Registration is open for fall dance classes at CityDance!
Looking for Fun & Engaging Activities for Your Children?
The International School of Music is offering music lessons in-person and online!
CityDance introduces virtual to in-person classes this fall
CityDance is offering many options for in-person as well as virtual dance classes this fall for all ages.
Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center: Bringing the wonders of the Smithsonian to your living room
This post comes to you from the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center. We’ve had the opportunity to visit their space and participate in various workshops they offered prior to the pandemic and can’t recommend their family programing enough. We look forward to being able to go back one day and hope you will too!
When Covid closed our museums and our city, the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (SEEC) had to develop a new plan for its weekend family workshops. It was imperative to keep the essence of programs the same: forming relationships, connecting with Smithsonian objects, and learning through play.
Fostering relationships is at the core of our work at SEEC. Young children learn better in a social context with trusted adults and peers. Moving to a digital platform makes this challenging, but not impossible. SEEC’s family workshops are limited to six families so that everyone has a chance to get to know each other and participate fully. Families will sign up for a four-week session on a topic, which allows for the deepening of relationships over time. In addition to the virtual classes, families will receive a video with activities in between each session to help continue discoveries.
While families are unable to physically visit the objects and artwork of the Smithsonian, SEEC’s virtual classes allow children to experience these objects in closer detail and at their own pace while at home. SEEC believes objects are powerful learning tools as they often bridge the gap between the familiar and the unfamiliar, opening up windows to new worlds. The virtual weekend classes will use objects to share stories and help children practice critical thinking skills.
Learning happens through action and SEEC’s virtual classes will be action packed and fun! The classes will encourage all types of active learning including dramatic play, movement games, singing, storytelling, sensory experiences, and more. Children will be laughing, playing, and exploring as they learn about all the Smithsonian has to offer.
SEEC has missed its family workshop participants over the last six months and are so excited to reconnect in this fashion! To learn more, please visit our website.
Create an at-home learning space
Ready or not, most of our kids will be starting the school year in some kind of virtual or hybrid model. That means a lot of time will be spent at home in a space designated for at-home learning. An organizational system should be in place so your child has a place they can access supplies easily and on their own which will help their productivity. You can set them up for success by having a system in place– it doesn’t have to be elaborate. Below are a few items to get you started on this next adventure. Not listed but important is a good supportive chair and a table or desk where your child can sit and have their own space.
Desk organizer
Complete with a sliding drawer, double tray and 5 upright sections. I like this one because kids can store things in multiple areas without it being too cluttered. If you don’t have room on a desk look at the next choice.
Wall organizer
5 vertical pockets wall mounted file organizer with small label to classify your documents, the 1 bottom flat tray is great for stationary and desk accessories.
Rolling cart with 3 tiers
We have this for our art supplies and love it. We can roll it out of the office and into another room if we are working someplace else. Or you can put supplies in organizers inside of this cart so you can easily grab a container out.
Expanding file folder
Great for several uses but perhaps a middle schooler who needs an organizational system or an elementary student who can sort each class by a color. Includes 12 individual pockets.
Bins
These vertical bins can store books, notebooks, binders, papers and more to stay organized.
Storage for supplies
If space is an issue, this is the smallest version and allows a child to carry it from room to room.
Storage for supplies
Much larger version than the above mentioned one. Stick the magnetic storage bins and magnetic storage pockets on whiteboards and refrigerators to hold additional supplies. Includes 12” circular tray with 8 containers, 4 magnetic storage bins, 4 magnetic storage pockets, write & wipe labels.
Lap desk
Both portable and adjustable, this was great for us last year with distance learning, allowing our kids to move from room to room that may not have had a desk for them to work at. A device sits on it nicely and you can also do paper/pencil work on the hard surface.
Headphone hanger
Never lose the headphones again!
White board and cork board
I am a visual person and need this to keep notes on or important deadlines and ideas. Magnetic surface of the erasable white board part is easy for writing, drawing and erasing. Natural cork surface of the cork tack board part is great for pinning notes, messages, pictures, memos, calendars, menus and more.
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Educational resources
Educational toys and games
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
PJ Library podcasts for children
Since being in quarantine, podcasts have been a popular way for children to get their fill of information and entertainment while being in the car headed someplace for an extended stay or in the comfort of their homes. The good part about podcasts is that they are easily accessed through a smart phone, tablet, or computer. Prepare for hours of entertainment and even some learning opportunities.
This month PJ Library has two new episodes of the PJ Library Have I Got a Story for You podcast. You can find them here. Every episode of Have I Got a Story For You takes a classic Jewish folk tale and gives it a modern twist. You can explore episodes here and if you find one you really like, be sure to click on the episode page to find activities, book lists, and keep the fun going.
The podcast is just one element of the always-free and open PJ Library Listen hub where you will find all things audio from stories, songs, Spotify playlists and the podcast.
Keep an eye out for PJ Library’s downloadable “fall guide,” coming next month.
Summer Sweetness program from PJ Library
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and PJ Library are partnering with local organizations to bring families together for stories and hands-on activities around Jewish values through August 20 for a series called Summer Sweetness. For each event, a “guest reader” will read a PJ bedtime story with the night’s theme, and your family can create and learn something to put those values into action. Join us in your pajamas to spread more kindness, gratitude, and friendship in the world. Best for ages 3-7.
Get the full schedule online here.
PJ Library invites families for a LIVE interactive tour of Jerusalem to unlock the mysteries of the Holy City
Fun for the whole family, admission is free to “You Be the Detective: A Family Tour of Jerusalem,” a unique webinar, which runs from 1:30pm-2:30pm ET on Monday, July 13, 2020.
Though the coronavirus has upended summer travel plans for many, this July, PJ Library wants to send families to the holy city of Jerusalem for a unique and interactive trip. On Monday join engaging tour guide Jonty Blackman for the LIVE hour-long webinar “You Be the Detective: A Family Tour of Jerusalem.” Though bags don’t need to be packed and admission is free, space is limited and registration is required here. With Israel also suffering from coronavirus fall-out, tourism in the land of milk & honey has all but stopped. But that’s not stopping PJ Library from inviting interested “tourists” to unlock the mysteries of Jerusalem with a unique, interactive webinar.
Along with veteran Israel tour guide Blackman, families are invited to explore both the old and new city including stops at Jaffa Gate, the Knesset, the City of David and the world-famous Machane Yehudah outdoor market. And, along the way, PJ Library tourists will be invited to uncover the mysteries of Jerusalem, find the yummiest food in the market and discover ancient secrets hidden in archaeological discoveries. Don’t miss out on the most exciting trip of the summer – without leaving your home – with “You Be the Detective: A Family Tour of Jerusalem.”