Six-year-old girl flashes a big smile while playing with her curly hair. A child's 6th year is marked by an increase in independence and rapid development of mental skills.

Exciting 6! Here’s What to Anticipate in the Upcoming Year

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  • Six-year-old girl and her brother play with a Storypod and Craftie Plane. Singing songs and reciting rhymes is a great way to support vocabulary development in your 6-year-old.

    Vocabulary Explosion! How to Encourage Your 6-Year-Old's Vocabulary Development This Year

    Six is an amazing age for your child's language development. At this stage, your child will speak around 2,600 words and will understand around 22,000! In fact, they'll be able to put together sentences of around 9 words, so their ability to converse and express themselves will be better than ever. Take advantage of this fruitful time by encouraging vocabulary development through consistent and intentional activities!

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  • 1st grade students sit a table working using colored pencils and paper. In the 1st grade, your child will be learning to write simple sentences accompanied by a drawing to express their ideas.

    What Will My Child be Learning in the 1st Grade?

    Most 6-year-olds will be attending the 1st grade this year and you'll notice their skills progress exponentially! Whereas they were learning their letter names and sounds in kindergarten, 1st grade will teach them to write simple sentences and how to read sight words. It's an exciting time and knowing what they'll be expected to learn this year will help you to support their learning at home.

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  • 6-year-old boy lays in a pile of leaves with a relaxed expression on his face. There are several methods to help your child focus that will lead to task completion in a calm and collected manner.

    Is Your Child Having Trouble Focusing? Here Are a Few Practices to Start Today

    Having trouble getting your child to put their coat, shoes, and backpack on before heading out for the bus? Or is your bedtime routine chaos because you're constantly nagging your little one with reminders to brush their teeth or pick up their toys? While young children aren't expected to be specimens of calm and efficiency, they should certainly be able to get through relatively simple tasks without too much resistance. 

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  • A child's hand is open with his fingers spread. Using the 5-Finger-Retell strategy is great for building reading comprehension skills.

    5 Finger Retelling to Strengthen Reading Comprehension Skills

    At 6 years of age, your child is likely working on reading comprehension strategies in school. To help support your little one's progress, employ the 5 Finger Retell whenever you read your daily story at home. Due to the visual nature of this activity, it's something your child can remember easily, can take with them wherever they go, and with regular practice, they'll be able to efficiently summarize stories in no time!

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  • Child sits on a deck drawing with sidewalk chalk. Using fun materials is a great way to incentivize your child to practice writing.

    7 Fun Ways to Practice Writing Without Paper & Pen

    Expressing ideas, making meaning, strengthening fine motor skills, and practicing phonological awareness —- the reasons to practice writing are numerous and compelling. And while workbooks and good, old-fashioned paper and pencil have their place, finding fun ways to practice writing with young children is a great way to grow a love and aptitude for this very important skill. Read on for a few creative ideas to make writing practice entertaining!

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  • 6-Year-Old boy, accompanied by his sister, whips up some homemade dog treats to donate to an animal shelter. There are many charity projects children 6 and under can do to learn about giving.

    6 Charity Projects for Children 6 and Under That Will Teach Them About Giving

    Reflecting on one's privileges and those who may not be as fortunate is an important practice in gratitude that will serve your child well in life later on. It’s great to create charity-center traditions that will teach children important lessons about giving and compassion as it will lay down the foundation for a kind adult. The earlier your child can learn such values, the better, so read on to discover a few simple charity projects that allow you to involve the youngest members of the family!

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  • Mother sits on the floor with two young daughters, flipping through a book while using Storypod. Engaging in audio experiences is one way to make reading fun for the reluctant child.

    8 Ways to Make Reading Fun for the Reluctant Child

    Reading is a vital part of a child’s future success in life, so it’s easy to understand why parents are so keen on making sure their little one is spending time with books. Despite best efforts, however, some children may show a  limited interest in literature. But, with a few creative tips and techniques, you can have even the most reluctant child finding a love for reading in their own special way!

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  • Six-year-old girl flashes a big smile while playing with her curly hair. A child's 6th year is marked by an increase in independence and rapid development of mental skills.

    Exciting 6! Here’s What to Anticipate in the Upcoming Year

    Congratulations! Your child has entered “middle childhood” and there’s much to look forward to as they continue to grow, develop, and become more independent. Their time at school is sure to foster more substantial friendships and expand their understanding of the “bigger world” around them. It’s an exciting time, so read on to discover more about what to expect this year!

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  • Sister kisses little brother on the forehead to make up after a conflict

    Teaching Conflict Resolution to Kids

    Although many of us would rather avoid it, the truth is that conflict is a normal and even healthy part of life. Navigating these uncomfortable situations is inevitable for everyone, including children. As with many things, the skills required to deal with these situations come with practice. Therefore, parents should take the time to coach their kids in proper conflict resolution as early as they can so that their child can grow into a confident, happy, and well-regulated adult.

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  • Father and daughter clean dishes together as a part of their cleaning routine

    Do Children Thrive with Routines?

    Whether you consider yourself a free-spirit or a highly organized individual, there’s no doubt that there are some routines you’ve put in place to help things run smoothly and efficiently in your life. From health routines to cleaning routines, regular and consistent steps help to bring about good results. Just like adults, children require routines to help them get through their day, too. But more than that, children actually thrive with routines because routines help them to learn, build confidence, and give them the feeling of security vital to experiencing a stable childhood.

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  • Child engages in STEM education by playing with blocks and tools on the floor

    What is STEM and Why is it So Important?

    Standing for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM has become a hot topic in recent years because of the prevalence of (lucrative) technology-centered careers all over the globe. Studies show that STEM careers have grown 70% since 1990 and the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 10.5% growth in STEM jobs within the next decade, a statistic that is only apt to grow as technology continues to advance. Because of its high demand, education has placed a strong emphasis for STEM-based programs and curriculum. In fact, the U.S. government has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into STEM education!.

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  • Young child lies on her back with a thoughtful expression on her face.

    Promoting Problem Solving to Raise Independent Kids

    As much as we want to support our children in all areas, it is important that we are training them to eventually become independent, productive adults. One way we do this is to teach them how to solve problems for themselves.

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