Resources
When children understand directional language, it not only helps them follow directions or explain things themselves, but it helps them navigate the world. Humans use spatial awareness to read maps, build things, and understand the way the world moves. Let’s go on a short trip to think about how we use spatial learning in everyday […]
Children make connections to understand how the world works and our various systems in transportation, food, nature, and more. Adults can facilitate this learning by asking open-ended questions and inviting children to think beyond the immediate toys and materials right in front of them. Making daily connections and discoveries across disciplines is one of the […]
Human beings are incredible at using their bodies for a variety of tasks. Just watching different sports is a fantastic way to celebrate the human body: gymnasts as they leap and twirl, surfers as they balance on a surfboard, golfers as they swing with precision, swimmers as they race through water, and members of track […]
When children understand directional language, it not only helps them follow directions or explain things themselves, but it helps them navigate the world. Humans use spatial awareness to read maps, build things, and understand the way the world moves. Let’s go on a short trip to think about how we use spatial learning in everyday […]
Children make connections to understand how the world works and our various systems in transportation, food, nature, and more. Adults can facilitate this learning by asking open-ended questions and inviting children to think beyond the immediate toys and materials right in front of them. Making daily connections and discoveries across disciplines is one of the […]
Human beings are incredible at using their bodies for a variety of tasks. Just watching different sports is a fantastic way to celebrate the human body: gymnasts as they leap and twirl, surfers as they balance on a surfboard, golfers as they swing with precision, swimmers as they race through water, and members of track […]
One of the great abilities of human beings is the ability to utilize complex cognitive abilities to think through different steps for completing a task. People use this ability every day! Just to eat, we plan out our meals as we search for recipes, write down the ingredients, plan our route to the grocery store, […]
Children love pretend play! Whether hammering with a little plastic hammer, mashing a mud pie, or talking on a pretend telephone, many caregivers have seen children engage in rich pretend play, or sometimes called imaginative or dramatic play. In early childhood, caregivers may notice that children’s pretend play functions as a demonstration of their knowledge […]
Whether we are counting push ups during an exercise routine, cash to pay for an ice cream, or minutes on the clock–counting is a very useful skill for everyday life. When teaching math or literacy skills to young children, one of the most important things that we can do is help children to understand the […]
You’ve navigated a difficult moment with your child, acknowledged their big emotions, and helped them calm down. So, what’s next? How do you help your child understand and process the lessons from these challenging situations? Here’s a guide to support you and your child in moving forward with empathy and love. Provide Reassurance It’s crucial […]
Parenting is a challenging yet rewarding journey. When faced with a child’s misbehavior, it’s natural to seek immediate solutions, and punishment might seem like the easiest path to take. However, while punishments can stop unwanted behavior in the short term, they come with significant drawbacks. Evidence-based approaches like Conscious Discipline and Positive Guidance show us […]
Rewards and punishments are a part of many behavior management programs taught to child care professionals and teachers. At first glance, they make sense. You offer incentives (rewards) to reenforce good behaviors and you impose disincentives (punishments) to move them away from bad behaviors. The goal is for the child to land on the behaviors […]
You’ve navigated a difficult moment with your child, acknowledged their big emotions, and helped them calm down. So, what’s next? How do you help your child understand and process the lessons from these challenging situations? Here’s a guide to support you and your child in moving forward with empathy and love. Provide Reassurance It’s crucial […]
Parenting is a challenging yet rewarding journey. When faced with a child’s misbehavior, it’s natural to seek immediate solutions, and punishment might seem like the easiest path to take. However, while punishments can stop unwanted behavior in the short term, they come with significant drawbacks. Evidence-based approaches like Conscious Discipline and Positive Guidance show us […]
Rewards and punishments are a part of many behavior management programs taught to child care professionals and teachers. At first glance, they make sense. You offer incentives (rewards) to reenforce good behaviors and you impose disincentives (punishments) to move them away from bad behaviors. The goal is for the child to land on the behaviors […]
In the dynamic world of child care, effective communication is key to fostering a supportive and engaging environment. One powerful technique that child care professionals can use to enhance interaction and connection with children is sportscasting. Coined by early childhood educator Magda Gerber, sportscasting involves narrating children’s actions and behaviors in real-time, offering numerous developmental […]
As child care providers and parents, it’s crucial to recognize that when children exhibit challenging behaviors, they’re not intentionally trying to be difficult. Beneath their actions lies an attempt to fulfill their personal needs. They’re not seeking to disrupt or upset us; rather, they’re expressing their emotions in unproductive ways. So, how can we support […]
Guiding children to recognize, articulate, and manage their emotions is a nuanced skill that forms the bedrock of emotional intelligence. Here are three key areas to prioritize. 1. Give them context for their feelings.When children are small, we can sportscast to connect what is happening in the moment with how they’re feeling. For example, “It […]
Knowing how to say no politely but effectively is crucial for both child care providers and parents because it sets boundaries, teaches respect, and promotes healthy communication. It helps establish clear expectations and fosters a positive relationship built on mutual understanding and cooperation. Additionally, saying no in a respectful manner models appropriate behavior for children, […]
Setting goals for children is a key component of providing high-quality care and education. We’ve outlined our guide for child care professionals to effectively set goals, develop action plans, observe and assess behaviors, and involve parents in their child’s development. We highly recommend making this a collaborative process between child care providers and parents wherever […]
Parenting is hard. Parents often don’t get much support around their parenting journey, however, caregivers who work closely with parents and their kids have the opportunity to offer small yet meaningful help. Here are a few ideas. 1. Show Appreciation for Their EffortWe often talk about how important it is to focus on the effort […]
Knowing how to say no politely but effectively is crucial for both child care providers and parents because it sets boundaries, teaches respect, and promotes healthy communication. It helps establish clear expectations and fosters a positive relationship built on mutual understanding and cooperation. Additionally, saying no in a respectful manner models appropriate behavior for children, […]
Setting goals for children is a key component of providing high-quality care and education. We’ve outlined our guide for child care professionals to effectively set goals, develop action plans, observe and assess behaviors, and involve parents in their child’s development. We highly recommend making this a collaborative process between child care providers and parents wherever […]
Parenting is hard. Parents often don’t get much support around their parenting journey, however, caregivers who work closely with parents and their kids have the opportunity to offer small yet meaningful help. Here are a few ideas. 1. Show Appreciation for Their EffortWe often talk about how important it is to focus on the effort […]
Sweet nectar, yummy honey–bees have a pretty nice life full of little sweet treats! Let’s pretend to be bees and have a bee inspired picnic! We highly encourage children to wear antennae if they have them (see our Strong as an Ant! activity for a simple antenna design). Maybe you all can talk about bees […]
This activity is simple, but sometimes a little prop (binoculars, whistles, puppets) can transform children’s play when we invite them to explore the prop in new environments. When we do this activity inside, children may play with their puppets to explore light and shadow. If we play with them outside, it can become an activity […]
This is less a specific activity and more an invitation for caregivers to look to unexpected places to invite children to dig at their leisure throughout all the seasons in your backyard. Check out our tips below for designating a digging center in your backyard! If you have ever taken a walk around a neighborhood […]
Sweet nectar, yummy honey–bees have a pretty nice life full of little sweet treats! Let’s pretend to be bees and have a bee inspired picnic! We highly encourage children to wear antennae if they have them (see our Strong as an Ant! activity for a simple antenna design). Maybe you all can talk about bees […]
This activity is simple, but sometimes a little prop (binoculars, whistles, puppets) can transform children’s play when we invite them to explore the prop in new environments. When we do this activity inside, children may play with their puppets to explore light and shadow. If we play with them outside, it can become an activity […]
This is less a specific activity and more an invitation for caregivers to look to unexpected places to invite children to dig at their leisure throughout all the seasons in your backyard. Check out our tips below for designating a digging center in your backyard! If you have ever taken a walk around a neighborhood […]
Learning through play
Children are never "just playing"
How do children learn through play?
