Early Childhood

Busy bags are self-contained, portable activity kits with simple learning activities that preschoolers and toddlers can complete independently, giving parents focused time to teach older children.

Developmental milestones are skills most children achieve by certain ages—like walking, talking, or problem-solving—that help parents understand typical child development and identify when additional support might be needed.

Fine motor skills are the small, precise movements made with hands, fingers, and other small muscle groups that enable children to perform essential tasks like writing, buttoning clothes, and manipulating small objects.

Gross motor skills are movements using the large muscles of the body, including arms, legs, and torso, enabling big physical movements like running, jumping, climbing, and throwing.

Learning trays are self-contained activity stations displayed on trays that invite young children to engage independently with hands-on learning activities, commonly used in Montessori and early childhood education.

Letter of the Week (LOTW) is a 26-week preschool curriculum teaching one alphabet letter per week with themed activities, crafts, and practice—popular but not supported by current literacy research.

Play-based learning is an early childhood educational approach where play serves as the primary vehicle for learning. Research shows children learn most effectively through active, joyful engagement rather than formal instruction during the preschool and early elementary years.

Pre-K homeschooling refers to educating children ages 3-5 at home before kindergarten. Since compulsory education typically begins at ages 5-8 depending on state, pre-K homeschool is entirely optional and works best with play-based approaches that build readiness skills.

School readiness refers to a child's overall developmental preparedness across social-emotional, language, cognitive, physical, and general knowledge domains—not just academic skills like counting or letter recognition.

Tot School is a play-based early learning approach for toddlers (typically ages 2-4) that focuses on hands-on activities, sensory exploration, and fostering a love of learning through intentional play rather than formal academics.