Archive for the ‘Parent Tips’ Category

Ever wonder what your children should be learning in math? Or what you can do to supplement their math education? When parents know what to expect at each developmental stage, they can foster learning with fun, educational activities at home.

My own son has a gift for art and is especially interested in animation. (And while his math test scores are high he’s never been especially motivated to focus on math.) The animated movies that younger kids love can be a good jumping off point for helping them understand the unlimited possibilities of learning math.

The box claims this game is appropriate for ages 3+. It’s wrong. There’s just no way. Where do I even begin? There are so many chutes and ladders that it’s difficult to discern each individual box on the game board.

Does your child have trouble using the mouse? There are a number of things you can do that can greatly reduce the frustration and significantly raise the chances of mousing success for your little ones.

How do you interact with your kids when it comes to school work? Do you enforce a strict homework time or let the little ones face the music if they don't get that book report in on time? To help parents get more involved in their child's education, DreamBox Learning presents the quiz: What's Your Edu-Parent Style?

Soon after we completed our first round of beta testing with our very first version of DreamBox (think 40 games as compared to our current 350+), I attended an incredible conference called Dust or Magic, an annual Children’s New Media Design Institute, organized by Warren Buckleitner, editor of the Children’s Technology Review.

Forget the boogie man under the bed. There’s a bigger problem out there. “My child is scared to try new things that are hard for him.” At DreamBox, we hear this quite a bit. And I believe it’s a problem all parents should attack with muster. Why? Because learning to persevere through a tough problem is a life skill that will serve every child well, now and forever. So how does a parent address this? Every child is different. Experiment with the ideas below and figure out which best suits your child’s temperament.

I never liked this game, not even as a kid. However, I recognize the positive benefits of playing games with my 3-year-old Elle, and I could never deprive her...

I recently came across two articles that really caught my eye.The first was in the Wall Street Journal and was a ranking of the best jobs in the US. Mathematician was ranked #1, with Actuary and Statistician holding #2 and #3 respectively.

I am a DreamBox teacher as well as the parent of a pre-schooler. I must confess there are times I have a hard time not helping him play DreamBox. He really enjoys playing and he is learning a lot. But there are times when the games are challenging for him.

Here at DreamBox, we recommend for best results that a student play at least twice a week for 15 minutes at a time. Some will play more. However, like Vitamin A, a lot more is not better. To take an extreme, a child playing 3 hours a day every day is crowding out too many other activities for a happy child.

Here's a way to surprise your DreamBox-loving kids: download their favorite theme characters and display them as your desktop image! Just click on the size you need, save it to your computer, and set it as your screen's wallpaper or background image.

I renewed my love of Yahtzee a few months ago, in a little cottage in Hawaii when my husband and I discovered it was the only board game in the place. We were trapped inside at 7pm every night with our three month old baby and spent many hours playing this fun and competitive game. Yahtzee is fast paced, has the chance elements of winning big but also requires strategy. During the long days and nights with an infant it was also perfect because the game plays pretty quickly and can be renewed at any time

Kids are simply more receptive to learning when they’re having fun. And lots of experts say that play not only fosters learning but it’s also an essential part of a child’s overall well-being. Play enhances kids' cognitive capacity when it gives them opportunities for trial and error, problem solving, and decision making while encouraging their participation in a fun, rewarding environment—that's what makes play both intellectually stimulating and emotionally gratifying.

When we conceived the idea for DreamBox Learning online math games, we knew that homeschoolers would be people we understand and relate to. After all, we have a lot in common. Homeschoolers believe in taking no chances with their kids' education. DreamBox agrees. Homeschoolers believe that hands-on, individualized learning is crucial. DreamBox agrees. While these bloggers represent a range of views and approaches, they share a passion for education, they believe each child deserves a quality learning experience, and they are willing to invest their time and effort to making that happen. That's also the mission that DreamBox Learning is founded on.