Hello, my precious friends.   If there is one thing I have learned in over fifty years of working with children, it is this: PLAY is NOT a break from learning. PLAY IS LEARNING. The giggles, the make-believe, the building blocks, the muddy hands, these moments are not wasted time. They are the very building blocks of your child’s brain and character.   Let me show you the science behind the practice of Play.   Child development research consistently demonstrates that when chi

Hello, my precious friends. Have you ever wondered how your children choose their friends?   Today, I want us to investigate the beginnings of friendships, in a child’s world. Children begin their journey into friendship long before they can say the word “friend” or understand what the word means. With children, friendship may begin with the toddler who offers a toy, the preschooler who wants to sit next to the same classmate every day, the kindergartener who feels heartache

Hello my precious friends.  There’s a saying I’ve whispered to countless parents over my fifty years in early childhood education:  “Children need both roots and wings.” Roots to know who they are.Wings to discover who they can become. It sounds simple, but when you are in the thick of raising little ones—with toys scattered across the living room, homework papers piling on the kitchen table, and tears after a rough day at school—it can feel much harder to live out. But I pro

. Chris Eldridge's latest work, Alphabet Town, the abc's of raising successful kids, is a unique blend of playful storytelling and educational content aimed at empowering children with valuable life skills and virtues. As an experienced leader, Eldridge understands the importance of instilling these qualities in children from a young age. The inspiration behind Alphabet Town stems from Eldridge's belief in the power of early conversations about big ideas. By weaving together