blogs.goddardschool.comThe Goddard School Blog

Join our parenting community. Select Event 21st Century Learning (31) Activities (191) Art (54) Art Contest (2) Ask the Expert (20) Awards (14) Back to School (8) Behavior (22) Birthday Parties (5) Charity (5) Communication (35) Crafts (47) Development (109) Discipline (9) Dr. Kyle Pruett (74) EAB (23) Education Advisory Board (14) Educational Advisory Board (16) Events (43) Extending the Learning at Home (55) Family (198) Family dynamics (50) Family time (77) financial literacy (3) Fitness (36) Friends (1) Goddard News (33) Grandparents (2) Halloween (15) Health & Safety (41) Holidays (55) Home-School Connection (9) hygiene (9) Infants (13) Kindergarten (6) Language and Literacy (14) Learning through Play (110) Manners (22) Mathematics (6) Music (2) Nature (27) Nutrition (90) Nutrition, Parents, Preschool (24) parenting (180) Parents (87) Play (10) Pre-Kindergarten (2) Pregnancy (1) Preschool (83) Reading (28) Recipes (35) Recipes (33) Root for Earth (13) Safety (14) Scholarship (6) School (24) Science (14) Second Language (3) Self-Esteem (32) Sports (4) STEAM (10) Summer (54) Teachers (7) Technology (19) The Goddard School (52) Tips (257) Toddlers (33) Toy Test (14) Travel (17) Uncategorized (97) World Cultures (8) Home About Us Biography Video Tour Goddard News Locations { Offering the Best Childhood Preparation for Social and Academic Success. } Ask The Experts. Dr. Kyle Pruett and Sue Adair are available to answer your questions on early childhood development, parenting and preschool. Name Email Question To reach our Customer Relations team, please call 1-877-402-2554. > The Goddard School® Play Along Song > The Goddard School® Video Tour Archives 2020 May April March February January 2019 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2018 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2017 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2016 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2015 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2014 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2013 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2012 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2011 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2010 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2009 December November October September August July June March Resources Resources Ask the Expert Information Stay Connected Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube Video Tour Introduction to Goddard Travel Without Traveling: How to Explore the World With Your Family From Home By The Goddard School • May 12th, 2020 By Jennifer Jipson, Ph.D., Contributing Writer and Goddard School Educational Advisory Board Member I recently received a text in which I was prompted to do a series of calculations, and the resulting number would determine where I would travel on my next vacation. The list included exciting destinations near and far, but number nine on the list was Stay Home. With the magic of math, everyone ends up with number nine. Funny but frustrating! I really enjoy traveling, and I know that experience with travel helps children learn about other places and people, helps them develop important skills like self-regulation and problem-solving and contributes to their growing confidence and curiosity. Unfortunately, the current global health pandemic limits tourism, but with a little creativity and planning, families can stay safely at home while still reaping many of the benefits of actual travel. In the example below, I share an approach to planning virtual vacations in a way that will provide your family with powerful learning opportunities and cherished memories. Imagine a trip to San Francisco in which you visit the Exploratorium, the Bay Area Discovery Museum, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown and Ghiradelli’s chocolate factory all without leaving your home: no stress, no meltdowns, no expense, and no packing! This type of travel is exactly what a friend of mine is doing with her children, and we can all do it too! Here’s a sample itinerary for a trip to San Francisco. Your family can adapt it or create your own travel plans to other destinations. For example, my friend invited her older children to help with planning activities, and they’ve gone to London, Japan, Paris and San Francisco all in the last month. STEAM Project Day : The Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge – Look at pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge online. Talk about how they are similar and different. Set out a variety of materials, such as paper towel rolls, popsicle sticks, Legos, cups, paper and whatever else you have for children to use to make their own bridge. You can find ideas online to inspire you at https://preschoolsteam.com/bridge-building-activities-preschoolers/ . Measure how long you can make a bridge before it collapses. Put pennies on your bridge to see how many it can hold before it starts to sag. If your bridge falls, ask your children why they think that happened and what ideas they have to make it stronger. These types of questions engage children in science practices which support their inquiry and critical thinking. Science practices are a core component of the Next Generation Science Standards. Cooking Day: Dinner in Chinatown – Watch a short video about Chinatown, such as this read-aloud of a storybook at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dQVcX6sASA ). Plan a menu for a dinner inspired by Chinese cuisine and cook it together. Lee Scott, Chair of the Goddard Educational Advisory Board, recently wrote a fantastic article about cooking with children that will help you get started. You can find it here: https://community.today.com/parentingteam/post/why-cooking-with-kids-is-worth-the-effort-and-how-to-get-started Museum Day: The Exploratorium – This science center is chock full of hands-on, inquiry-based science exhibits. Their website offers an alternative experience with a menu of science snacks that provide ideas for interactive activities that families can do online or with common materials from around the house. Explore options together, or pick out a few in advance to do with your child. These activities will help children learn science principles, as well as engage in science practices. Best of all, they’re fun to do together! Pretend Playday: The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park – Gather your stuffed animals, dolls and family members and have a tea party in your own Japanese tea garden. Find a tranquil spot in your yard or a neighborhood park, and lay out a blanket. Serve tea or juice, and talk about the things you notice in the nature around you. Spending time in nature promotes better mental health for both children and adults by reducing stress. This positive impact is found even with small doses of time outdoors. Treat Yourself Day: Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory – Watch a video about how chocolate is made here: https://www.pbs.org/video/kidvision-pre-k-how-chocolate-is-made-cfvz1o/). Make yourselves chocolate sundaes or brownies, and celebrate the fun of exploring San Francisco from your home. One of the most well-known benefits of family travel is the strengthening of family bonds. As you eat your treat, start making plans for where you’ll go next! At its best, travel fills us with wonder and offers quality family time, and at its worst, it exhausts us. Thanks to technology and our own creativity, we can indulge our wanderlust by visiting exciting new places without leaving home. Have fun and share your adventures with us by posting your trips to Facebook and Instagram and tagging The Goddard School. Tags: at-home learning , EAB , educational a...