Latest Blog & News in English
Portland Air Quality and Child Care: When Is It Safe to Play Outside?
05/21/2026Clean air matters for little lungs. This short guide helps Portland child care providers and directors decide when it's safe to take children outside during smoke or poor air days. You will find clear steps to check air quality, protect indoor air, decide about masks and activities, and avoid common... Portland Air Quality and Child Care: When Is It Safe to Play Outside?
How do Stone Mountain and strong foundations help build social-emotional skills in early childhood?
06/11/2026Stone Mountain is a strong image: big, steady, and shaped over time. This article uses that image to help #educators build steady #socialemotional skills for #children and #families using practical #SEL strategies. You will find easy steps, ideas to use every day, ways to partner with parents, and t... How do Stone Mountain and strong foundations help build social-emotional skills in early childhood?
How can child care providers encourage cooperative play among preschool children?
07/16/2026Preschool classrooms thrive when children learn to plan together, share materials and roles, solve disagreements, and enjoy working toward common play goals. This practical guide gives child care directors and providers research-informed strategies for encouraging sustained cooperative play through ... How can child care providers encourage cooperative play among preschool children?
How Can School-Age Programs Teach Conflict Resolution That Actually Works?
07/16/2026Teaching conflict resolution in school-age programs becomes more manageable when children are given short scripts, predictable routines, and repeated opportunities to practice solving problems. This article gives teachers, providers, and program leaders practical strategies for helping children calm... How Can School-Age Programs Teach Conflict Resolution That Actually Works?
How can play-based learning help preschool teachers and programs?
06/30/2026Play-based learning is how young children learn when they play. For child care providers and directors, this approach helps children grow language, thinking, social skills, and confidence. In your #classroom you can arrange materials, time, and teacher moves so #children lead learning through play... How can play-based learning help preschool teachers and programs?
MLK Activities
09/22/2022Introduction — How can early childhood programs mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day in ways that build empathy, civic understanding, and inclusive practice? In early childhood settings, celebrations that center MLK's legacy should do more than entertain: they should introduce children to the... MLK Activities
Creative Martin Luther King Jr. Day Activities for Preschool, Pre-K, and Kindergarten
03/10/2026Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a good time to help young children learn about kindness, fairness, and caring for others. Child care providers and directors can use simple, hands-on activities to teach these ideas in a way that feels safe, playful, and meaningful. These ideas work well for preschool, ... Creative Martin Luther King Jr. Day Activities for Preschool, Pre-K, and Kindergarten
What Hands-On Activities Work Best for School-Age Child Care?
07/03/2026Hands-on activities help school-age children learn, move, and feel proud. This short guide is for child care providers and directors who run after-school and school-age programs. Read on to get simple activity ideas, a weekly plan, tips for staff, and ways to include families. Remember: state requ... What Hands-On Activities Work Best for School-Age Child Care?
Green Activities for Kids: Celebrate Environment Day
06/10/2026Environment Day is a great chance for child care programs to teach kids about caring for our planet. Simple, hands-on activities help children practice skills and feel proud when they help. Below you will find easy ideas you can use in the classroom, outside, or to share with families. For family-fo... Green Activities for Kids: Celebrate Environment Day
Jello-O Day!
09/22/2022July 12th marks Eat Your Jell-O Day — a sensory, seasonal moment that many child care programs use for nutrition conversations, sensory play, and light STEM exploration. For program-level guidance on safe menu choices and managing food in group care, see our Health and Nutrition and Food Prepa... Jello-O Day!
