LeafSpring School at Boulders opened in 1991 as a corporately owned school. For many years, Rainbow Station (now named LeafSpring Schools) owned three schools: Three Chopt, Boulder, and Hanover. The Boulders school sits on a unique parcel of land that is surrounded by trees and allows for a lot of nature exploration. The new owner, […]

Here’s to many more!

The Three Chopt school, named for the street on which it resides, bears the distinction of being the very first location. It opened on December 18, 1989 with 18 enrolled children and one child in the Get Well Place (with chicken pox!). Three Chopt, opened by our founder Gail W. Johnson, remains a corporately owned […]

At the age of 9 months, infants typically start exhibiting signs that they can change to a 2-per-day nap schedule. Prior to this age, infants may be napping 3 times per day or not on a defined nap schedule. Infant sleep can be tricky to figure out, we know. We always work with parents to […]

Navigating a Baby Basic by Alison Solomon, RN at LeafSpring School at Three Chopt Almost every baby will experience diaper rash at some point in the diaper-wearing years. Rashes range from mild to severe and can cause a slight annoyance or a massive upset for you and your baby. Don’t leave yourself guessing as to […]

From the NAEYC Blog: Many early childhood educators, myself included, believe that every classroom should have a full set of unit blocks, assorted props tied to children’s current interests and experiences, open storage shelves, and plenty of space and time to build and rebuild invented and familiar structures. I canvassed NAEYC staff and Young Children consulting editors […]

(Originally posted in the PBS KIDS for Parents newsletter) Hey! It’s us, the Kratt Brothers! If you’ve seen our show, WILD KRATTS, you know that we are always creature-adventuring around the globe. Together we take kids on exciting journeys to explore some of the world’s most interesting creatures. We begin each one by asking kids, “what […]

Originally published in Richmond Family Magazine. “Climb on and we’ll all go together!” Golf carts aren’t just for the course anymore. Leave it to parents to find a new use for the golf cart: the mover of all the things and all the people. These slow-moving carts are perfect for hauling beach gear, zipping around […]

(Content from Engadget)   The world is filled with technological pitfalls and online dangers. Bruce Mars (edited) “Do you know what you’re looking at?” I ask my five-year-old and seven-year-old when we’re on the iPad. “Yeah, yeah,” they grumble as they swipe and tap during their 10-minute dip into deviceland. While we peruse pictures of […]

Food Allergy Awareness Week is May 12-18, 2019. On average, two children per classroom have some sort of food allergy. Below are some food allergy basics, signs and symptoms to watch out for, as well as some great resources on finding tons of information.   Food Allergy Basics Food allergies affect approximately 15 million Americans, […]

Preparing children for kindergarten has become a primary focus for many parents and educators over the years. The idea of “kindergarten readiness” has created environments where academics are taught through seated work and less play, but what if teaching children to hold a pencil was as easy as teaching them to cross the monkey bars? […]

Crossing the midline refers to the imaginary line, from head to toe, which divides the body into left and right sides. It is the spontaneous act of our arms, legs, and feet crossing from one side of the body to the other. Crossing the midline is a learned trait and does not typically begin developing […]