The Full Measure of a Child

by Sarah Shaffer on December 16, 2019

But what if our race to the top has resulted in a race to the bottom, at least in terms of taking the fun out of learning? In our rush to get back to the basics, we may have forgotten something very basic: there’s profound and genuine joy ...... Read full article

Kids and Climate Without Tears

by Sarah Shaffer on November 11, 2019

Our kids have enough to worry about without adding the climate apocalypse—fires, mudslides, droughts, heat waves, hurricanes, and floods—to the list. I want the children in my programs to fall in love with the natural world...... Read full article

Where Have All the Children Gone?

by Sarah Shaffer on July 12, 2019

I worry that there there may be equal cause for alarm in a “silent summer” of backyards devoid of children’s voices. Parents used to have to shoo their kids outdoors to play. Now we hardly know that they are home. And that is not a good thing.... Read full article

The 2019 Top 5 Best Leadership Development Summer Camps in Alameda County

by Best of Parents Press 2019 on July 10, 2019

Here are the 2019 Top 5 Alameda County Best Leadership Development Summer Camps as voted for by parents in Alameda County and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area... Read full article

The 2019 Top 3 Best Health and Special Needs Summer Camps in Contra Costa County

by Best of Parents Press 2019 on July 10, 2019

Here are the 2019 Top 3 Contra Costa County Best Health and Special Needs Summer Camps as voted for by parents in Contra Costa County and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area... Read full article

The 2019 Top 3 Best Leadership Development Summer Camps in Contra Costa County

by Best of Parents Press 2019 on July 10, 2019

Here are the 2019 Top 3 Contra Costa County Best Leadership Development Summer Camps as voted for by parents in Contra Costa County and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area... Read full article

The 2019 Top 5 Best Health and Special Needs Summer Camps in Alameda County

by Best of Parents Press 2019 on July 10, 2019

Here are the 2019 Top 5 Alameda County Best Health and Special Needs Summer Camps as voted for by parents in Alameda County and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area... Read full article

What if Questions Are the Answer?

by Sarah Shaffer on November 16, 2018

What is it about labeling science a formal subject that robs the endeavor of fun and drains kids of their passion? Might there be some connection between your child’s grade on a report card and his sudden “I-hate-science” statements? ... Read full article

Bay Area Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trots

on November 09, 2018

Looking for a way to diminish the impact of the average 4,000 calorie Thanksgiving Day feast? Look no further than some of the best Bay Area turkey trots.... Read full article

Catapulting to the Head of the Class

by Sarah Shaffer on November 17, 2016

“This isn’t science. This is fun!” “Children are born true scientists. They spontaneously experiment and experience and reexperience again. They select, combine, and test, seeking to find order in their experiences – ‘which is the mostest? ...... Read full article