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Learning

•   Young Writers Studio to Move and Expand
  

  Do you have a youngster who loves to write or perhaps a child who struggles with it? Bellingham’s Young Writers Studio is moving to a new location and offering all new workshops. Geared for children ages 8-18, Young Writers Studio’s next session begins January 6, 2010 in the Center for Expressive Arts and Experimental Education. At the new location, founder Stephanie Dethlefs will offer specialized, skill-focused workshops in a variety of genres.

•   Your Preschooler – Published
  

  One of the most charming aspects of a preschooler's personality is a budding imagination. By taking some time to prompt, question, and record her thoughts, you can easily create a story together and turn it into a book that she will be proud of. And, as an added bonus, she will want to read it over and over, boosting early literacy skills. Tackle the following steps all at once or one day at a time.

•   Plan a Field Trip with Your Kids
  

  As babies grow into children, they absorb information at an astonishing rate. Learning is especially critical during their toddler years, as experienced parents can attest, while their motor skills and language develop. These years seem to zoom by with constant questions and movement as kids explore the world. One way to help kids learn is to plan a field trip so they can get an up-close look at how the world works.

•   Missoula Children's Theatre Comes to Town
  

  Auditions for three Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) productions at the Mount Baker Theatre will take place in July and August this summer. Summer camp reservations are currently underway for this unique performing arts opportunity in Bellingham. Missoula Children’s Theatre has visited Bellingham for 10 years. The concept is that two young drama teachers travel around the country in a little red truck loaded down with scenery and costumes.

•   Eight Tips for a Happy First Art Experience
  

  Toddlers explore art as a learning experience, an experiment, and an activity of discovery that is simulating and interesting. They are more interested in the process of doing art than the resulting finished product. But, sadly for parents, it can also be a messy process. So here are some useful ideas that will keep kids and parents clean, safe, and happy while creating art together.

•   Choosing a Preschool for Your Child
  

  Choosing a preschool for your child can be an overwhelming experience. What should you look for? A program that fits your family's schedule? And what's the difference between preschool and daycare? With so many choices, the daunting task can seem insurmountable unless you take the time to reflect on the following questions. By narrowing down what you are looking for in a preschool program, the decision won’t feel nearly as intimidating.

•   Enhancing Literacy Through Process Art
  

  If you want to hold the attention of a child, read a book aloud to him. If you want to see a child become deeply involved in creativity, give him crayons and paper for free drawing. We know these truths to be self-evident, for we’ve seen and done them so many times that we can’t begin to count them! Books and art have always been powerful tools for motivating, subduing, intriguing, and delighting children.

•   Sharpen Your Pencils for Write It!
  

  A new—and free—writer’s workshop for local youth is starting up this month, just in time for National Grammar Day on March 4, 2009. Stephanie Dethlefs, a mother of two and Neighborhood-Kids.com contributor, decided to start the Young Writers Studio for kids in grades 4 to 12, which meets on Wednesdays at the Bellingham Public Library. In an email interview, Stephanie explained the genesis and objectives of this program more thoroughly.

•   Ready, Set, Read Across America!
  

  Mark your calendars for March 2 and get your books ready! On the birthday of beloved author Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss), children and adults around the United States will participate in the National Education Association’s 11th annual Read Across America celebration. Started by a small task force in 1998, Read Across America calls for every child to enjoy a book with a caring adult.

•   Raise a Savvy Reader: An Age-by-Age Guide
  

  We all know that we are supposed to read to our children, but each developmental stage comes with its own needs and challenges. This handy guide will help you develop a strong structure for reading at home with children of any age, whether they are language-absorbing infants or independent preteens. Take a look and see how you can adjust reading patterns and strategies with your kids as they learn and grow.

•   Keep the Art of Handwriting Alive
  

  Did you know that we recently celebrated National Handwriting Day? The unofficial holiday was established in 1977 by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association in order to remind the public about the importance of handwriting. January 23rd was chosen as the big day in recognition of the birth of John Hancock, whose signature on the Declaration of Independence is one of the most recognizable examples of handwriting in America.

•   Use Inauguration as a Teaching Tool
  

  As teachers struggle to squeeze in time for social studies in our schools, President-Elect Barack Obama’s upcoming inauguration is a teaching moment not to be missed. Parents, too, will be using this national celebration as a great time for children to develop pride in the democratic system. Not only can children learn from the story of Obama’s rise to leadership, but they can pick up other important lessons about American history and government.

•   Make Learning Geography Fun!
  

  Help kids get excited about geography during games and activities that they already enjoy. There are plenty of resources out there for parents and teachers that help make learning geography a fun and interactive experience for kids. Take a look at some of the ideas below to help your child have fun while learning about the diverse cultures and places in our world, from toys and games to local slideshow presentations.

•   Quiz the Kids for Geography Awareness Week
  

  Get out the map! Did you know that it’s Geography Awareness Week? Established in 1987 by a joint resolution of Congress, GAW takes place during the third week of November each year to emphasize the importance of geography education in the United States. A major supporter of GAW is the National Geographic Society, which encourages educators and students to get excited about geography by participating in their annual National Geographic Bee.

•   Dr. Hallowell Comes to Bellingham
  

  In October, Intermediate and Middle School students at Whatcom Day Academy had a very distinguished visitor. Dr. Edward Hallowell, father of three and a clinical psychiatrist who has been featured on Oprah and other TV talk shows, was in town to present the inaugural speech for Whatcom Day Academy’s “Education in the Community” Speaker Series. He also spoke to students about how each person has unique strengths and every brain has its own way of thinking.

•   Dream List Media: Making Kids' Dreams Come
  

  Local author and motivational speaker, Melissa Borghorst, brings Operation Dream List workshops to Whatcom County schools, giving students the tools, knowledge and courage to follow and reach their dreams. These workshops for grades 6-12 teach students important goal planning skills, and help break big dreams into smaller goals so they can start accomplishing right away, tracking progress in Dream List Journals.

•   Celebrating the Freedom to Read
  

  Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is an annual event sponsored in part by the American Library Association each year. The nation-wide event gathers librarians, authors, booksellers, publishers and journalists together to remind Americans not to take their democratic freedom to read for granted. This year, the Banned Books Week Read-Out! Kick-off took place in Chicago, IL on Saturday September 27th.

•   Learn More About Banned Books Week
  

  Depending on their age, the idea of banning books might be a foreign topic for your kids, but there’s plenty you can do this week to educate them, and yourself, about the freedom to read. It's a great opportunity to share some early United States history and the First Amendment, and help kids see how their voice and opinions can make a difference in institutions, from the library to the government.

•   Bham Music Lives On As Keyboard Kids Closes
  

  Near the intersection of West Illinois Street and Sunset Drive, there’s little question as to what services Keyboard Kids, with a piano keyboard painted along the roof, provides. But as owner JoAnn Armstrong closes the music teaching studio, who knows what’s next for this place where over a thousand children from age 18 months to 12 years received group piano lessons from “Miss JoAnn” during the past twenty years.

•   Getting a Great Start at School
  

  With the beginning of school parents are hopeful that their children will have a successful year, but children are individuals and each school year brings new challenges and concerns. While parents cannot control all that happens during a school year, they can take active steps to encourage a positive experience for all. Following are some practical suggestions to help parents get their children off to a good start.

•   Kids Can Get Familiar with Computers at WCC
  

  It’s amazing all that can be accomplished with computers these days. Just about anyone can record a professional sounding CD of music or produce a TV-worthy digitally animated cartoon from a home computer. If your kids are interested in learning about creating artwork on the computer, you might want to explore some of the programs for kids offered with Whatcom Community College Community Education.

•   Olympics Inspire Kids to Learn About China
  

  Books and games about China are fast disappearing off the shelves of educational stores in Bellingham as parents see this Summer Olympics in Beijing as a rare chance to inspire education in social studies. Whether kids get started with questions about international sports competition or jump immediately into subjects about China, the next couple of weeks is clearly a time for mom and dad to fast track their child’s cross cultural knowledge.

•   Fairhaven Girls' School to Open This Fall
  

  “You have to use your imagination,” Amanda Werchan said as she walked through a former lawn mower shop that’s currently being transformed into a private school for middle school girls. Altering the barren commercial space into a school for 15 pre-teen girls seems ambitious, but with Amanda’s determination, the school will definitely be ready on September 2 for the first class of Fairhaven Girls’ School.

•   Bellingham Schools Building Buzz
  

  The buzz around Bellingham Public Schools these days is about their current building projects. Along with updates and general maintenance, three new buildings (two for new schools in the district) are in various stages of development. With attendance boundaries shifting and unique visions for future schools, let’s take a look at some of the facts about these new schools and what the changes mean for Bellingham families.

•   Discover Bellingham's History This Summer
  

  Most kids know the basic story of the American Revolution that lead to the formation of our country as we know it today. But as we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day with BBQs and fireworks, what do your kids know about the history of Bellingham and Whatcom County? For that matter, what do most of us adults know? Luckily, there are plenty of local resources to help your family learn more about the early days of our home in a fun and educational way.

•   Learning Doesn’t Stop for Summer Vacation
  

  What are your plans for this summer? Even with a few special trips, your kids are going to spend a lot of time doing “nothing” during their three-month break from school. And while kids definitely deserve a break, there are a lot of great, local day camps that can help keep your kids focused on learning, at least for a few days out of the summer. Take a look at all the great offerings in Bellingham!

•   Wrapping Up the School Year
  

  The end of the school year can be a pretty hectic time for teachers, parents and students. With graduation and good-bye parties, award ceremonies for clubs and teams, a few more days of learning to complete, it can be hard to take time to appreciate everything your child has learned and all the friends they’ve made throughout the year. So when the last day of school arrives, make sure you’re prepared to make the memories last.

•   Getting Dramatic with The Neighborhood Playhouse
  

  Most kids love to play games and pretend, but not all kids want to get up on stage in front of a large audience. For those who aren’t into the glitz and glamour of the stage, The Neighborhood Playhouse (TNP) might be just the ticket for exploring their creative side. Owner and founder Lizanne Schader is devoted to the process of theater rather than the product, offering workshops that help kids learn the discipline and craft of acting through games, creative dramatics, and scene work.

•   WDA Students Get Excited for Science
  

  At a time when politicians and policy makers are bemoaning the fact that the United States isn’t producing enough engineers and scientists, Whatcom Day Academy is doing something about it. On April 2nd, this independent school in Bellingham held its annual Science Exposition. Fifty students presented their science projects to a curious crowd of all ages, with physicians, university professors, and engineers on hand to judge their entries.

•   Kids Take Center Stage at BAAY
  

  What are some of your child’s favorite activities for at-home play? Most kids can keep themselves busy with creative pursuits like singing, playing dress-up, and storytelling. If you’d like to help your child develop these talents and get them interacting with other kids, there’s a great local organization that helps kids get excited about music, theater, and dance: Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth, or BAAY.

•   Considerations Before Competing
  

  Do you have a child who loves to play chess? For our family, tournaments have been a positive experience— they offer our son a chance to build his game skills, but more than that, they link him to a community of kids who love chess. But there are lots of different factors that determine whether or not your child can handle the competition. If you’re thinking about signing your child up for a chess tournament (or any competition), here are some considerations.