Serious Learning, Seriously Fun!

Year-Round Schooling - Red Apple Reading Express

Year-Round Schooling

As the majority of us are in the midst of our children’s summer vacation, there are a small but growing number of students attending school. Most of us have heard of the term Year-Round Education or YRE. YRE is when school systems adopt an academic calendar that has children attend school the usual number of days but with more frequent and shorter breaks. Thus, eliminating the traditional two to three month summer vacation. Whether or not you are a fan of the year-round model, it is helpful to be familiar with this system since it is gradually gaining momentum in our country.

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
Sensational Summer Reads - RAR

Sensational Summer Reads

All of us at Red Apple Reading hope you and your family are having an amazing summer. There are so many wonderful things about summer vacation, and one of the best is: more time to read! In honor of this magnificent time of year, we would like to recommend some summer themed books for your kiddos. So, let’s explore some summer sensations!

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
Family Fun - Red Apple Reading Express

Family Fun

If your family is like mine, it can be difficult to find a time when everyone is at home at the same time. Sporting events, practices, play dates, and other extracurricular activities keep most families on the go – especially during the summer. While all these “extras” are fun, it’s important that we not overlook another form of entertainment- family fun! We have a few suggestions to help you get your gang together for a little family fun!

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
Summer Enrichment - Red Apple Reading Express

Summer Enrichment

By now, most children are fully into their summer breaks. While taking a vacation from the daily grind of class work and homework is important for our kids, we don’t want them to lose momentum and become complacent. It is possible to strike a balance between discipline and relaxation; and summer enrichment can play an important role in achieving this equilibrium. Today we will explore some ways parents can enhance their kiddos’ education during summer vacation.

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
Why You Should Read to Your Baby - Red Apple Reading Express

Why You Should Read to Your Baby

We all know the importance of reading in the lives of our children. As parents of young elementary school children, we are always receiving reminders from teachers to read with our kids nightly. Most of us even recognize the importance of reading to our preschoolers. But what about our infants? Is it really important to sit down and read to them each day? In short, the answer is yes! Let’s explore a few reasons why reading to your infant is important.

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
Sun Safety - Red Apple Reading Express

Sun Safety

What kind of feelings does the word “summer” conjure up for you? For most of us, summer brings to mind fun days spent swimming, playing, and basking in the sun. Summer can be a magical time to make great memories but it is important to be aware of the specific dangers that accompany being out in the sun. Today we will take a look at some easy ways to keep our kiddos sun safe; thus, ensuring a happy summer for our family!

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
Summer Field Trips - RAR

Summer Field Trips

Now that summer is in full swing, you will want to have some fun excursions up your sleeve. Hopefully your kids haven’t complained about being bored yet; but we know as parents that as the summer progresses we are more likely to hear that moan of despair! We would like to help you prepare this summer with some fun excursion ideas for your kiddos. Just because school is out doesn’t mean that field trips are suspended. Here’s a few fun field trip ideas for your little ones.

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
Oh Say Can You Read? - Red Apple Reading Express

O Say Can You Read?

What are your plans for Independence day? Perhaps they revolve around spending time with family, barbecuing, or enjoying a restful day from work. This year, why not consider adding some patriotic themed books to your day? It is so important for our little ones to know why we celebrate this special day each year and sharing a book about our country together is the perfect way to do just that! Red Apple Reading would like to suggest some patriotic books to enjoy with your young reader.

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
Summer Fun on a Budget - Red Apple Reading Express

Summer Fun on a Budget

It’s hard to believe that summer is here! Many of us are wondering how to entertain the children for the next two to three months now that school is over. If you’re like me, this prospect can seem overwhelming – especially when your family is on a tight budget. However, it is possible to have summertime fun on the cheap! Today we will look at how you and your family can have some good cheap fun!

By Jennifer Campbell, ago
School-Age Reading Expectations - Red Apple Reading Express

School-Age Reading Expectations – Reading Essentials #24

Summer is a great time to take an honest look at your child’s reading progress in school and determine if an intervention is needed before the new school year begins. Here’s the last of the Reading Essentials Series.
As your child is learning to read, you may begin to have concerns about whether or not he or she is progressing at a normal rate. This is completely normal. After all, you’ve been comparing developmental notes with other parents since your child was rolling over and beginning to crawl, right?

By Tammy Bennecke, ago