smoothie bowl recipe to try at home. This post also encourages families to explore more resources and ideas for the SolBe community.
Ranking Boston Area Private Schools: Finding The Best Programs For Your Children
This post provides a ranking of top private schools in the Boston area, focusing on academics, extracurriculars, and college preparation. It highlights key features of each school and then promotes SolBe Learning's innovative approach to early childhood education, emphasizing its unique philosophy and how it prepares children for kindergarten.
Prosocial Behavior: Encouraging your Child to Apologize with Empathy
Instead of forcing apologies, help children understand and express empathy to encourage genuine remorse. This involves modeling empathy and teaching them how to offer meaningful apologies.
Prosocial Behavior: Encouraging Kindness and Generosity
This post explains the benefits of prosocial behavior, like kindness and generosity, in children. It offers practical ways parents can encourage these behaviors, such as reading related books and modeling kind actions.
Project Of The Day: DIY Fabric Bucket Top and Shoebox Lid Bird Feeder
SolBe families, this update shares fun activities like scavenger hunts and online classes from Beanstalk and TLC. It also highlights a DIY fabric bucket project for infants and toddlers.
Prosocial Behavior: Encouraging Your Child To Practice Gratitude
This blog post explains how to teach young children the meaning of gratitude, going beyond just saying "thank you."
It provides practical tips, like modeling behavior and incorporating gratitude into daily routines, to help children develop genuine appreciation.
Play is Work and Work is Play
This blog post explains the importance of play in early childhood development, highlighting its role in cognitive, social, and emotional growth, and how SolBe incorporates play-based learning. It also provides tips for parents on supporting their children's play at home.
Preparing a Learning-rich Environment
This post highlights the importance of creating learning environments that engage children's senses, mirroring the Reggio Emilia approach. It emphasizes child-led exploration, incorporating hands-on activities and age-appropriate spaces to foster curiosity and learning.
Nurturing Brain Development During the Window of Opportunity
Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, emphasizing the importance of positive experiences and responsive relationships for a child's future success. This post offers practical advice for parents and caregivers on how to nurture their child's brain development through everyday interactions.
Play Dough Recipe
Make some homemade playdough with your child using simple ingredients! This fun activity is easy to make and provides months of creative fun.
Nurturing a Growth Mindset for Young Children
This blog post explains the difference between a growth and fixed mindset, emphasizing the benefits of a growth mindset for children. It offers practical tips for parents and caregivers to nurture a growth mindset in young children.
Language & Learning
This blog post discusses the cognitive and emotional benefits of early childhood multilingualism, including increased empathy and improved focus. It also provides resources for parents to support their children's language development.
Exploring Spanish Language Learning Through Play-Based Activities
This post explains how to make learning Spanish fun and effective for children using play-based activities. It suggests incorporating games, storytelling, crafts, and cultural exploration to create a joyful language learning experience.
Kitchen Sink Hash
SolBe families can find a flexible, zero-waste Kitchen Sink Hash recipe using ingredients you likely have at home. The recipe is quick, easy, and encourages fun in the kitchen!
Early Intervention: Identifying Support for Children Birth to Age Three
This post explains early intervention (EI) services for children under three who have developmental delays, covering eligibility, services, and how to seek an evaluation. EI offers support to children and families, focusing on reaching their full potential through individualized experiences.
Developmental Milestones: What to Expect and Strategies to Encourage Growth
This blog post discusses the four main domains of child development and provides milestones to anticipate at different ages. It also offers positive parenting strategies to support children's growth in these areas.
Early Education and Care: The Foundation for Thriving Individuals
Early childhood education is a vital investment in children and communities, offering numerous long-term benefits. SolBe Learning is committed to providing high-quality, collaborative early education experiences.
Developmental Screening: Acting Early and Advocating for Your Child
This SolBe Learning blog post explains the importance of early intervention and support if you have concerns about your child's development. It provides resources and guidance on developmental screenings and advocating for your child.
Daily at Home Project: Red House – Fun For All Greatest Hits & More
This post provides SolBe families with a list of online resources and fun activities to do while staying at home, including virtual classes, music playlists, and project ideas for different age groups. It also announces upcoming virtual circle times and encourages parents to create memory jars with their children.
Daily at Home Project: Sensory Play and Egg Carton Garden
This SolBe Learning update shares fun at-home activities, including sensory play for babies and an egg carton garden for older toddlers and preschoolers. It also provides links to resources like bedtime stories and rainy-day play ideas.
Daily at Home Project: Rain, Rain, GO AWAY! and “I'm Bored Jar”
This SolBe Learning update provides resources like calming music, stress management tips, and good news for families. It also suggests fun projects for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers like making rain sticks and an "I'm Bored" jar.
Daily at Home Project: Rainbow Painting and Make Your Own Ice Cream
This SolBe Learning update shares fun outdoor activities and projects like rainbow painting and homemade ice cream recipes to enjoy with your children. They also remind families about their PPE drive and encourage everyone to stay healthy!
Daily at Home Project: Pots, Pans, Colors & Rainy Day Brownies!
SolBe is sharing fun indoor activities like virtual aquarium tours and author Mo Willems' lunchtime doodles, along with project ideas for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. They're also working on a music playlist and virtual yoga/mindfulness sessions for families!
Daily at Home Project: Lid Matching and Animal Washing Station
This SolBe Learning update provides families with helpful resources, including mental health tips and fun project ideas like lid matching and a water animal washing station, to engage children during the pandemic. The post encourages families to be gentle with themselves and use available materials creatively.
Daily at Home Project: Making Music with The Very Noisy Bear
SolBe Learning is providing families with daily updates, resources, and project ideas, like making music with household items, to keep children engaged during the pandemic. They also offer tips for parents on creating spaces for creative exploration and connection to the story of the day.
Daily at Home Project: Ice Painting
SolBe Learning shares a daily update with families, including links to virtual museum tours and a fun ice painting art project. The post also suggests additional learning activities using the ice paint.
Daily at Home Project: Fine Motor Activities and Let's See Where a Dot Can Take You!
SolBe Learning is sharing fun activities for kids like virtual yoga, fine motor skill projects, and art projects inspired by the book "The Dot."
They also provide resources for parents, including a free online course and access to materials for home activities.
Daily at Home Project: Craft Sticks and Chick Craft
SolBe Learning provides a helpful update with resources like Tinkergarten and Union Square play. They also share fun, easy craft activities for different age groups, including a craft stick activity and a fork-made chick.
Daily at Home Project: Crazy Art from Silvana Carpio
This SolBe Learning blog post provides families with resources like virtual classes and a home safari to engage children during the pandemic. It also includes a creative art project idea with instructions and reflection questions to encourage artistic exploration.
Daily at Home Project: Baby Treasure Basket and Rocks of Hope
This SolBe Learning update shares resources, including a visit from Audrey Duck, and project ideas like baby treasure baskets and a 'Rocks of Hope' activity to engage children during the pandemic. The update also includes a helpful article for parents to reduce worry during these times.
Daily at Home Project: Colander Pipe Cleaner and Pipe Cleaner Bubble Wands
SolBe Learning shares a Friday update with fun, at-home activities like Spanish singing, KidPowerment classes, and fine motor skill projects using pipe cleaners and bubbles for children of all ages. The center encourages outdoor time and welcomes feedback, hoping families stay healthy.
Daily at Home Project: Baby Bean Bowl and Pitched Roof Experiment
SolBe families, here is a daily update with helpful resources like virtual circle time, yoga, and storytelling, along with engaging project ideas for infants/toddlers and older toddlers/preschoolers to explore at home.
Daily at Home Project: Best Places To Get Outside
SolBe recommends getting outside for fresh air with a walk or hike, and provides suggestions for child-friendly trails. The post also includes fun, simple activity ideas like homemade paint and nature hunts for various age groups.
Daily at Home Project: A Wet Paper Project & A Raindrop Collage – At Home Family Projects
SolBe Learning is sharing fun, at-home activities for kids like sensory projects and rainbow scavenger hunts. They also provide links to other helpful resources for families.
Daily At-Home Project: Shaving Cream Marbling!
SolBe families can enjoy a fun shaving cream marbling art project! This post provides instructions and encourages exploration with this engaging sensory activity.
Daily at Home Project: A Bright Monday With A Project For All Ages
This post offers resources for managing anxiety and a free toilet training workshop, as well as a call for donations of medical supplies for local hospitals. It also includes instructions for a fun potato stamp project for children.
Daily At-Home Science Project: Rain Cloud Experiment!
SolBe Learning's update for families includes a fun and easy rain cloud science experiment to do at home with instructions and a helpful video. Families are encouraged to share their experiment results on Instagram.
Daily At-Home Project: “Baby You're A Firework!”
SolBe Families, here's a fun firework stamping project to bring some summer fun home! Gather your materials like toilet paper rolls, paint, and glitter, and get ready to create a colorful masterpiece!
Daily At-Home Project: Twiggy Hands
SolBe Families, here's a fun, hands-on project: create twig skeletons! Gather twigs, outline hands on cardboard, and glue the twigs inside for a sensory experience or a lesson on skeletons.
Daily At-Home Project: The #ChalkChallenge Movement!!
SolBe families are encouraged to participate in the #ChalkChallenge to show gratitude to essential workers. Create chalk art and share it on social media to spread joy and connect with others!
Daily At-Home Project: Sidewalk Chalk Recipe for #ChalkChallenge
SolBe Families can prepare for the upcoming #chalkchallenge by making homemade chalk using a simple recipe. The post provides step-by-step instructions and encourages families to have fun with the messy project!
Daily At-Home Project: Shaving Cream Marbling!
SolBe families can enjoy a fun shaving cream marbling project at home using simple materials. This activity allows children to explore sensory experiences and create magical artwork.
Daily At-Home Project: Pipe Cleaner Matching Exercise
SolBe families, here's a fun activity: match pipe cleaners to shapes on paper! This simple project promotes fine motor skills and abstract thinking for kids aged 9 months to 6 years.
Daily At-Home Project: Pretend Flower Stew
SolBe Learning shares a fun, imaginative play activity for kids: making pretend flower stew, using natural materials to explore textures and colors. They also provide related resources, including a book recommendation, to extend the learning experience.
Daily At-Home Project: Make Your Own Terrarium
SolBe is sharing a fun, educational activity: creating terrariums with your children! This post provides instructions and resources for building mini ecosystems at home.
Daily At-Home Project: Mix and Match Faces
This SolBe Learning blog post provides a fun, Picasso-inspired art project for children to create mix-and-match faces, encouraging creativity and fine motor skill development. It offers step-by-step instructions and questions to spark imagination, along with a suggested book pairing.
Daily At-Home Project: Homemade Binoculars for Little Explorers!
SolBe Learning is sharing a family update with resources and activities focused on pretend and imaginative play, like making binoculars for little explorers. They also suggest a book to pair with the activity and encourage families to have fun exploring!
Daily At-Home Project: Leaf Imprints
SolBe is sharing resources and project ideas for families, including a leaf imprint activity, to support children during challenging times. They also emphasize the importance of talking to children about race and providing a safe and supportive environment.
Daily At-Home Project: It's Magic! Montessori Milk
SolBe families can find Montessori-inspired projects, like the Magic Milk Experiment, with helpful resources in this update. Encourage your child to be a scientist and explore the world!
Daily At-Home Project: Handprint Bouquets!
This blog post shares a fun, easy craft idea for Mother's Day: fingerprint bouquets! It provides step-by-step instructions and encourages creativity with various materials.
Daily At-Home Project: Grow Your Branches on Earth Day!
SolBe is celebrating Earth Day with a nature-based project encouraging kids to create a tree using natural materials, promoting outdoor time and creativity. They also suggest a yoga pose to encourage movement and balance.
Daily At-Home Project: Birdhouse Decorating!
SolBe Learning shares a fun birdhouse art project for families to do at home, along with resources for gardening and staying healthy during the pandemic. They encourage families to have fun with the project!
Daily At-Home Project: Gratitude Dandelion Prints
SolBe is celebrating "Gratitude Week" with a fun, easy dandelion print craft for families. This post provides instructions and resources for the project, encouraging families to express appreciation during this time.
Daily At-Home Project: Gratitude Jar
This SolBe Learning blog post encourages families to create a gratitude jar to foster thankfulness in children, offering a fun, creative activity during the pandemic. It provides instructions and emphasizes the importance of establishing gratitude rituals and conversations within the family.
Daily At-Home Project: Egg Carton Crabby Crabs
SolBe Learning shares a fun crab craft activity to help children express their feelings, along with a recommended book and additional resources. This project aims to bring some joy and social-emotional learning to families during the pandemic.
Daily At-Home Project: Easy Watercolor Flowers!
SolBe families are offered a fun and easy tissue-paper watercolor project to express gratitude. This project is perfect for a special person in your life!
Daily At-Home Project: Dande-Lion Art
SolBe Families, this post shares a simple and fun outdoor activity: creating a dandelion mane for a lion drawing. It also recommends the book 'Dandelion' and encourages families to have fun and share their creations!
Daily At-Home Project: Earn It, Save It, Spend It, Give It
This SolBe Learning blog post shares a fun series of books about money, 'Earn It, Spend It, Save It, GIVE IT!' and suggests chores as a daily project for children to encourage responsibility and family participation.
Daily At-Home Project: Attitude of Gratitude
SolBe Learning shares a fun, creative art project to help children express gratitude during Teacher and Nurse Appreciation Week. Families are encouraged to try 'Appreciation Based Free Art' and share their creations.
Daily At-Home Project: Craft Pizza Surprise!
SolBe families can find helpful resources and project ideas in this daily update, including a fun craft pizza activity for all ages. The focus is on enjoying the process of creating, just like at SolBe!
Daily At Home Project: Wine Cork Friends and Feelings
SolBe encourages parents to be kind to themselves during this time, providing a reminder that they are doing their best. They also suggest a fun, feelings-focused craft using wine corks to help children explore their emotions.
Daily At Home Project: Yarn Wrapped Leaf Exploration
SolBe Learning provides resources and project ideas, like Yarn Wrapped Leaves, to help families navigate the pandemic and engage children. They also share tips for discussing COVID-19 with kids.
Carissa's Kitchen White Bean and Artichoke Dip
This blog post shares a simple recipe for a healthy and delicious white bean and artichoke dip, perfect for kids and easy to make with pantry staples. It's a great way to sneak in veggies and protein!
Carissa's Kitchen Savory Broccoli and Potato Pancakes
SolBe Learning shares a quick and easy recipe for savory broccoli and potato pancakes, perfect for a comforting weeknight meal. This recipe is designed to make isolation a little easier and sneak in some veggies!
Daily At Home Project: Veggie Paint Making From Marlo
SolBe Learning encourages families to practice gratitude and engage in activities like veggie printmaking to foster a focus on process-based learning. These activities aim to cultivate children's creativity and problem-solving skills during challenging times.
Daily At Home Project: Pom Pom Wall
SolBe families, check out this helpful update filled with fun activities like building a fort or making a pom-pom wall! Subscribe for daily updates and more resources to keep your little ones engaged.
Daily At Home Project: Edible Finger Paint
Ms. Nathalia from our Brown House recommends a simple recipe for edible finger paint using yogurt and food coloring, perfect for infants and toddlers. This easy, fun activity allows kids to explore colors and textures while being safe enough to eat!
Carissa's Kitchen White Bean and Asparagus Cassoulet
This post discusses the nutritional benefits of asparagus, explains why it affects urine odor, and provides a simple recipe for a white bean and asparagus cassoulet. It's a fun, healthy dish to make with your little ones!
Carissa's Kitchen Quickest Creamiest Tomato Soup
A quick and easy recipe for creamy tomato soup using pantry staples like canned tomatoes and chickpeas.
Carissa's Kitchen Goddess Toast
SolBe Learning shares a fun and easy avocado toast recipe, perfect for kids to help make! This goddess toast is a sweet and savory treat that promotes healthy skin and encourages family fun.
Carissa's Kitchen Garden Focaccia
This SolBe Learning blog post shares a kid-friendly focaccia recipe perfect for a family activity. The post encourages families to have fun and provides a link to subscribe for daily updates.
At-Home Science Project: Pencil Poke without the Soak Polymer Exploration
SolBe Learning shares a fun science experiment for families to try at home using pencils and a Ziploc bag. They encourage families to share their results on Instagram and promise more resources and ideas soon!
Stay Updated with SolBe
Join our newsletter for the latest insights and exclusive content on early learning and childcare.