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Maren Petersen-DeGroff, Children's Program coordinator at Parenting Now!, writes how a few hours a week in an intentionally prepared environment with age-based peers can help build the skills that children need to be successful.
Petersen-DeGroff shares that most experts agree upon is that preschoolers learn best when they get plenty of unstructured play time.
Petersen-DeGroff also points out the type of play that is best for toddlers and preschoolers. According to Petersen-DeGroff, "guided, open-ended play, with well-trained adults, shows children how to work toward a shared goal, become sensitive to the needs of others, and communicate their needs and ideas."
Petersen-DeGroff advises that toddlers aren't ready for direct teaching of literacy, math and other knowledge content, but play-based learning materials help children make meaningful connections and understandings of their world. She adds that memory is strengthened through repeated experiences. Read the Entire Article
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A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
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Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Hugh Jackman: Fair Trade Entrepreneur
Renowned actor, Hugh Jackman, talks about how he started becoming a fair trade entrepreneur. Jackman is constantly building up ideas and solutions to help small coffee growers get good prices outside the massive coffee industry. His business,  Laughing Man Worldwide, reinvests 100% of its profits in its partnerships with farmers.
