Play different classical music pieces by different composers. How does the music make your child feel? What about each piece makes him/her feel that way? Instruments used? Chord progressions? Tempo? Melody? Harmonies? Extra Credit: Look up what the composer intended the piece
Butterflies & Blooms
Set a goal to help restore butterfly migration routes in your town by planting a butterfly garden with native plants or seeds. Research the best options to provide nectar, roosting, or food for caterpillars that migrate through your area. After
For the Birds
Inspired by 7 Times Smarter by Laurel Schmidt Birds are generally abundant whether you’re a city-dweller or rural resident…but by the age of nine, while most kids can name 16 TV shows and 7 fast-food chains, they can only name
Let’s Go!
Adapted with permission from Chicago Park District’s “Once Upon a Day Camp” Guide Find a large, open space and have your child start walking around the room or space. Then, say “Let’s go to [A PLACE]!” (The place can be
Effective Breakout Groups for Long-Term Projects
Break Apart by Multiple Intelligence FIRST Place at least one child with a parallel preference in each of your breakout groups. E.g., for a history lesson, place a child with and intra- or interpersonal preference in each breakout group; for
Forgoing Fear of Failure
In an era of teaching to the test in school and avoiding mistakes at all costs, one of the most important things we need to teach our children these days is that failure in-and-of-itself is not a negative thing. It’s
Make It Your Mission! Part 3
Plan a date, time and place to have a gathering to talk to other “like minded people” in your community about your personal mission. Use your visual/spatial, interpersonal and/or verbal smarts to create one or more of the following to
The International Language
Play a song in a language that your child doesn’t know in a style that appeals to him/her. What does it sound like the singer might be talking about? What is it about the music that makes him/her think so? The
Summer Reading Recommendations for the “Word Smart” Child
Most kids that like flexing their linguistic mind muscles will devour the age-appropriate book lists at your local library over the summer. Here are a few additional suggestions that you may not know yet… All ages: Dark Emperor and Other
Be Playful
Have your child become a playwright. Take his/her natural gift for language and storytelling and apply it to playwriting. Creating dialogue, imagining character motivations and developing story arcs will help your child strengthen interpersonal smarts in a way that’s comfortable for