It’s been about a week or two now and it’s the point where summer break is really sinking in to their little minds. This isn’t like those tiny winter vacation or the barely noticeable spring breaks that goes by with a blink of the eye. This is summer vacation. This is the long haul. There [...]
play
Last week I visited a progressive charter school in San Diego. It was their family art night. There were musicians playing music, 3D tempera paints, stained glass windows and sculptures. There was even a restaurant where the children were taking and delivering orders. The place looked amazing. But what caught my attention most was the [...]
Summer is quickly approaching and you are being confronted with the dreaded issue “Where are Jessica and Aden going to go for summer camp?” Summer camps have always been around, but within the last 30years, the way that parents and kids alike look at summer has dramatically changed. Summer is no longer about running around [...]
Today the secrets behind Tandem Teaching’s Earth Fair Exploratorium Extravaganza booth are revealed (with photos). The Earth Fair is a zero-waste event and our theme for the day was non-consumer based play. We wanted our space to reflect both of those things. Patrick and Edmund imagined and designed an amazing booth made out of materials [...]
The Tandem Teaching Earth Fair photos have arrived! Those who attended the Earth Day extravaganza in San Diego with us will remember the pure delight and joy bursting from our booth. We will be sharing pics and our reflections on the event this week. One of our stations including the magical and mysterious gelatin recipe [...]
In a perfect world an effective play date happens when two children interact with the world in such a way that reality fades away and they are whisked away into their own special wonderland. Yet, there are times when a play date comes to a screeching halt and disaster arises. Here are a few scenarios [...]
You may have noticed our little obsession with non-consumer based play lately. We have been hard at work packing that knowledge into an e-book (which gets more awesome every day). Today we’re excited to share a sneak peak! Here is an excerpt by Patrick. UPDATE: You can buy it now! All About Inventive Play: the [...]
Play dates are fun, but can go wrong without proper planning. Here are some quick tips to ensure a great time for both kids and families. Meet at a mutual location. The first play date should happen at a place where the kids can get to know each other well and not feel like one [...]
With a nation so consumed with test scores, data, high achievement and baby geniuses, its no wonder that you might be thinking that “play” will derail your kid off the success track. After all, after soccer practice, violin lessons, and homework they just don’t have the time to play. But if you ask most parents [...]
The quality of genius is being able to use simple materials in ways they were never intended. An Exploratorium is a place where your child can store all their open-ended materials. It’s a spot in your home they can go to create projects that the world has never seen before. All it takes is some [...]
