Rip, Snip, Cut – Heling young children develop scissor skills Yes, preschoolers, and toddlers with close supervision, should be using a scissors! Helping children to become independent means helping them master skills and safety rules for using many different tools. This is a key piece of development for school readiness and success, as well as [...]
Last week we explored the idea of being purposeful and intentional when providing learning opportunities and activities for children. Using best practices in early childhood education and care provides the foundation for being purposeful and intentional. The following practices are important in providing quality early childhood programming and implementing engaging learning activities for children. They [...]
“I loved the project because it was so cute.” “It was a really cute idea.” “It was easy and cute.” To me, these statements are almost as bad as being called a babysitter. Quality purposeful and intentional childcare and education is more than ‘cute’. The providers that care about their children being ready for school [...]
One Hundred and One Recipes for Fun is a great collection of fun and messy recipes that can be integrated into your daily planning and activities. These are not my original ideas; I have compiled these recipes over many years of snipping from magazines, borrowing ideas from fellow caregivers, and searching through resource books and [...]
Learning to hold a pencil correctly can be a challenge for many children. Being able to write or print requires the arm, hand and fingers to work together so that there is a rhythm, flow and speed that allows for the correct letter (or number) formation. And all of this coordination requires the visual acuity, [...]
We live in a world that is ever changing… some things are for the better, some things are questionable! Good or bad, there have been a lot of changes regarding expectations for children entering school. Remembering back 25 years, when children entered kindergarten the focus was on getting along with other children, learning to listen [...]
The following information comes from Nature Explore Resources, direct observations from their Nature Explore Classrooms. The Nature Explore Classroom Certification Program is a national initiative that recognizes schools and other organizations that have made a commitment to providing outdoor classrooms and comprehensive programming to help children use the natural world as an integral part of [...]
Every year, many of us commit to do things differently, start new projects or practices, and complete things we have started. this renewal every year helps us to think about what we have done, and how we move forward. This reflective practice is a great example for children as they develop their own skills and [...]
