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Five-year-old Maria goes to the music center, chooses a CD, inserts it into the player, adjusts her headphones, and listens. In the library corner, Will searches for his favorite book. He looks, but the book isn’t in its usual place. Instead of asking an adult for help, he hides his face and cries.Read More: Early Childhood News 

From the rhythm of the lines to the joy of playing with words, poetry weaves a special kind of magic. Children love the playfulness of poetry and are natural poets, putting words together in new and unusual ways every day. Whether they hear a poem read aloud or write their own, children are learning about language — and about themselves and others.Read More: Scholastic

As a child care provider, you soon discover that parents and children are a two-for-one deal: Developing positive relationships with parents is critical to providing the best care possible to their children. Read More: ZERO TO THREE

Practicing learned content in the context of play allows students to internalize new ideas and skills and incorporate those skills into their daily lives. Active play also triggers students’ interests and enthusiasm for learning while helping them further develop the physical skills they need to stay healthy and fit. Here are a few ways you can incorporate active play into your math and literacy lesson plans.Read More: Kaplan Early Learning Company

Teachers and caregivers play a critical role in preparing young children for school and life success. In addition to a warm and nurturing environment, the adults in children’s lives should also focus on the building blocks of reading and writing.Read More: Reading Rockets

It's 8:30 A.M. on the first day of school. The children arrive, tentatively entering the room. Some stay close to their parents, while others wave goodbye and head straight for a learning center. The noise level shifts to a warm "hum" as children discover the joys of their new classroom. "Look there's my cubbie!" "Teacher, can I build with these blocks?" "Wow, I see a shell in this box!" The day has just started and already children are beginning to…

During the preschool years, children use their bodies to play and learn while developing the various motor skills they’ll use throughout their lives to stay physically active and healthy. Your guidance will help them build a strong foundation of physical skills that will help them complete everyday activities and participate in various sports. In Encouraging Physical Activity for Preschoolers, Steve Sanders, EdD, discusses how you can help preschoolers understand the best ways to skip, gallop, run, jump, etc. Here are just…

As their children’s first teachers, parents have an amazing opportunity to nurture their children’s growth and development and to advocate for their education. And many parents want to be involved in their children’s education. I realized early in my teaching career, however, that families often face obstacles to engaging in the school experience. Read more: NAEYC 

Teachers, caregivers, and parents never fail to get a thrill each time they witness a baby taking a first step; few milestones in early childhood are as dramatic, significant, and exciting for all involved as learning to walk. Once a baby becomes fully mobile on two feet, usually sometime after the first birthday, life is never the same. Though wobbly and still preferring to crawl at times, this baby turns into a new kind of being: a toddler!Read more: Early…

Is one section of your classroom driving you crazy because it’s so disorganized, or do you feel like your classroom is just messy in general? If you answered yes to either of these questions (or even if you didn’t), make it your goal to get a little spring cleaning done in your classroom over the next few weeks. Cleaning and organizing your classroom can have a positive effect on the learning environment and on everyone’s moods. Here are a few…