How To Explore Feelings with Kids Who Don’t Want to Talk

 

This podcast offers four ideas to help you explore a child's emotions - without talking!

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Children & Family Nature Inspiration Guide

 These free resources are for families with children 2-12 to support the benefits of time outside and off screens.

Teach Like a Hummingbird (Not A Helicopter)

 

Giving preschoolers freedom to choose what they learn, and how they learn it, fosters curiosity and independence in the classroom.

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2024 Research Roundup: 3 Must-Read Studies About Early Care and Education

 

Three notable studies related to childcare and early learning that the field should pay attention to.

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7 Essentials for Transformative Family Partnerships

 

Creating meaningful relationships with families and engaging them in children’s learning both in and out of the classroom is crucial.

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Interventions for Executive Functioning Challenges: Organization

 

Organization is an efficient and orderly approach to tasks and keeping materials in order.  As kids get older, organization becomes more important.  While it is a critical skill for all ages, kids are often just learning to develop and strengthen their skills as more responsibilities are added on in their lives.

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Dutch Bringing Back Risky Play–in Parks Where Kids Climb, Swordfight with Sticks and Build with Hammers

 

Parts of Dutch society are campaigning to bring risky playgrounds back into their cities and towns as concerns about too much time spent indoors, helicopter parenting, and childhood diabetes risk grow.

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Kindergarten Is the New Second Grade, And Teachers Aren’t Having It

As an educator, I know that Kindergarten has changed, and not exactly for the better.

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Active STEM-inspired Games to Play with Your Preschool This Winter

 

Getting your kids to be active can be a challenge sometimes, especially when temperatures drop outside. Try these fun STEM activities to get them moving in winter weather.

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Downtime, Not Distraction: The Value of Boredom

 

The earlier we introduce screens the more it affects the child’s brain development and the more likely they will have trouble managing their addiction to screens and technology later in life.

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Trouble With Executive Function at Different Ages

 

Executive function skills develop over time, and at different rates. So, it can be hard to tell if what you’re seeing is something to be concerned about or if it’s common for a child’s age group. This list can help you spot trouble with executive function in kids.

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The Power of Joy and Belonging

 

All those who work with young children are dedicated to creating joy for them. That's essential to the healthy development and ultimate success of babies, toddlers and early learners. Our teachers, afterschool providers, librarians, home visitors and so many others give children a great gift with their commitment to generating joy.

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Supporting Young Children to Become Competent, Confident, Courageous, And Resilient

 

This article offers ways to advocate for challenges for children to build their risk competency.

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Strategies For Family Engagement: Attitudes and Practices

 

This guide is intended for professionals in the early childhood field. Individuals, groups of staff, and supervisors can use this tool as part of training and reflective practice and supervision.

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Through A Teacher’s Eyes: What I’ve Learned from Two Decades Teaching Toddlers

 

This article offers insights as a veteran toddler teacher–particularly at a center that values outdoor play.

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Three Strategies to Strengthen Relationships Between Families, Teachers, And Childcare Programs

 

This article offers three ways to build connections that benefit families, children, teachers, and childcare programs alike.

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Empowering Generational Greatness (EGG) Toolkit From The Family Partnership

 

This podcast shares a wonderful toolkit for early educators to support executive function and regulation in young children.  This simple-to-use toolkit can support school readiness, buffer children against the harmful effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and improves lifelong outcomes.

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Books and Activities for Teachings Kids Black History and Culture

 

This resource offers book lists and activities as resources for teaching kids of all ages about Black lives of the past, present, and future.

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Children Learning to Read Later Catch Up to Children Reading Earlier

 

This research suggests some focus on teaching reading early could be relaxed.

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A Registered Dietitian’s Tips for a Healthy Heart

 

This February, American Heart Month offers a chance to focus on healthy living and heart disease prevention. Tips for healthy eating include controlling portion sizes, increasing fruits and vegetables, choosing whole grains, eating quality proteins, avoiding trans fats, and limiting sodium.

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Free Resources to Help You Celebrate Black History Month

 

The Canadian government offers online resources for celebrating the month, including a colorable poster for kids, a timeline of significant events in Black history, and biographies of notable Black Canadians.

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Building Positive Relationships with Families

 

Economic, educational, and other gaps between teachers and parents can sometimes make it challenging to build true partnerships. In this video, fatherhood expert Doug Edwards from Real Dads Forever discusses some strategies teachers can use to bridge those gaps and build stronger relationships with families.

52 Social Emotional Learning Prompts

 

This resource is designed to help young learners explore and express their emotions, build empathy, enhance communication skills, and make thoughtful decisions.

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Engaging With Families

 

It might feel difficult to establish an engaging relationship, but by following the “Five Rs” family engagement will grow as quickly as the children in your classroom.

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Sensory Strategies as Tools for Self-Regulation and Healing (Part 2)

This video demonstrates “hands-on” and “hands-off” strategies targeting each sensory system, along with strategies to request consent as well as what helps us know when strategies are working.

Classroom Accommodations for Executive Function Challenges

 

Explore these classroom accommodations for executive function challenges. Download and print a list of supports for use at school and even at home.

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5 Common Myths About Executive Function Challenges

 

This article, written for parents of children with executive function needs, puts five common myths about executive function to rest.

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9 Tips for Talking to Your Child’s Teacher About Executive Function Challenges

 

When your child has executive function challenges, it’s important to talk with teachers. Here are tips for explaining these challenges to teachers.

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Sensory Strategies as Tools for Self-Regulation and Healing (Part 1)

 

This video focuses on the connections between sensory systems, self-regulation, co-regulation, and the impact of trauma as well as what to pay attention to in group care environments and the importance of consent.