Peter - Peter is the dad of three kids, ages 5, 2, and 2 months (at the time of this writing!) He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science, and currently is the co-owner of WonderBrains. His playful creativity directs the business and his family time. Peter’s biggest gift is finding new ways to motivate children to learn, especially in the face of resistance.

Susan - Susan is a mom of three kids (see above) and married to Peter. She is a part-time stay at home mom, and a part-time co-owner of WonderBrains. Her favorite part of parenting? Seeing the world through a child’s eyes, again. The best example? Upon seeing his baby sister for the first time (swaddled), her oldest child asked, “Does she have legs yet, or does she still need to grow them?” Susan holds a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science.

Judy - Judy is a mom to two boys, ages 7 and 2, and gets most of her expertise through her experience with them. She is also currently a prekindergarten teacher in a privately owned preschool, but her teaching experience ranges from three year olds through seniors in high school. She holds a Masters in Education with an emphasis on Curriculum and Instruction and Library Science. Judy’s passion is finding new and different ways to unlock the potential in each child.

One of my goals this summer was to get my son somewhat over his intense fear of bugs.  And that is exactly what it is - INTENSE. 

In the past, we’ve tried holding insects and other critters for him to see (we’ve never made it to touch), but even that is almost too much for him.  However, I want him to appreciate and respect nature and other living creatures, not necessarily FEAR them.

Then, we came across something so simple, I couldn’t believe how quickly his tune changed.

We gave him a bug jar. Read more…

“Just one more, Mom!”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard this during a day, I could retire early.  Just one more sandwich.  Just one more push on the swing.  Just one more kiss goodnight.  Just one more song…one more book…one more, one more, one more! Read more…

We were on our way home from our restaurant of choice (because they have an indoor play yard) with the kids one night, when our 2 year old son started shouting in a desperate voice, “DAD!  DAD!!!!”  Our immediate response was to find out what was so distressing that warranted a call reserved only for blood-related injuries. Read more…

These were the first two words out of my older son’s mouth after a mere 2 days into our summer vacation.  Frankly, I am surprised he lasted that long!  This is definitely my child that blossoms with routine and structure.  There must be a schedule, an expectation, an upcoming activity or an event or he cannot fully function.

Even on summer vacation. Read more…

It’s Spring time and for many of us, it’s time to say goodbye to dreary overcast winter days and say hello to warmer temperatures and maybe even more importantly FINALLY getting a chance to spend some quality time outside.  Looking for educational toys and activities can be a challenge for parents, but the world outside provides ample opportunity to learn and experience. 

When writing this article, I couldn’t help but take a moment to think about what a great time of year Spring is.  If you live in a place that has discernible changes in your seasons, then it’s hard to dislike Spring.  The flowers, the trees, life seems to return each and every year at this time, but for Naturalist Intelligence-oriented people, Spring is the ULTIMATE!! 

Read more…

If you’re a regular visitor, you may have noticed a change to our website. Our product pages have improved! We now offer better alternate images, related products based on purchase histories in our store, and - the thing I’m most excited about - customer reviews. Read more…