The New Year ushers in new challenges, new adventures and even a fresh start. Maybe last year was filled with hardship or maybe it was just so busy that everyone was just in ‘go’ mode. Perhaps parents are looking back at the previous year and thinking about what they wished they would have done.

Stop wondering. This is another New Year, and if it’s time to make changes then make them. New Year’s resolutions are often personal, but they can be a team effort, too. Making New Year’s resolutions with your child is a great way to set goals for the year and even bond as a family.

Children can set their own resolutions, but Parent’s magazine points out that parents should be good models, they also shouldn’t force their child to make a particular resolution and those goals shouldn’t be negatively focused. Kids learn from what they see, and they also won’t want to stick to a resolution that they were forced to make. After all, resolutions need to be motivating!

There are two ways that parents can handle resolutions: children can make their own or the family can make a group resolution. Here are ideas for both approaches.

The Family Resolution

A family resolution is a great way to bond and also take a team approach to making positive changes. This resolution needs to be decided as a family, though. Parents can’t just dictate a specific resolution and expect that kids will excitedly jump on the bandwagon.

For a family resolution, hold a family meeting. Get everyone together and tell children that to celebrate the New Year, the family will make a resolution together. Everyone needs to participate, and parents can ask their children for suggestions on what the family should resolve to change for the year.

Parents also should bring their own suggestions. Ideas for a family resolution include:

Learning a New Language

The Washington Post reports that the United States is very much behind the rest of the world in multilingual ability; only 20 percent of Americans know how to speak two or more languages versus more than half of those living in Europe.

Make 2022 the year the family becomes bilingual. Learning a language isn’t as hard as many might assume, but it does take dedication and practice. Sign up for a foreign language class online. Take a vote among family members regarding what language everyone wants to learn.

Less Screen Time

Children stare at screens seemingly all day, as many schools utilize 1:1 computing. Class assignments are completed on computers; textbooks may be virtual, too. After school, many kids communicate with friends via smartphones. Of course, television is still a household staple, even if it now streams shows instead of hooking into cable.

Parents, though, aren’t guiltless when it comes to those screens. Many parents spend just as much time on their phones or other devices as their children. In fact, Statista reported that half of U.S adults eyeball those screens for the duration of the day if not the almost entire waking day.

Families may worry that screens are replacing real time interactions. Make a resolution to limit screen time. Set a screen time limit for the day, and everyone should try to keep other family members accountable.

Just be sure that limitations are reasonable; remember many children will use computers throughout their school day.

Eat More Dinners Together

Families are incredibly busy. Sometimes visits to the drive-thru take the place of dinners at the table. There could be tutoring sessions, sports practices, dance recitals and other events that keep the family rushing around during the week.

Make a resolution to eat a few dinners together at the table as a family, and make sure everyone ditches their gadgets and phones. No texting, and no interruptions.

Eat Healthier

Those dinners of hamburgers and French fries, tacos and roast beef and cheddar sandwiches that are quick drive-thru meals also are packed with fat, salt and lots of calories. Microwave meals and those in packages also aren’t so great, even though they are convenient.

Families can make a resolution to eat healthier for the New Year. This could mean making more dinners at home, eating more vegetables or maybe even ditching red meat.

New Year’s Resolutions for Children

Children may prefer to make their own New Year’s resolutions. Remember, parents can make suggestions but they shouldn’t strong-arm a child to make a particular resolution.

Children may know exactly what they want to change in 2022, or they may need a bit of guidance to make a resolution. Here are some suggestions for children of all ages:

Get Organized

This could be related to keeping their school subjects filed in certain folders, organizing their locker weekly or just keeping their room clean.

Enjoy More Outdoor Physical Activities

Some children are still enjoying daily or weekly physical education classes. Other children might have minimal exposure to exercise. Getting healthier or exercising more doesn’t have to be a strenuous resolution. Children and parents can aim to take a daily walk. Parents also could sign children up for a sport.

Try New Foods

Woman’s Day recommends this resolution for younger children (ages 3 to 5). Children can resolve to at least try the new food (one nibble). This can help them find new tastes they love.

Not Fighting with Siblings

Siblings don’t always agree, and sometimes they will absolutely drive each other bonkers. Children can resolve to try to fight with siblings less.

Brushing and Flossing Twice a Day

Woman’s Day recommends this for tweens. While brushing and flossing twice a day is recommended, there are many children and adults who don’t heed this advice. This is a great and fairly easy resolution for older children and it will help those teeth and gums stay healthier!

Drink More Water

This was a Woman’s Day recommendation for teens, but it can be a great resolution for all ages. Teens can swap out favorite drinks for water. To help them stay on task, parents also might give them a cool refillable water bottle.

Learn a New Skill

Teens and tweens might enjoy resolving to learn a new skill like sewing, knitting or maybe cooking. Encourage them to find a new hobby that aligns with their interests or let them discover a new hobby that they just think is cool. Maybe they really want to learn how to paint a portrait or play the guitar.

Read More Books

With the screens taking up so much time, sometimes reading takes a back seat. Most children have a nightly assignment to read anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. They can make a resolution to read more than this and maybe set other reading goals, too.

For families who haven’t made their New Year’s resolution, make one today and encourage children to make a resolution, too. Families may even opt for a family resolution that benefits everyone—eat dinner together, unplug, make healthier choices or learn a new language.

If children want to make their own resolutions, parents can help them come up with ideas but they shouldn’t force a resolution on a child. Keep the resolution a positive experience, and encourage children to set goals that help them make positive improvements. They can brush/floss more, learn a new hobby or get outside to enjoy more physical activity.

Resolve to make the New Year better while working on self-improvement, self-care and family happiness!

Some parents might be making last-minute plans for New Year’s celebrations. This holiday is often a popular time for parties, dinners and late night celebrations, but not all parents will feel like venturing out. Parents might have trouble securing a babysitter at the last minute, while others just want to spend this evening with their family.

When celebrating this festive eve with children, though, how can parents keep them entertained? Little ones might head to bed hours before midnight, but older children can stay wide awake until the clock strikes midnight. Try these 15 New Year’s activities for kids to keep young celebrants busy as they anticipate the awaited—and hyped—countdown to the New Year.

1.   Watch a Double-Feature

A New Year’s movie night can be a great way to lead up to the late night countdown. Families can schedule a double-feature, with the movies beginning around dusk. Order in pizza or other takeout or just make something easy for dinner that children can eat as they watch the movie.

Parents also could schedule dinner a little earlier and serve up some classic movie snacks. Pop popcorn and let children enjoy their favorite movie candy, too. Schedule a little break between movies, so everyone can stretch and prepare for the next feature.

Not sure what to watch? Check streaming services or video-on-demand services to find fun movies for kids.

2.   Host a Family Game Night

New Year’s Eve is the perfect game night. Grab the family’s favorite board games and have everyone change into cozy pajamas for the night. Let children each pick out a favorite game to play, and parents can pick their favorite, too.

Families also can opt for a kid-friendly ‘card shark’ night. Play family-friendly card games!

3.   Write Resolutions

New Year’s is the time for resolutions. Children and parents can sit down and decide on a New Year’s resolution that they would like to make for the coming year. The family also could make one together.

Ideas for family resolutions are: getting active, decreasing tech time, or spending more time together.

4.   Cook a Meal Together

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with a big dinner and maybe dessert, too. Cook something special together as a family. Everyone should have a job in the kitchen. Little hands can help with small (and safe) tasks. Recipes also are a great way for children to practice reading and math skills.

Sit down together as a family and eat together. Talk about the year; discuss favorite memories and maybe even some times that weren’t so good. Families also can talk about their hopes for the New Year and what excites them about the future.

5.   Make Joy or Blessing Jars

Joy jars, blessing jars or gratitude jars are all the same concept. These simple jars hold moments that bring happiness, and they’re easy to make. Use old glass jars (with the lids) and decorate them with stickers, fabric, paints or anything that might happen to be in the craft drawer at home. Children can decorate their jar any way they want, because it’s what’s inside these jars that is most important!

Starting on January 1, everyone should write one thing for which they are grateful or that made them happy. Every day, add another blessing or joy into the jar. At the end of the year—the next New Year’s Eve—read all the notes. Everyone will have 365 moments of happiness! Then start the tradition again!

6.  Make a Calendar!

For children who love crafts, spend New Year’s Eve making a calendar for the year. Parents can print out pages for the months, and children can choose to illustrate each month in their own way.

Pictures or illustrations will be drawn on the back of the previous month to represent the next month. However, January will need a blank piece of paper for its illustration. Parents who are confused on how this should look can just use an old calendar for reference.

7.   Dance the Night Away!

Stream some kid-friendly tunes and have a dance party. Plan for an upbeat party and include tunes that will get kids moving.

8.   Make Glitter Slime!

Do kids love slime? Make the slime festive for New Year’s with glitter slime! The Best Ideas for Kids has the recipe for gold glitter slime, but kids can make this gooey gross—but pretty—slime in any color. Add rainbow glitter or silver glitter instead of gold!

9.   Clean out the Old

When waiting for the hours to creep to midnight, the family can embrace a tradition of getting rid of old relics from the past. Grab a few trash bags and clean out closets or toy bins of items that are no longer needed or wanted.

Families can set a goal that each person has to find 10 items that they don’t need. These items can be clothes, toys or something else. Start fresh and clean out the old!

10.   Have a Family Olympics

This is an activity that can be planned at the last minute. Family Olympics can include any sport parents can imagine or dream up. Think of games like:

• Build a pillow fort fastest

• Worm races (squirm like a worm across the floor)

• Hula hoop contests

• Three-legged races

Parents need to consider their space when planning events. If it’s a nice evening, an outdoor Olympics could be feasible, but some may have to play indoors. Choose activities that won’t cause injuries, too. Parents don’t want to end up in the emergency room in the middle of the night!

11.   Explore the Night Sky

If it’s a clear night, take children outside and let them explore the cosmos on New Year’s Eve. Parents can download an app called SkyView Lite that uses the phone’s camera to identify the celestial bodies in the sky. Children can learn what constellations and planets are visible on the last night of the year.

12.   Plan to Journal a Year of Memories

Buy older children a journal, preferably with a blank cover. These can be purchased at any store; parents can opt for just a paperback journal that is often required for language arts classes. A paper bag can be cut to create a book cover for the journal; children can decorate the plain brown cover however they wish.

The purpose of the journal is to encourage children to write something every day of the year. This is a concept that is similar to the joy jar, but the journal can include more in depth memories. At the end of the year, children can read their own story.

13.   Make Some Noise

In some parts of the country, homeowners set off fireworks to celebrate the New Year. Others will just use noisemakers and go outside to make noise at midnight.

Children can create their own New Year’s instruments with items from around the house. If parents have any old plastic Easter eggs lying around, let children decorate them and fill them with beans or rice. That egg is now a noise maker!

Noisemakers also can be made from plastic water bottles! Parents also can let children bang on pots and pans with utensils.

14.   Plan a Kid-Friendly Toast at Midnight

For kids that are planning to keep their eyes open until the clock hits midnight, let them ring in the New Year in a festive but kid-friendly way. At midnight, parents can sip champagne in fancy flutes while children drink sparkling grape juice from their own special flutes.

Many parents might be hesitant to give children expensive stemware. Opt for plastic flutes for children, or parents can thrift a few fancy flutes! Kids will love the experience.

15.   Say Goodnight with New Year’s Stories

Don’t skip the bedtime stories for younger children who can’t stay up to see the New Year. Instead, theme the story time for New Year’s. Visit the library and check out books about New Year celebrations or traditions in other parts of the world.

Parents who are celebrating New Year’s Eve with their children can fill the night with lots of activities to keep them entertained until the countdown begins. Use any—or all—of the above kid-friendly activities for a festive, fun and celebration at home!

Perhaps every parent has their list of most loathed toys. Some may have disdain for any moldable dough that gets gunked into carpet. Some parents don’t like to play with foam darts. Others shudder at the thought of buildable bricks that get stuck in their feet.

Children, however, may have their own list of toys that make them cringe. Educational toys might top that list. Can toys be fun and educational? The best educational toys that kids and parents both love include all types of entertaining options that will make perfect gifts for the holidays or a birthday.

Looking for a great gift idea that’s both fun and offers some learning potential? Here is a list of educational toys for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary kids!

Toddlers

Toddlers can start learning their letters, colors and numbers, too. These toys help children learn through play. Lights and other sensory activities encourage exploration. Hands-on learning through play also may help children work on fine motor skills.

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Light Up Vacuum (Ages 12 months to 3 years)

Playing house or helping parents or caregivers clean the house is a fun learning experience with this interactive vacuum. When children push the vacuum when it is ‘off,’ they can hear songs and learn colors and counting. The vacuum also can let them engage in imaginary play, too; turn the switch and the vacuum sounds like the real deal!

Laugh and Learn Smart Phone (for ages 6 months to 3 years)

There is no guilt about screen time with this phone! Parents can hand over this educational smartphone and let children play by pushing all the buttons. Parents also don’t have to worry about little ones accidently clicking ‘buy!’ The Laugh and Learn Smart Phone includes lots of different songs, but children will learn about counting and numbers, too. This smartphone also can keep little ones engaged with light displays.

Caterpillar Gears by Melissa & Doug (for ages 18 months and over)

A wooden caterpillar is composed of multiple colorful gears. When they turn the gears, they also can learn how it moves the other parts. Let children see how fast they can spin the gears. Children can learn about their colors as they play, and they also can work on their fine motor skills.

Peek-a-Boo Octopus (for ages 0 months to 3 years)

The little octopus is hiding a few friendly surprises. Hidden in pockets found in four of the octopus’ arms, there is a sea creature friend waiting to be discovered. Each little sea friend makes a sound, too!

Float and Find Alphabet Bubbles (ages 2 years to 6 years)

These plastic bubbles can float in the bath or just in a container of water. Have children pull a bubble and identify the letters on each bubble. On the other side is an image that matches the sound—one is a zebra for the letter z. This fun game helps children learn to identify letters and their sounds.

Preschoolers (ages 3 to 5)

These toys help preschoolers work on memory skills, identify colors and work on fine motor skills, too. Of course, all the toys encourage fun and perhaps a little imagination, too!

Ladybug’s Garden Memory Game

Cute wooden red happy ladybugs are sitting on a secret! Underneath each bug is a picture for a fun match game. Instead of flipping over cardboard cards, children remove a ladybug to play! If two matching pictures are revealed, the player keeps their two wooden ladybugs. This game helps children with memory skills. Whoever collects the most ladybugs wins the game!

Build a Flower Garden STEM Toy

Children can build their own flower garden with different hues of flower petals, pistils, stamens, leaves and bases. Create a different flower each time using these mix and match pieces. Children can work on hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. BPA free!

Mega Bloks Big Building Bag (ages one year and up!)

The Mega Bloks bag was a recommendation from Good Housekeeping, and it’s certainly destined to be a favorite of both kids and parents. These massive blocks won’t be as likely to get stuck to a parent’s foot in the middle of the night, and kids will love building with them. These blocks encourage creativity and help children with their fine motor skills, too.

Brain Flakes

Offering 500 brain flakes (yes, 500!), this unique set features flakes that look a bit like gears that can connect together to create anything a child imagines. The flakes are BPA free, and the building set will help children work on fine motor skills.

Elementary Children (ages 6 and up)

Children in elementary school will explore different subjects and learn so many new lessons throughout their educational journey. As they grow, their curiosity will grow, too. Tech devices and other immersive educational toys may grab their attention and keep them engrossed in fun…and learning.

Kano PC

This is a great gift for older elementary children, but at $249 it’s a bit pricey if parents are on a budget. Engadget recommended the Kano, and the tablet is unique in that it’s actually a PC. Kids use a magnifying glass to examine different parts, and they can learn coding and other skills via the Kano, too. It’s a toy, it’s technology, but it’s also a bit of a project. This is ideal for the tech-centric kid.

Learning Resources

Learning Resources isn’t a toy, it’s an online hub for learning toys. The site is great for parents that need to find the perfect educational gift for their child. Learning Resources offers a  tool called the Gift Whiz that lets parents select an age range for their child, their child’s gender (this is optional) and an interest type that best describes their child. Parents can choose from:

• Future Scientist
• Budding Engineer
• Curious Coder
• Spelling Bee Champ
• Promising Math Whiz
• Up-and- Coming Chef
• Adventurous Explorer
• All-Around Awesome Kid
• Master of Make-Believe
• Ambitious Animal Lover

Once a parent makes their selection, they will see a list of toys that are best-suited for their child, their age and their interests. For example, when the Ambitious Animal Lover is selected for ages 8+ one option includes a Giant Magnetic Frog Life Cycle set.

Parents may be given items that offer a wide age range, but the Gift Whiz tool can be helpful to narrow down options.

Books: A Gift for All Ages

When parents are in need of an extra item for children during the holidays or even for a birthday, one of the best educational toys is immersive, thought-provoking and always an adventure. A book might not be a traditional toy, but books can transport children to other worlds and introduce them to many new characters and ideas.

Parents don’t have to just give traditional books. They can gift ebooks and download them on an e-reader. Some children prefer reading on a tablet. Even better? Gift a tablet and fill the e-reader on the tablet with a library of books!

For children who struggle with reading, parents also could gift a subscription to a reading program. If parents are unsure if children would benefit from a reading app, they also could just sign them up for a free trial. Readability offers a free seven day trial period that lets children—and parents—explore the program and use Readability’s built-in AI reading tutor.

Interested in signing up for Readability or starting a free trial? Sign up today! Parents can start their free trial and download the app onto a tablet that might be wrapped up for the holidays or for a child’s birthday. Readability and technology make the perfect educational gift pairing!

The holiday season will be here soon! That means that children will be making their wish lists for Santa Claus in hopes that their most wanted items will be nestled beneath the tree on Christmas morning. Plushies, interactive toys, game systems, and maybe even the latest tech craze might be among those requested items.

Parents might have no idea what kids will be requesting from Santa. Sometimes items are unusual and unexpected. However, there are usually really popular toys that top most children’s lists. Here are 11 Christmas gifts on every child’s wish list this year…according to insiders!

Bluey Toys

Who is Bluey? If you’re a parent to a toddler or preschooler you’re probably well acquainted with this sweet character. Bluey is a Blue Heeler puppy, and is the star of the Disney Junior animated kids’ show titled “Bluey.”

The show is the newest animated craze on the Disney channel geared for their youngest audience. So, of course, Bluey toys will be topping the Christmas lists of children who love this little puppy!

WowWee Got2Glow Fairy Finder

New York Magazine listed the Fairy Finder as one of the popular toys that parents might consider purchasing ASAP for the holidays. The Fairy Finder lets children collect fairies in a plastic jar, and these magical creatures can be viewed via a little screen on the front of the jar. Different colors are available, but certain hues are already out of stock!

If this toy is on the list, get searching so children don’t miss the chance to collect and trade fairies with friends!

Melissa & Doug’s Let’s Play House Pretend Set

Today listed the Melissa & Doug set among its list of 2021 popular Christmas toys. The set comes with a broom, a mop and duster among its cleaning items and lets kids keep that imaginary home (or maybe playhouse) clean and tidy!

TeeTurtle The Original Reversible Octopus Plush

Another item on Today’s list, the plush and very cute little octopus comes in a variety of hues. Each octopus is reversible, revealing a different color and a different mood on the face of the octopus. TikTok users featured the octopus in videos to display their mood. Whether kids want parents to know if they are happy or sad, this octopus is a great way to help children express their emotions…even if they don’t feel quite like talking.

Star Wars Galactic Snackin’ Grogu

The internet became obsessed with the small child who many referred to as ‘Baby Yoda’ but whose real name was actually Grogu. He’s cute, a bit mischievous and quite powerful with the Force, and Galactic Snackin’ Grogu features all his best features. He comes with a few snacks (including the classic blue cookie) and makes lots of sounds and gestures.

HeyKube

PC Mag featured the HeyKube on its list of tech must-haves for kids this Christmas. While this toy looks like the classic Rubik’s cube, it features something the old cube didn’t: guidance! Yes, the HeyCube includes lights that help the user solve it; in addition, the Kube also remembers previous moves. For kids that code, PC Mag explains that kids can actually create unique games via Raspberry Pi.

Nintendo Switch Lite

Every year, one game console stands out from the rest…and is included in many pleas to Santa. The Nintendo Switch Lite is meant for portable play. The console comes in lots of different hues, so pick a child’s favorite color and add a few games to keep them busy!

LeapFrog on the Go Story Pal

This handy gadget also was on PC Mag’s list. With the On the Go Story Pal, children can listen to different stories, poems and songs. If a child’s favorite story isn’t loaded onto the Pal, parents can record it so children can listen to it anywhere!

Kano Coding Kit

This kit helps kids learn how to code and learn about JavaScript as well as other fundamentals (like loops, variables, etc.). Kano’s kit lets children create a Disney-themed project. The kit was among the recommendations from Hello! Magazine.

Verizon’s GizmoWatch 2

The GizmoWatch is a smartwatch for kids, but it actually includes features that parents will love, too. The GizmoWatch includes GPS, which allows parents to know the location of their child when they have it on. This watch could be ideal for parents who worry about their child getting lost in a busy store…or just to give parents peace of mind. The watch gives parents the choice of four different wristband colors: Bright Coral, Aquafresh (a dark teal), Moondust (white…but it almost looks like the palest shade of blue), Blue (classic blue), and Pink (it leans a bit bubblegum in hue).

An EReader

Kids who love technology might also love an ereader for the holidays. Barnes & Noble’s Nook is a popular choice, and it comes in a few different models…and price points. For younger children, the Nook seven-inch table could be a great choice, and it’s less than $50. The smaller size also makes it easy to carry. Parents can download ebooks via the reader…and may even download a few books courtesy of Santa!

A Reading App Subscription also Makes a Good Gift!

For children who are struggling with reading, parents also could give them a subscription to a reading program like Readability. Download the app to a tablet for access to reading help from almost anywhere.

Readability includes a built-in AI tutor that provides help during lessons. The tutor is programmed with voice recognition software, which allows it to identify and learn a child’s voice. If a child can’t pronounce a word, the tutor will understand the struggle and provide guidance.

Readability requires children to read stories aloud. As a child reads, the tutor is evaluating the child’s reading fluency (this is measured in words per minute). In addition, the tutor asks questions at the end of each story to determine if the child has understood what was read.

Children advance through Readability at their own pace. They only move to a more difficult reading level when they have demonstrated proficiency with both fluency and comprehension.

Each reading level provides a mix of fiction and nonfiction stories that appeal to children’s different interests. Stories are written by professional authors like Andrea Alexander, Lauren Mosback, Scott McBride and Rod Thompson, and Deb Skog.

Children using Readability will also notice that the stories don’t just feature big chunks of text. Every story includes colorful photos and interactive features. For example, if a child finds a word that is new to them, they can click it to learn the meaning. Not only do children help improve their reading skills with Readability, but they grow their vocabulary, too!

Parents might look into different reading programs to determine the best option for their child and their unique learning needs. The best way to understand a program, though, is to use it! With this in mind, Readability offers a free seven-day trial that provides children with full access to the program…including the AI tutor.

Children and their parents can work with the program and become familiar with how the AI tutor works. Interested in giving a subscription for a gift? Sign up today for a subscription…or begin a free trial!

For parents, Thanksgiving probably means cooking up a big dinner—or at least a dish to share—and/or getting the house ready for guests. Children, though, might look at the holiday as the time for a big turkey dinner, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and four days off from school.

Parents also understand the meaning behind the holiday, and know that behind those decorative fall colors and gourd centerpieces, gratefulness and thankfulness lie at the heart of Thanksgiving. But even if parents remember to take a moment for gratitude, how can they inspire gratitude in kids this Thanksgiving?

Here are eight activities to get ready for Thanksgiving and embrace the meaning behind this day of giving thanks!

Gratitude Jars

Gratitude jars, joy jars or blessing jars are really the same concept. This is an empty jar that holds a message of thankfulness or a blessing shared for each day. These jars are an easy and fun DIY project; parents will need empty Mason jars and strips of paper. Children can decorate their jars with colors or symbols of the holiday…or anyway they like.

Every day encourages children to write something for which they are thankful. Start the tradition on Thanksgiving, and aim to write a message each day until next Thanksgiving. Then open up the jars and let children read their blessings.

Start a new jar of messages each year! Children can use last year’s jar or make a new one every year.

Donate to the Less Fortunate

Not everyone has family or friends with whom they can share the holiday. Some don’t have homes, access to a warm space or even a dinner to eat. To commemorate the blessings of being fortunate to have each of these things, give others blessings.

Local food pantries may accept items for Thanksgiving dinners to provide to families in need. Or they may be in need of other items. Take children shopping to pick out items to donate.

Read to a Shelter Animal

Does the family have a beloved pet? Some animals will spend Thanksgiving waiting for a loving home and a forever family. There are shelters that encourage children to read to shelter dogs to provide them with companionship.

Not only does reading to dogs help children, but it helps the animals, too. Children can read at their speed; they don’t need to worry about making a mistake. Animals will likely just love the attention, the time and the new smiling faces!

Do a Random Act of Kindness

Celebrate Thanksgiving by doing a random act of kindness, and make this a family tradition. Encourage children to do one nice thing for someone in honor of the holiday. Maybe they help a friend, a sibling or just pay someone a compliment. Maybe they take the trash to the curb without being asked!

Say Thank You

On Thanksgiving, share thanks with those you love. The family can go around the table and share something kind about every person. Or say a thank you to every person for a kind act that they have done. There’s always a reason to say thank you!

10 Days of Thanksgiving

Before the day of thanks formally arrives, get into the giving spirit by celebrating the 10 days before Thanksgiving. For each day before Thanksgiving, do something kind as a family. This could be volunteering, helping a neighbor or relative or just helping each other. Maybe one day is devoted to everyone getting the home ready for the holiday.

Leave Notes of Kindness

Leave a note of kindness for a friend or family member. Or maybe leave a random note for someone who needs a kind word. Write a note on a nice message on a sales receipt. Or write a nice review for a favorite restaurant. Parents can even send a kind note to a child’s teacher.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

For some, gratitude is every day. There are even gratitude journals to keep track of blessings and to write about events of the day. Encourage children to start a gratitude journal this year!

Understanding Thanksgiving Traditions

While doing acts of kindness and celebrating gratitude embraces the essence of the holiday, there also is a lot of history behind Thanksgiving and its traditions. From the history of the Plymouth colonists to the tradition of the President pardoning a turkey, here are topics to help children explore to understand more about Thanksgiving:

The History of Thanksgiving

Families can celebrate Thanksgiving by embracing some of the above ideas and making the thankful activity part of their yearly tradition. However, sometimes children don’t always understand why Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful.

Children might not know the history behind the holiday or why Thanksgiving is even about giving thanks. Some parents also might not know the full history of the holiday.

While many assume that the Native Americans and the pilgrims were gathered around a big table eating turkey and other yummy foods, that really isn’t the real historical perspective. However, it’s important for children to learn how and why the earliest settlers had a reason to be thankful and grateful for the Native American tribes who helped them survive in an unfamiliar terrain.

Local libraries will be the best source of Thanksgiving history. Visit the children’s section for books related to this holiday and the history behind it.

Parents might even dig deeper into the other aspects of the holiday. Like the meaning behind the cornucopia (aka the horn o’plenty).

Thanksgiving around the World

Thanksgiving may be a U.S. holiday, but other countries may have similar holidays. Help children explore how other cultures celebrate their thanks.

In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, explore the traditions on each continent or have children list countries whose cultures they want to explore. Parents can also choose countries of their family’s heritage.

Pardon the Turkey

Every year, the President of the United States grants a pardon to one turkey. This specific bird will NOT be the main course on anyone’s dinner table.

Children may see this tradition take place each year. But do they know how it began? Do parents? The turkey may be thankful for the pardon, but this fun piece of U.S. history also has a backstory. Explore it this year! There are a lot of myths related to how the pardon came to be, and The White House Historical Association provides all the details!

Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?

Turkey is synonymous with the Thanksgiving meal. But why? Again, there are differing opinions about the yearly fowl feast. Historians speculate that the turkey might not have been on the dinner table at Plymouth; they believe that Pilgrims likely ate goose or duck instead.

According to Britannica, turkeys became a popular choice around the 19th century for a few reasons; turkeys weren’t hard to find and they could feed a family. Later, books referenced a turkey for holidays and it eventually became symbolic of the holiday.

Now the holiday meal encompasses many dishes beyond turkey including mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, pies of many varieties, cornbread and more. Looking at these foods, it’s clear that most of the dishes represent foods that are harvested in the autumn.

Read to Understand

Children may be curious to know all about Thanksgiving beyond  just the delicious dinner and the floats of a major parade. One of the easiest ways to learn about history is to encourage them to read about Thanksgiving!

This time of year is also a good time to pick up books related to the experiences of others and books detailing historical perspectives. Being thankful and grateful also means trying to walk a few steps in another person’s shoes. And understanding how gratitude can grow with new perspectives.

Encourage children to read a book a day to dig deeper into traditions, history and even festive foods at the local library!

Children are never too young for reading practice! Parents are even encouraged to read to their babies. The more words children hear the better! Reading helps children understand sounds, learn new words and builds language skills, too.

Parents may begin working with their preschoolers to learn early literacy skills like letter recognition, sounds and more. Some children may even be precocious readers and dive into books. Can parents use reading programs for preschoolers, though?

Yes! And the top reading programs for preschoolers may focus on letter recognition/sounds, fluency and possibly even early comprehension skills.

Working with Preschoolers at Home

Preschoolers are usually between the ages of three and five. They’re not quite ready for kindergarten, but they are learning new skills every day. At this age, parents may teach colors and numbers and, of course, the alphabet.

Learning the alphabet introduces children to the letters that make up every word. And when teaching the alphabet, parents also can emphasize the sounds of each letter. Try these activities to help children learn their sounds and alphabet!

Sand Tracing

Sand is a fun and tactile substance for children. Playing in sand or with clay or other unique textures can be a great sensory exercise and help them work on letters, too.

Build a makeshift sandbox using a shoe box or maybe even a gift box. Just fill it with sand or maybe even clay. Choose a substance that children can use their fingers to form or trace letters. Even rice could work.

Parents can show children how to form each letter. Don’t worry about getting this perfect. Children may struggle at first, but they can have fun playing and learning how to form letters.

When writing or tracing each letter, parents can make the sound. Or say an object that identifies each letter. Like “B” for “ball.”

Families that don’t want to deal with the possible mess of sand indoors (if they can’t go outside) also can use dough to creatively form letters. Help children shape each letter. And, again, make the sounds, too.

Sound Scavenger Hunts

For this game, parents will need some foam letters or they might just cut out letters from paper. This is a sound scavenger hunt. Parents can use foam letters as the clues for kids. Help them find or identify things around the house with each letter. Q, x or z may be difficult! Get creative!

Letter Match Game

Make two cards featuring each letter. Then play the match game. Take turns flipping over cards to find the matches of each letter.

Children may struggle at first. Be patient and help them. Soon, though, they may become letter matching pros!

After children can identify uppercase letters, work on the lower case. Match the upper with the lower!

Read Aloud

One of the easiest ways to help children enjoy reading and learning words is to read to them daily! Read several books each day. Aim for five! These don’t have to be large books; preschoolers may still have a short attention span.

Find books with favorite characters or books that include a child’s favorite interests.

Visit the Library

Take children to the library and let them pick out books from the children’s section. This is a fun way to let children explore all the books, characters and adventures.

Attend Story Time

Libraries or local bookstores may host a story time for young children. The event also might include crafts or other activities. This is a great way to encourage even more time with books; plus children may meet a few new friends.

Reading Games Online

Many sites online offer reading games or games that help children to identify letters and/or sounds. PBS Kids can be a great site for educational games, and parents might find even more apps and options via their phone or other device.

Reading games can help preschoolers practice literacy skills like letter identification, sounds, blends and even begin to learn sight words. Plus, games may feature favorite characters or interactive activities that hold a child’s interest.

Some parents, though, might be mindful about how much time their child spends looking at those screens. Today’s children have so many screens that it can be overwhelming for parents. Every family is different when it comes to setting screen time limitations.

KidsHealth.org recommends that preschoolers (ages 2 to 5) should only have one hour of “educational programming” each day. But this doesn’t include video chats.

Apps and games should be educational, and parents may wish to be mindful about their choices. Research games and apps. Read the reviews. And the app description.

Parents also may want to check to see if the apps offer in-app purchases. This means that children could purchase items within the game. Parents should adjust their phone’s settings to ensure that children cannot make purchases (unless parents are ok with these purchases).

When Preschoolers are Precocious Readers

Some preschoolers have a knack for decoding language. They can read fluently and they understand basic books. Some preschoolers also can read or decode way beyond their age or grade-level but might struggle with comprehension.

Other children may read and comprehend way beyond their age or grade level. They may be voracious readers…even at a young age. Children develop at all speeds. Parents should focus on the skills and needs of their child.

If a preschooler is reading fluently, parents may encourage them to read books aloud during reading time together. Parents can help children practice their skills by choosing books that are age appropriate and are interesting to the child.

Encourage young readers to choose their own books at the library. Help children find different topics, too, that align with their favorite interests or hobbies. Parents also can ask children what they want to learn about; are there any places they want to visit?

Choose books that help young readers expand their mind!

Summer Reading Programs

Preschoolers aren’t too young to participate in summer reading programs. Typically, these programs are offered by libraries. The programs encourage children to read a certain number of books or pages during the summer. Goals also could be based on reading minutes.

Programs could offer incentives or prizes when children hit goals during the program. So while the program may encourage children to read 180 minutes total, they may receive incentives or prizes when they hit 60 minutes, 90 minutes, etc.

Every summer reading program may be organized differently. But these programs are usually a fun way to encourage children to read and earn rewards!

Using the Top Reading Programs for Preschoolers

Parents may wish to encourage precocious readers to expand their abilities by using a reading program that is focused on fluency and comprehension. Or parents could use a reading program to help a preschooler begin a reading journey.

Readability is a reading program that is lesson-based and can be used by preschoolers. The program also can grow with young readers, and it can be used through fifth grade.

Readability includes a built-in AI tutor. This tutor helps to direct lessons and provides assistance when the child struggles. The AI tutor features voice-recognition software, and, as the child reads aloud, the tutor learns to identify the child’s voice.

At the end of each story, the tutor will provide a quick quiz that tests the child’s knowledge of the story they read. This is how the program measures reading comprehension.

Reading fluency also is measured during lessons. But how is fluency determined? Typically, reading fluency is measured in words read per minute. Fluency is how precisely a child can read the text. So if they stumble or miss a word, this is deducted from the fluency measurement.

When a child demonstrates proficiency in both fluency and comprehension, they can advance to the next reading level. However, each level consists of multiple books and lessons. Children may take more time on a level. Every child will advance at their own pace.

Readability offers stories and books that are leveled to meet each child’s ability. Stories also are age-appropriate. Older children who struggle with reading won’t feel like they are reading content aimed toward a younger child.

Younger children, though, won’t read stories that are beyond their maturity. Preschoolers can enjoy lots of immersive books and stories through Readability, and they will be exposed to both fiction and nonfiction works.

Stories also include colorful illustrations. This means young readers won’t be overwhelmed by big bricks of text. And they also can click on words in each story to discover the definition! This helps all children expand their vocabulary and build their own language bank!

Parents of young preschoolers might be unsure if a reading program is right for their child. Will the program hold their interest? Will it be too hard?

Readability lets parents try out the program with their child…for free! Readability offers a free seven-day trial period that provides full access to the program and all its features. Explore the stories and become acquainted with the AI tutor!

Ready to get your preschooler excited to read? Begin a free trial with Readability today!