Executive Function skills typically develop between the ages of 3-5. These skills enable children to plan and act in a way that makes them good students, classroom citizens, and friends. Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child has great information about building children’s executive function. What can you do at home to help your young child develop […]

LeafSpring is a proud participant of The Week of the Young Child™, an annual celebration hosted by NAEYC to celebrate our youngest learners! Join us this week for five fun-filled, themed days to spotlight early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities. Daily themes include: Music Monday: When children sing, dance, and listen to music, they develop their language and early literacy […]

The rise of connected devices and content creators has created a conundrum for the modern-day parent. How many episodes of Paw Patrol is too many? Is My Little Pony educational? Is it okay that my child can sing most of the Daniel Tiger songs? Should I refrain from scrolling through my phone when the kids […]

In honor of International Women’s Day, we’d like to highlight and honor our founder, Gail Johnson, who built LeafSpring Schools and grew it internationally.  Gail spent decades focusing on women and children’s issues throughout her career and founded LeafSpring Schools (originally Rainbow Station) in 1989. With decades of experience as a nurse, she has held […]

With all the snow and cold weather the winter season brings, you may be wondering “What’s the easiest way to keep my kids moving?” We found some ideas from our friends at Pop Hop & Rock and compiled some fun ideas you can try with your little ones inside, when it’s too chilly to be burning their […]

RSV and the flu are no fun. The poor unfortunate souls with these viral illnesses make an adult amount of snot in little tiny kid spaces. Then, they can’t get all that goo out and are miserable and at risk for secondary infections. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was something you could do to […]

Numbers, Thermometers, and When to Call the Doctor December 1, 2018 We look forward to so many of baby’s firsts, but there are some firsts that aren’t so fun. It’s bound to happen at some point: Your baby isn’t acting like himself and you notice he’s warm. It’s hard not to panic, but knowing in […]

Originally published on the NAEYC blog: As Halloween approaches, Marilou Hyson, PhD, former associate executive director at NAEYC, talks about young children’s fears. Much of Marilou’s research and writing has focused on early childhood emotional development. What is too scary for children at different ages? Each child is different, so it’s difficult to give hard […]

From PBS.org: The first day of a new preschool, or even the first day in a new classroom in the old preschool, can be met with a mix of excitement and anxiety for kids and parents alike. Although it’s fun to embark on a new adventure and many preschoolers delight in the feeling of being […]

Originally published in the August 2018 print and online version of Richmond Family Magazine By Alison Soloman, R.N. We don’t usually associate the phrase “history repeats itself” with illness, but sometimes diseases we thought were ancient history – or at least so uncommon they slide off the radar – make a sneaky comeback. Here’s a look […]

LeafSpring Schools Named a Top Global Franchise, Awarded AdvancED Corporation Accreditation Two honors recognize LeafSpring Schools as innovators and leaders in both the early education and franchising industries (JULY 2018) – LeafSpring Schools, a Richmond-VA based early education childcare franchise, recently received two accolades: Named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Global Franchise list and awarded AdvancED […]

1. Avoid sunburns like the plague 2. Swim Smart 3. Stay Away From Stings and Bites 4. Overheating/dehydration/and heat rashes 5. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED IN THE CAR FOR A MINUTE! Read more.