Potty training tips: An evidence-based guide for the thinking parent

Evidence-based potty training tips? There haven’t been many experimental studies of toilet training, but helpful research exists. Here you will find a collection of evidence-based articles, including: What research reveals about the timing of training Signs of toilet training readiness: Should you wait? How to prepare reluctant kids for toilet training The anthropology and biology … Continue reading

Preschool stress: What causes it, and how can we help kids?

© 2006 – 2013 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved Evidence of preschool stress You send your child to preschool, hoping she will learn better people skills. Instead, she comes back with new behavior problems–increased rudeness, defiance, or aggression. Spending lots of time with peers doesn’t seem to have improved her social skills. It’s made them … Continue reading

Preschool science activities: How to nurture your child’s interest in the natural world

© 2008 – 2012 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Can we design better preschool science activities? Activities that stimulate curiosity, teach science concepts, and avoid overwhelming or boring children with lessons that are developmentally inappropriate? In the article below, I review the advice of educational and cognitive psychologists about preschool science education. But if … Continue reading

Preschool science experiment: Making mud bricks

This preschool science experiment is designed for kids who have already had experience playing with mud — both mixing mud and drying out mud. For best results, try this experiment after your child has explored the properties of dirt and mud. Materials Multiple dirt samples (sand, topsoil, dirt-and-gravel, etc.) Dried leaves or grass Sticks Buckets … Continue reading

How daycare centers change the stress response system (and what we can do)

© 2009 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Numerous studies report a link between daycare centers and stress. The more time young children spend in childcare facilities, the more likely they are to develop abnormal stress hormone profiles. What’s normal? Typically, the body produces high levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the early morning. … Continue reading

Preschool science project: Floating and boating

© 2009 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved These activities allow kids to explore the concept of buoyancy. The first preschool project is that old standby — “floaters and sinkers.” The two that follow introduce children to the more complex activity of boat-building. To help kids develop a deeper understanding on the subject, tackle these activities in … Continue reading

Dirt Lab: Preschool science projects exploring soil and mud

These preschool science projects permit kids to explore the properties of different kinds of dirt and mud. Kids will make observations using their senses and some science tools, like a magnifying glass and some tweezers. Kids will also explore the concept of change as they turn dirt into mud—-and vice versa. Ideally, these preschool science … Continue reading

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