Seattle Learning Center is located in Queen Anne Manor- a senior living center.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays our preschool program reads books and does crafts with the residents. Many of our preschoolers refer it as “grandma time.” Every other Friday you can find our toddlers running around, singing and dancing with the residents. There have been several studies showing the benefits in elders with increased social interaction. Now, research is suggesting there are a variety of benefits for children to have...

As a new parent, many adults realize they know very little about the world of early childhood education. Picking the right daycare/preschool is a huge decision and it is hard to know what to look for. This article gives three book recommendations from the New York Times. These books give background on the field, an understanding of child development, and information on how to find the right school for your child. These books stress the importance of observation, teacher to...

Please visit this link to read an excellent article written about play and why it is a crucial aspect of child development. At SLC, we strongly believe that children learn through play and that play helps build valuable skills such as social and emotional competence.

When hearing of play based schools, one often jumps to the conclusion that a child will play and therefore not learn. Play based can also be seen as ‘child directed’ versus academic based which is often ‘teacher directed’. Both philosophies have children learning, but the environment and way learning is facilitated differs drastically. Play based schools like SLC will have various centers set up in the room for children to explore. Teachers observe and facilitate positive social interactions while children can...

Numerous articles have been published over the years showing the benefits of play…so why is it still questioned in early childhood education? Many adults struggle with the idea that children can learn through play and not just the conventional image of academics. Vygotsky stressed the importance of pretend play giving an example of a child who pretends a broomstick is a horse. This child shows they understand how to separate the object from the symbol and abstract thought. Piaget explained children...