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This time of year typically puts people into a good mood (at least I like to think so!). Although times might be tough for some of our children and families that we work with (or even for you), there are many ways to make this season happy for all! As an early childhood educator and
For this months topic I was thinking about how often children find random household objects to play with throughout the day. Most children I know have used pots and pans to form their own band, or made a collection from various items outside. Using these types of creative play in the classroom or home childcare
Summer is in full swing and with this time of year, usually comes a more relaxed child care/family care environment. Most teachers are happy to be outdoors, and most children are even happier to have more free time to explore and play. Walks to the local library, playground, bookstore, park, etc. are all possibilities now.
As the hot summer months are among us I wanted to provide some “cool down” activities you can incorporate into your lesson plans to use with your kiddos! Some of these ideas may be more appropriate in a Montessori classroom, but they certainly can be used in any childcare set up. The first activity is
Hello my fellow CDA Educators! This month’s installment reminds me that we need to remember to work smarter, not harder. By this I mean, the grinds of daily daycare/childcare can put a strain on our happiness and enjoyment in working with young children. As professionals in the early childhood field pursuing your National Child Development
There are an unlimited number of ways to include fine motor tasks into curriculum throughout the day. While in the CDA program you are required to provide an activity that you will use or have used as a teacher in a childcare setting. I wanted to provide some of my favorite, and most simple ideas
Outdoor play is a very important part of an early childhood education program. Playing outside is the a great way for children to develop their gross motor skills by running, jumping, skipping, etc. It also helps with developing social skills, teamwork, and imaginative play. It allows children to use their senses to learn about the
Hello! I have talked recently about the importance of movement in the classroom. I want to build off of that idea and talk about Dual Tasking. Some of you may have heard of this term, and for others it may be something new! The idea is in the name, there are studies that show that
When I had my own early childhood education classroom, we had cooking every Friday, which both the children and I loved! Cooking is a wonderful way to integrate science, math, literacy, art, and gross and fine motor skills into the curriculum. My cooking project would always tie of in with my theme of the month/week,
Most of you may have been a little confused when seeing the title of this blog post. Something I have been learning more about recently is the importance of children putting weight through their upper extremities while they develop. Babies learn to crawl by pushing up onto their arms and strengthening those muscles. Some of