January and February are "inside jobs." In many parts of the country, young children must spend more time than usual inside, which can lead to some stress and strain both in the classroom and at home . . . cabin fever! All that togetherness is great but sometime we all need our s-p-a-c-e. As most teachers have discovered, the time you share indoors can provide important mental incubation time for children and adults. (Can't we all use that from time to time?) This is a delightful opportunity for you and your child to enjoy the simple pleasures of personal time, to share activities together, to go deep with ideas and feelings. But as every teacher and parent knows, the trick is to find enough things for your child to do so she or he doesn't get cabin fever. Magic mood-changers Teachers have discovered that this time of year is perfect doing short activities that can quickly change the mood of the day. These mini-events also grab children's attention and engage them in teachable moments. Studies have shown that the brain remembers the first and last part of a lesson better than the middle. That is why it is better to offer short episodes of learning where there are more beginnings and ends and fewer "middles"!