Abacus Mom

Math Blaster, Educational and Fun Math Video Game

Had enough of Club Penguin? 

Are all the brainless video games being played at your place making you see asteroids? 

If you're looking for educational math video game software that your kid will play, enjoy, and learn math skills from, try Math Blaster.  Math Blaster is an exciting shoot 'em up, obstacles video game that also involves equations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.  While the game's not perfect--there could be even more math--it is still better and more playable than much of the other software out there.

Math Blaster

Washington DC Private Schools Have Stressful Admissions Process Too

All you New Yorkers who think only we have to deal with stressful private school admissions, here's news: in Washington DC it's bad too.  Recently, I've been helping some Washington DC families with kindergarten ERB prep.  One family told me:

"I am so glad you can help us with the kindergarten ERB and admissions because we don't know anyone here in DC who can."

If you're from Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas or any other location with competitive private school admissions, Abacus Guide can provide you with that New York competitive edge.  Limited enrollment available so reserve your child's space.  Please contact us at least three months in advance of your child's test date:  212-712-2228 or eglickman(at)abacusguide.com

American Girl Movies: As Good For You As For Your Daughter

I have very low tolerance for children's movies, so I have been repeatedly stunned by my reaction to those put out by American Girl.  They're amazing.

If you're a parent who loves Merchant Ivory or any period drama, the American Girl movies will blow you away.  Did I forget to mention your daughter?  Oh yes, she'll love them too.  Plus of course she'll learn some history and some solid values, like toughing it out through hard times.

These are the American Girl movies, ranked by which I liked the best.  (My oldest daughter thinks the Kit and Molly movies tie, but otherwise agrees.)  If you haven't already indulged, now's your chance:

Molly-An American Girl on the Homefront

Kit Kittredge

Samantha-An American Girl Holiday

Felicity-An American Girl Adventure

An American Girl-Chrissa Stands Strong

We're hoping that a Josefina movie is on its way.  American Girl Company, we hope you're reading this!

Sewing Improves Hand-Eye Coordination, and Oh Yes, It's Fun and Relaxing!

If you want to teach your little one the basics of sewing, you can start as young as three.  You can buy lacing cards, or when kids are a little older, make your own stuffed animals.  Try:

Alex Felt Friends

Lacing Cards

The Alex product lets kids paste on face parts, for added fun!

Once your child is six or so, she's ready for real sewing.  This is the best starter kit I've found:

Alex My First Sewing Kit

Children also love weaving.  Remember pot holders?  Not only do kids become better coordinated, they can make patterns with the loops.  When they progress past pot holders, try the peg loom.  My daughter is currently weaving a blanket for her Josefina doll.  What will your kid do?

Alex Loom

Peg Loom

Summer: Time to Write Your Kindergarten Admission Essay?

Unfortunately, yes.  Since one of the most sought-after Manhattan private schools shuts down interviewing almost immediately after Labor Day, and others shut down a few weeks later, in-the-know parents are working on their private school kindergarten admissions essays now. 

I have last year's essay questions, as well as ten year's experience helping families with essays.  Throughout the summer I'm helping parents get an early start.  Limited enrollment available so reserve your child's space (212-712-2228, eglickman(at)abacusguide.com.)

Best Speech / Occupational / Physical / ABA Therapists in New York?

Toby Glick of ParentConfidante can help you find the best speech, physical, occupational, or ABA therapists in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Westchester or New Jersey.  She also knows the top pediatricians, developmental pediatricians, neurologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists in the NY metro area.  Get more info about Toby's services at www.parentconfidante.com.

How to Help Kids Transition to Kindergarten

Judy at InsideSchools has an excellent article on easing the transition to kindergarten.

European Family Vacation with Kids: Copenhagen

Was it really a vacation, traveling with kids?

In Copenhagen, it really was.

My family and I just got back from ten days in Copenhagen.  If you're looking to go away to a beautiful, historic European city that young kids like too, Copenhagen is it.  Besides ever-present immaculate bathrooms and trains and buses that run every ten minutes anywhere you want to go in the city and beyond, Copenhagen includes many sites of interest to adults and children.  These include:

*  The Little Mermaid statue, the symbol of Copenhagen.  Hans Christian Andersen, one of Denmark's most famous authors, wrote the original story.

*  The Hans Christian Andersen statue. 

*  Tivoli, one of the world's first amusement parks.  Kitschy and with beautiful gardens and fairy lights.

*  Legoland.

*  Lots of castles:  Hamlet's, the Queen of Denmark's, many more. 

*  Open-air museums with old farmhouses, windmills, churches, and other fun buildings to explore.

*  Boat rides in Copenhagen itself and to visit Sweden.

All in all, it was a memorable, stimulating, relatively easy trip for parents and kids.  If you want to learn more, I liked these guidebooks:

Top Ten Copenhagen

Time Out Copenhagen

Preschool Learning Disabilities Diagnoses

There have never been more therapists, psychologists, developmental pediatricians, and neurologists who have been more eager to label your preschool-aged child.  Receiving a diagnosis of a learning disability --nonverbal learning disability, asperger's, auditory processing disorder, "on the spectrum", the list goes on.  Parents can easily seek reports from professional after professional, spending thousands of dollars in the process and subjecting their children to numerous doctor's appointments, observations, and tests.

In my experience, early diagnoses are often incorrect, and they unnecessarily upset parents.  Focusing on children's needs and putting together programs to help with challenges is infinitely more helpful than any useless label.  Anyway, as children age, their needs often change.  A label is static, children are not.

Toby Glick of ParentConfidante helps parents navigate these murky waters.  You can learn more at www.parentconfidante.com or email toby(at)parentconfidante.com.

Spring ERB Scores Are In

My spring ERB clients' children have been receiving their ERB results.  I am delighted to report that everyone is thrilled: more than half the kids got double 99's on performance and verbal and everyone got in the 90's.  While certainly no one can guarantee any child's results, Preschoolers' Prep has worked incredibly well for so many kids.