Blog

Welcome to the Way to Grow blog! Here you’ll find parenting tips, early childhood resources, and stories from home visits across the Twin Cities. We believe parents are their child’s first and most important teacher, and our home visiting model is built around that: bringing tools, activities, and encouragement right into the home. Browse for book recommendations, everyday learning ideas, program updates, and family stories from across our community.

Our children’s health and education: the best investment we can make 2560 1707 Ivy Marsnik

Our children’s health and education: the best investment we can make

“It was an accident,” Arthur J. Rolnick, Ph.D. says of coming to focus much of his economic research on children. “Since we [at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis] found the way states conventionally promoted economic development to be fundamentally flawed, we argued that we have to rethink economic development in this country. That led…

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Paying it Forward 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Paying it Forward

Way to Grow is deeply thankful for the financial support we receive. In fact, gifts allow us to work with the most isolated families in Minneapolis, and ensure that children are born healthy, stay healthy, and are prepared for school. Last year, we served 2,432 children and parents through 11,563 home visits. With your continued…

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You are Your Child’s Best Advocate 2560 1700 Lisa Bryant

You are Your Child’s Best Advocate

One of the most important responsibilities of a parent is to advocate for your child—being their cheerleader on the sidelines, a defender against their opponents, and a voice when their words seem muted. Every day, you strive to provide your child with the best so that their journey in life is a little less bumpy, with fewer twists and turns. As a…

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Way to Grow announces its participation in the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program 667 553 Lisa Bryant

Way to Grow announces its participation in the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program

MINNEAPOLIS—July 26, 2017—Way to Grow, the Twin Cities’ preeminent leader for early childhood and K-3rd grade education has announced today that it is participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and has begun to serve meals at no separate charge to children enrolled at Way to Grow Preschool Pals (Center for Families),…

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Way to Grow Celebrates the Achievement of Early Learners enrolled in ‘Great by Eight’

Way to Grow Celebrates the Achievement of Early Learners enrolled in ‘Great by Eight’ 150 150 Lisa Bryant
Strengthening Families: Hassan and Asha’s Story 1200 800 Ivy Marsnik

Strengthening Families: Hassan and Asha’s Story

“From the moment we met Shany in 2005, she was very respectful,” Hassan says thinking back to 12 years ago to the day when a neighbor introduced his family to Shany, a Way to Grow Family Educator. “The fact that Shany was a part of our culture and spoke our language made it very comfortable…

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Q&A with a Family Educator: Educating Parents about the Measles Outbreak 150 150 Lisa Bryant

Q&A with a Family Educator: Educating Parents about the Measles Outbreak

Recent reports now confirm the measles outbreak in Minnesota has spread to four counties, the most recent is LeSueur County, south of the Twin Cities. The number of confirmed cases has risen to 69 as of May 24. These cases are primarily affecting unvaccinated children ranging in age from 0 to 17 years. Way to…

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Seeking Preschool Literacy Tutors 500 334 Ivy Marsnik

Seeking Preschool Literacy Tutors

If you are passionate about education and early childhood education, join us at Way to Grow! You can make a difference in the lives of young children by becoming a Minnesota Reading Corps Preschool Literacy Tutor. Tutors will work with our students in small groups and one-on-one using specific interventions developed by educational experts to…

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South Preschool Earns Full Accreditation and Highest Possible Rating 2560 1707 Ivy Marsnik

South Preschool Earns Full Accreditation and Highest Possible Rating

Congratulations are in order! Way to Grow Preschool P.A.L.S., located in South Minneapolis, was recently awarded both NAEYC Accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and a Four-Star Parent Aware rating! Joining our already nationally accredited and highly-rated Preschool Pals classroom in North Minneapolis, our South education team developed a classroom portfolio to provide supporting program…

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New Graduate, Restored Hope 2560 1441 Ivy Marsnik

New Graduate, Restored Hope

One year ago, Alicia came to us seeking help for herself and her 7 month old daughter. Struggling with the recent loss of her sister, Alicia had dropped out of school and lacked the confidence she needed to persevere. Knowing that she needed to finish high school, Alicia was as confused by the process as…

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Rallying for Minnesota’s Children – Advocacy for Children Day 2017 960 638 Ivy Marsnik

Rallying for Minnesota’s Children – Advocacy for Children Day 2017

Advocacy for Children Day celebrates early learning and gives parents, teachers, early care and education professionals, and communities from across the state an opportunity to stand up and be a voice for children. Led by the MinneMinds coalition, which Way to Grow is actively involved in, our staff and several families we serve are gathering at the…

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At-Home Learning Activities for Toddlers 2560 1707 Ivy Marsnik

At-Home Learning Activities for Toddlers

The world is one giant playground for toddlers, but it is also one enormous classroom! Toddlers love to learn new things and master new concepts, making it the perfect time for creating a solid foundation for future skills like reading and counting. One of the best things you as a parent can do is to…

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