Tech use in Early Education

Read another great article on eSchoolNews.com about the benefits of using tech in early education:

Top ways to choose and use tech in early education - http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/04/28/early-education-tech-732/ @eschoolnews

Spend the weekend with the Shapels!

Looking for something to do over the weekend with the kid(s)?  At Shapeltown we have everything from games, coloring pages, and stories and best of all it’s free!  If you haven’t had a chance yet, be sure to stop by Shapeltown where you can interact with the Shapels and even go inside their houses! 

The site is smartphone and iPad friendly so they are great on the go too!  Come on over to Shapeltown and have some fun while learning too: www.shapels.com

The Shapels go on a Shape Hunt!

Are you ready for another fun filled adventure with the Shapels? Not only do we have a brand new story for you, but we have also included a fun Q & A, along with an interactive project for you and the little one(s). 

Head on over to the Shapels learning center to read “The Shapels go on a Shape Hunt!”: http://www.shapels.com/learning/story-of-the-day/

Preschooler Language Development via PBS

Check out this great article on pbs.org about language development milestones in preschoolers: http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/reading-language/reading-milestones/preschooler-language-development-milestones/

Happy Easter...Otto Oval

We just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter!  Otto Oval thought it would be a good day to formally introduce himself since he looks very similar to what the Easter bunny hides.  Here is a quick little video about Otto: http://youtu.be/Hw7ZMEfqzK0

 

Debbie Diamond’s Show & Tell Surprise

Are you ready for another fun filled adventure with the Shapels?  Well then you are in luck, the newest addition to story time is “Debbie Diamond’s Show & Tell Surprise”.

To read all about Debbie head on over to the Shapels learning center @: http://www.shapels.com/learning/story-of-the-day/

The Shapel's Game Center

FREE GAMES!!!! Did that get your attention? In case you forgot, there are a variety of fun, entertaining, and educational games over at Shapeltown.  Click on the links below for our current titles. 

The Shapels Dress Up Fun:

http://shapels.com/games/DressUpFun3/

Cindy Circle’s Cake Run:

http://shapels.com/games/cake/

Shapels Circus Game:

http://shapels.com/games/circus/

Shapels Shape Learning Game:

http://shapels.com/games/KidsShapesLearningPuzzle/

The Shapels Train Game:

http://shapels.com/games/TrainGameHTML5/

Shapels Garden Time:

http://shapels.com/games/garden/

The Shapels Colorball Game:

http://shapels.com/games/colorball/

The Shapels Shape Bounce Game:

http://shapels.com/games/shapeball/

Shapels Advanced Coloring Book:

http://shapels.com/games/coloringbook/

Let us know what you think

With all the aforementioned in mind there is no opinion that is more valuable to us than those of you who have participated in this journey with the Shapels.  If you have any thoughts, suggestions, or ideas where we could improve upon please let us know.  Your feedback and support is paramount and will help the Shapels continue to grow.  Once again we want to thank each and every one of you for the continued support! 

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.  Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.”

Martin Luther king Jr.

The Shapels are a month old...in the virtual world!

While the story of the Shapels has been around for a very long time, shared with countless schools courtesy of Evie North, in the virtual world we are but a mere month old.  I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for following us on this journey and for all of the support you have given us.  It means the world to everyone at Shapels, words cannot express how truly grateful we are.  We hope for your continued support as we grow and ask that if there is anyone you know that might benefit from the Shapels to please help us spread the word.   

The Shapels help facilitate critical thinking skills in children through shapes, colors, numbers, art, music and values.  Our website (www.shapels.com) includes games, in-classroom and home educational tools, as well as interactive media and entertainment content.  

"The Early Work of Readying Young Children for Life Success" by Anne Ostholthoff, Executive Producer of The Ignite Show

Here is another fantastic article written by Anne Ostholthoff, Executive Producer of The Ignite Show (www.theigniteshow.com).  The article speaks to the importance of equipping our children from an early age with the right tools to succeed in life.  It also happens to feature our very own Evie North, founder/creator of The Shapels, and talks about how the Shapels are an excellent learning tool for children and their overall cognitive development.  

The Early Work of Readying Young Children for Life Success

By Anne Ostholthoff, Executive Producer of The Ignite Show (www.theigniteshow.com)

When we think of young children, there is hardly a time when we all don’t imagine the small faces, broad smiles, sweet words and gestures of the young children we know. Whether it is our own children, those related to us in some way – or the young ones we care for in our classrooms, they brighten our days with their simple, joyful ways. You know what I mean – right?

The natural instincts of children draw them to question, and consider, remark and play in ways that make us laugh and smile back with them. This playful, “student-centered” interaction and engagement of adults with children is central to known best practices in teaching and learning for early learners. The PEW Charitable Trust affirms the need for us taking seriously this fact as they report “research shows that attending high-quality pre-kindergarten has a lasting impact on a child’s success both in school and in life”. The National Institute for Early Education and Research (NIEER) is a leader PEW and others reference for their remarkable work in this field. NIEER reports that “Cognitive gains from preschool programs were larger when programs focused on intentional and individualized teaching and small group learning. Programs with these features produced long-term cognitive effects equivalent to one half or more of the achievement gap through the end of high school.”

We all want to bring out the most creative, uniquely imaginative spirits of our children but do so in ways that also help them through research–based strategies give us an added degree of confidence. I’ve recently become acquainted with an incredible story and imaginative town created by veteran Preschool teacher Evelyn C. North (Evie) that I want to share. Her artistic little world of characters called Shapeltown and the small Shapel characters were originally created for her own use to help children learn shapes – math concepts – most naturally. Now this world is open to everyone and incredibly useful for a teacher or parent to draw from and, as Evie says, use “as a learning tool and act as a guide for children to explore shapes, colors, and numbers through art, music and their own imagination.” (www.shapels.com)

I find that the small little characters – like Debbie Diamond and Ricky Rectangle – not only offer children a chance to play out their ideas and in the process learn mathematical concepts, English language arts standards and foundational knowledge in the arts, they also open wide the opportunity for educators to teach health, nutrition, safety, science and character education. I applaud Evie for providing what she calls this “open door to a wide variety of engaging activities for building critical thinking skills in young children.” In doing so, we as moms, dads, teachers and caregivers of the youngest among us have yet another set of tools to engage our children.

I’ve seen first-hand over 20 years working in schools the interactions between teachers and children as founding Executive Director of Creating Pride/ ArtsNOW. I’ve advocated for and trained educators how to bring the arts and creativity into the classroom – and the sparks one sees with using puppetry, drawing, singing with young children is hard to forget. This Shapeltown world was developed in a way that not only assures we are using research-based strategies to engage our youth, but also such that we can lovingly draw upon with our own ideas to learn new things about our children’s minds and hearts.

Starting with the child, listening to their young ideas flow as they play, seeing them draw and create their own answers to questions we pose – the smiles, the laughter, the ingenious solutions … this is the way to ready our young ones for life. It is also the way to open our eyes to the most important time we can spend with these littlest ones we love – this is what gets them most ready for life success - the confidence gained from engagement with those who care the most for them! 

The Conclusion of “Cindy Circle Surprises Suzy Square!”

I hope you are all off to the start of another amazing weekend.  We wanted to kick things off with a little story time.  The conclusion of “Cindy Circle Surprises Suzy Square!” is now live over at Story Time in the Shapels learning center!  Hope you all enjoyed the story as much as my daughter and I did.

Read the finale of “Cindy Circle Surprises Suzy Square!” at: http://www.shapels.com/learning/story-of-the-day/

We have some more exciting news to share shortly…

New Haven Register Evie North Article

Check out this great story that was recently written by Patricia Villars (@nhrvalley) of the New Haven Register about Shapels founder, Evie North.  Ms. Villars also tweeted a video that accompanied the piece of Evie reading the story of Cindy Circle.

You can read the full story here: www.nhregister.com/general-news/20140409/derby-resident-evelyn-north-creates-shapels-as-a-learning-tool-for-toddlers

You can see the video here: http://www.tout.com/m/z3n2ak?ref=twg9x65p

Part 2 in the story of “Cindy Circle Surprises Suzy Square!”

I hope everyone is having an awesome week!  If you or your little one(s) are in need of a little pick we have you covered.  Part 2 in the story of “Cindy Circle Surprises Suzy Square!” is now live over at Story Time in the Shapels learning center!

The adventures of Cindy and Suzy continue at: http://www.shapels.com/learning/story-of-the-day/.  Stay tuned for part 3 and remember that every day we have is a gift so make the most of it!

A few words from the Creator of the Shapels™

The founder/creator of the Shapels™, Evie North wanted me to share a few comments and responses to our followers.  Additionally, she has responses to those of you who have posted comments and questions.  Lastly, she wanted to pass along her sincere gratitude for all of the support everyone has shown.

@Elaine-John Velarde

Thanks, Elaine!  We appreciate your taking the time to give us a “thumbs up.” Hope you enjoy looking at our website and learning all about the Shapels™.  If you’d like to contact us, e-mail me at shapels@shapels.com. 

@Katarina & Christina Tomin

I am very grateful that you are so supportive of the Shapels™ and have given us a “thumbs up” on Facebook.  You were both always there for me as I talked about the development the program and watched it grow into what it is today. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm! 

 

@Harold Weiland

Hi Harold - It really meant a lot to me that you took the time to give us a “thumbs up” on Facebook.  Your support and encouragement has been great.  Please keep checking our website and Facebook page to see what we’ve been up to!  We are constantly coming up with new ideas!  Take care.

PS Try the Cindy Circle Cake Run game – it’s a lot of fun!

@Peter Timpanelli

Dear Pete & Gloria – We are so happy that you have given us a “thumbs up” on Facebook!  Thanks for your encouragement and support as we have developed the program. Keep spreading the word about the Shapels™!  Hope to see you soon!

@Ana Svetz

Hi Ana – it was nice to see a “thumbs up” from someone in my hometown!  I hope you’ll be able to use the website and have fun with the program.  If you want to contact us, e-mail us at shapels@shapels.com.  We’d love to hear from you!

@Bonnie Callaway

Hi Bonnie – Thanks for your support.  We are very happy that the Shapels’ program has been so well received all around the country.  The reaction of the children and parents has been our inspiration!  Please continue to follow us as we continue to create new programs and adventures for the SHAPELS.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at shapels@shapels.com.

@Kelly Foley Anroman

It was so nice to hear from one of my former nursery school students at Carousel Nursery School where the Shapels™ were created many years ago!  I’m so happy that your son is a fan of the SHAPELS™ today!  I was able to read a story to his class when I participated in the READ ACROSS THE VALLEY event on March 24^th.  Please be sure to visit our “Story Time” section in the Learning Center (under the category “Shapels™”) to follow along with new adventures of the Shapels™!  

@Diane Posey Donohue

It was so nice to hear from you, Diane!  Thanks for your interest in the Shapels™.  Everyone on the Shapels’ Team is appreciative of the support and enthusiasm we have received from fans all over the country.

@Betsy Hays Gatti

As a fellow “new author,” I was so happy that you took the time to give us a “thumbs up” on Facebook.  I appreciate your encouragement and good wishes.  Stay in touch!

@Chantal Gerckens

I was so happy that you and your daughter Jessica were the winners of the free set of books in our recent drawing on Facebook.  I’ve known Jessica since she was a toddler, and I understand she is quite an artist!  Please send in some of her drawings and we’ll post them on the Gallery.  I’ll be happy to sign the books if you’d like to stop by!

Also, I know you inquired about an “app” for Shapels™ and yes we are working on one.  Many people have asked that same question.  It’s definitely “in the works!”  We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as it is available.

@Chasity Weiner

Hi Chasity!  So nice to get a “thumbs up” from you on Facebook.  We hope that you enjoy learning about the Shapels™.  Our program makes learning about shapes “lots of fun.”  Feel free to contact us by e-mail at shapels@shapels.com.

@Stephanie Trka

Hi Stephanie!  I’m so glad that you posted a copy of the advertisement for the Play and Learn Fair held yesterday in Ansonia, CT.  It was a huge success.  There was so much for the children to do and for the parents to learn about various organizations in our community.  I participated in the event by doing “thumbprints” for all the children who stopped by my table.  By the way, the characters were created as a result of my “thumbprint” art, which I have done for over 30 years.  Many years ago, the children in my nursery school class could not remember their shapes during circle time, so I added faces on each shape just like I did on my thumbprints.  Later on, I re-designed the characters to what you see today.  Please keep checking our website and Facebook page – we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail us at shapels@shapels.com. 

@Mindy Hampton

Hi Mindy!  Welcome to the world of the Shapels™!  We are so appreciative of the support we have received on Facebook and other social media.  We hope that you enjoy learning about the program and using our website.  Take care.

@Jenny Ames

I can’t thank you enough for your enthusiasm and encouragement over the past two years.  As a kindergarten teacher, you have seen firsthand how the characters can be used to teach shapes to young children.  You’ve also seen the response of the children to the program – they connect with the characters and learn their shapes while having lots of fun!  Thanks again for everything!

@Pam Callaway

Thanks, Pam, for giving us a “thumbs up” for Shapels™!  We hope you enjoy using the website and getting to know what’s available in our program.  As “Daniel the Bear’s” Mom says, “Remember, learning is lots of fun.”  Take care.

@Valerie Pedersen Gadomski

Hi Val – I’m so happy that you were the first one to post a comment on our Facebook page!  That meant a lot to me.  I’m also very happy that Tyler and Addyson love the Shapels™.  Be sure to look at the “Story Time” portion of the Learning Section.  They will both enjoy reading the stories with you about the adventures of the Shapels™.   Thanks again!   Love, Aunt Evie

@Lynn Buttner

It’s so nice to see your comments on our Facebook page.  I hope you’ll continue to follow us as we develop our program and create new ideas for the Shapels™.  You and I both believe in the importance of art and music in the lives of children and adults.   Thanks for your support and kind words!

@Jamie Mamikunian

When I see that so many people have given us a “thumbs up” on Facebook, it makes all the work of developing our program worthwhile.  I just wanted to personally say “thank you” and tell you that we hope you’ll continue to follow us – our website has a lot to offer parents, teachers, and students.  Take care.

Cindy Circle Surprises Suzy Square!

Wishing you all a great weekend from Shapeltown! Are you ready for another fun filled adventure with the Shapels? Well then you are in luck, the newest addition to story time is "Cindy Circle Surprises Suzy Square!".

To read all about Cindy and Suzy head on over to the Shapels learning center @: http://www.shapels.com/learning/story-of-the-day/