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Any parent of a preschooler knows the subject of sharing warrants an entire how-to manual. So although our four-part series on sharing is all wrapped up today, just in time for the holidays, we hope you’ll refer back to it – and print and upload our adorable sharing activities – throughout 2012.  But first, check […]

Your newborn baby is ready to care and share, right from the start. Yes – the very start. Neonatal nurses know that the sound of a crying newborn will trigger “sympathetic crying” in the other newborns.  It’s part of your baby’s “hardware” that includes specific brain circuits for caring and sharing.  New research – summarized […]

The word “sharing” doesn’t usually conjure up images of fun, happy play in the mind of preschoolers’ parents. More often, sharing means protests of “mine!” and guaranteed hurt feelings. But sharing doesn’t have to be dreaded. The best way to teach sharing is by simply having fun with it. Preschoolers are deeply involved in their […]

You’ve been there: Several parents get their preschoolers together for a playdate. As the grown-ups get down to coffee and chatting, the kids get down to play. All too soon, you’re pulled away from some much-needed adult conversation by Sharing Gone Bad – the sound of your child screeching, “Mine! It’s mine!” So much for […]

Shawna’s daughter Riley was one of those perfect, easy babies – she slept through the night, only cried when she needed something, and loved for grandma to read her The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Shawna thought she had this parenting thing figured out. Then Riley turned 10 months old – and everything changed. Riley screamed at […]

Join The Children’s Courtyard and Sprout as We Continue to Celebrate Kindness Sprout and The Children’s Courtyard are working together to help make kindness count. Here are 10 fun and simple ideas to get you started. And be sure to share your kind acts with Sprout — we love to hear your stories and see […]

Your child’s incredible mind has been growing and changing since birth! She is eager to learn, to question, to make sense of the world around her. He is on the path to developing complex thoughts. Children’s cognitive skills are improved when they form questions and find solutions by themselves, or with an adult who can […]

When my first child started daycare, I made the same rookie mistake many new parents make – I didn’t ask any questions. I felt embarrassed – that somehow, asking questions made me look dumb. Four kids and several daycares later, I now know what I wish I’d known then – there’s no such thing as […]

Often our busy lives seem to be full of many distractions. With the hustle and bustle of everyday, do you feel like you don’t have time to do what you need to do as a parent, or that your skills as a parent could be improved? Here are some thoughts about being a more purposeful […]

All kids have unique natural strengths, or gifts. But there is one common gift among all kids born after 2000: technology skills. Kids today who are born into the digital era are surrounded by technology at the same time they are learning how to speak and acquire language. They innately pick up skills the same […]

Kind Act Ideas for Your Family Join The Children’s Courtyard and Sprout as We Continue to Celebrate Kindness Sprout and The Children’s Courtyard are working together to help make kindness count. Here are 10 fun and simple ideas to get you started. And be sure to share your kind acts with Sprout to help reach […]

“A NINK in da SINK? Too silly, mommy!” Sasha is our youngest. She’s nearly 2, and we’re discovering that she loves Dr. Seuss.  Her current fave is There’s a Wocket in My Pocket! For some reason, that kooky Nink makes her shriek with laughter.  She has the tiny, toddler-sized version of the book, so she […]