Blog
Inspiring Education, at Home and Abroad
Do we ever really stop learning? I took some time off last week and took my good friend to one of my favorite places in Colorado. While I have been there many times, we did things on this trip that were firsts for me, too. On breaks in between morning walks and mountain hikes, my […] Learn More ›
Week of the Young Child: A Daily Celebration
As a proud member of the nationally accredited NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) community, JCC Chicago feels that every week is a celebration of the young child. Although it’s nice to get national attention for one week a year, our children are the center of what we do every day, every week…all year! We […] Learn More ›
Five Essentials to Meaningful Play
The famous Mr. Fred Rogers once said, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” At JCC Chicago Early Childhood, we believe that play is essential to a child’s development. It helps build their self-esteem, […] Learn More ›
The Fine Art of “Play Dating”: 13 Tips to Create a Successful Experience
Over time I have learned that, much like the art of dating, setting up a successful playdate for children requires a bit of finesse. In order to avoid the potential pitfalls that can arise when putting young children in the same space together, it is important that the coordinating adults help structure the experience to […] Learn More ›
Celebrating Differences: Accepting What Makes Us Unique
In today’s society, children have many opportunities to explore similarities and differences of people from various ethnicities, religions, cultures, genders, intellect and physical abilities, among other attributes that make us each unique. One of the greatest things about young children is their curiosity and innate capacity to have an open mind. Children are constantly observing […] Learn More ›
Life-Long Learning Grows
Learning through the philosophies of Sheva and Reggio Emilia. As our youngest learners take their first steps into lifelong learning and Jewish community at JCC Chicago, they are guided by two educational philosophies that are as alike as they are distinctive: the Reggio Emilia Approach® and the JCC Association’s Sheva Early Learning Framework. The Reggio […] Learn More ›