School fun facts

Odds and trends

Percent of school-age children who consider swimming their favorite summer pastime: 62

Number of weeks students in Japan have for summer vacation, which always involves homework: 6

Extra hours of learning per week students in rural Pope County, Ark. get watching math and science lessons on five ceiling-mounted screens in their school bus: 10

Annual preschool tuition at New York’s exclusive Ethical Cultural Fieldston School: $35,915

Tuition San Francisco’s wealthiest parents pay for their toddlers to attend Ann and Gordon Getty’s invitation-only Playgroup Preschool: $0

Hours per day children in China typically spend at school, including a two-hour lunch break: 9 1/2

Percent of American school children who say their favorite recess game is kickball: 62

Percent of children who, given a time machine, say they’d use it to see their parents as kids: 59

Number of children every year who register for football, baseball, soccer, or another competitive youth sport: 20 million

Percent who quit by age 13 and never return: 70

Percent of students from kindergarten through second grade who would include laptop computers for every student if they could create their own school: 52

Percent of adults who yawn if they see someone else yawn: 50

Age when contagious yawning starts: 5

Sources: Scholastic.com, Factmonster.com, eschoolnews.com, ecfs.org, The New York Times, Familyeducation.com, Brokensecrets.com

Relevant Directory Listings

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Lefferts Gardens Montessori

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">Serving our community since 1986 and a member of the American Montessori Society. We offer a hands-on learning environment for Toddlers through Grade 6, with a mission to help each individual child reach his or her potential and to prepare students to be independent thinkers, lifelong learners and responsible citizens in an ever-changing world.</span></p>

Congregation Beth Elohim Early Childhood Center

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">A progressive preschool that nurtures childrens’ natural curiosity, critical thinking and self-esteem through an emergent curriculum developed by direct observation of childrens’ play and interactions with the world around them.</span></p>

Speyer School

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; color: #000000;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">Speyer is the only K–8 independent school for accelerated learners in NYC. At Speyer, students are empowered to pursue their intellectual passions, guided by faculty who help them develop the habits of mind and strength of character to realize their extraordinary potential. We cultivate a deep understanding of who each child really is — not just as a learner, but as a whole person.</span></p>