Latest Blog & News
How Can Pretend Store Play Teach School-Age Children Money Skills?
10/16/2026When children run a pretend store, they practice far more than counting coins: they make choices, compare prices, communicate, and solve everyday problems. For providers ready to plan engaging, age-appropriate experiences, ChildCareEd’s 45-Hour School Age Curriculum offers broader training in ... How Can Pretend Store Play Teach School-Age Children Money Skills?
How Can Child Care Providers Make Christmas Classroom Activities Optional and Inclusive?
10/16/2026Christmas activities can create enjoyable learning moments, but families differ in whether and how they celebrate. If you offer the Word Search – Christmas, make it one optional choice for children whose literacy skills fit the activity, alongside equally engaging alternatives with other theme... How Can Child Care Providers Make Christmas Classroom Activities Optional and Inclusive?
What Should a Mentor Review During a New Teacher’s First Month?
10/16/2026A new teacher’s first month is full of small decisions that shape children’s safety, relationships, and learning—and no one should have to navigate it alone. A thoughtful mentor review turns everyday questions into manageable learning goals; ChildCareEd’s Teacher Mentoring in... What Should a Mentor Review During a New Teacher’s First Month?
How Can Family Child Care Providers Adapt Arrival Routines for an IEP or IFSP?
10/16/2026Arrival can be a busy handoff and a demanding transition for a child who needs individualized support. Consider using the Toddler Room Labels to make familiar materials and storage locations easier to identify, adapting their placement and presentation to the child’s needs and agreed supports.... How Can Family Child Care Providers Adapt Arrival Routines for an IEP or IFSP?
Is a Child Ready for Letter and Number Tracing?
10/16/2026A child’s interest in writing can be exciting—but readiness is about more than holding a crayon or completing a worksheet. Explore the developmental signs that help you choose an appropriate next step, and consider Letter & Number Planning in Child Care for practical ways to plan ind... Is a Child Ready for Letter and Number Tracing?
What Should You Do When a Child Disagrees with the Feeling You Named?
10/16/2026When a child says, “I’m not mad—I’m sad,” that correction is not a setback; it is useful information and an opening for connection. Strengthen your responses with Opportunity for Growth: Emotional Development, a focused course that helps providers understand children&rs... What Should You Do When a Child Disagrees with the Feeling You Named?
How Can You Reduce Classroom Setup Time Without Taking Away Children’s Choices?
10/16/2026When setup and cleanup consume the minutes you hoped to spend with children, small changes to your environment and routines can make a meaningful difference—without turning play into a fixed script. Explore It’s All About the Timing to build practical time-management strategies for child... How Can You Reduce Classroom Setup Time Without Taking Away Children’s Choices?
How Can Child Care Providers Plan an Accessible Field Trip?
10/16/2026A field trip can open up a whole new world of learning—but only when every child can take part meaningfully. Build your planning skills with ChildCareEd’s Enriching Education: Field Trips, which explores safe, engaging trip planning and ways to connect outings with children’s learn... How Can Child Care Providers Plan an Accessible Field Trip?
How Can You Adapt a Beginning-Sound Activity for Different Learning Needs?
10/16/2026Beginning-sound practice becomes more accessible when children have flexible ways to participate. Try adapting the Beginning Sounds Worksheet by preparing cutouts in advance, offering fewer choices at a time, and allowing children to point or use their usual communication supports to indicate a matc... How Can You Adapt a Beginning-Sound Activity for Different Learning Needs?
What Should You Review Before Sending Home a Thanksgiving Activity?
10/16/2026A simple Thanksgiving puzzle can travel home with children—but the words, images, and assumptions it carries deserve a closer look first. Use this practical review to make activities more thoughtful, inclusive, and useful for families, and explore Diverse Perspectives in Child Care to build sk... What Should You Review Before Sending Home a Thanksgiving Activity?
