Healthy mouths are essential to children’s overall health, comfort, development, and ability to participate fully in classroom activities. This article offers practical, evidence-informed strategies that child care directors and providers can use to support children’s oral health through... How can early childhood programs effectively support children's oral health?
When a child returns to find a carefully built structure or artwork changed, the disappointment can be real—and the chance to continue meaningful thinking may be lost. A simple, consistent system for saving projects protects children’s ownership while helping peers practice respect and c... “Save My Work!” How Can Child Care Providers Protect Unfinished Projects Between Days?
You may have come across the image here comparing a preschool child’s hand (right) to a typical 7-year-old child’s hand (left). The reason this image is popping up all over social media is that it provides evidence of children’s physical development and supports the argument that e... Let them Play! Supporting children's natural development.
Children build strength, balance, coordination, and confidence through everyday movement—but meaningful opportunities require intentional planning. Explore practical strategies below, then deepen your practice with Balancing Physically Active Play in Child Care, which helps providers design sc... How Can Child Care Providers Support Gross Motor Development in Every Child?
Small hand movements become the foundation for children’s independence, communication, and participation in the classroom. Build more intentional practice into your program with How Preschoolers Develop, and consider Lesson Planning for Preschoolers to turn fine motor goals into developmentall... How Can Child Care Providers Strengthen Fine Motor Development Through Play and Daily Routines?
Infants learn through relationships, movement, sensory exploration, and repeated everyday experiences—not through rigid lessons. The Baby Play: Planning Infant and Toddler Activities course can help you turn developmental knowledge into individualized activities while supporting focused profes... How Can Child Care Providers Plan Infant Activities Around Developmental Milestones?
Recognizing developmental milestones helps teachers plan responsive experiences, notice meaningful progress, and partner confidently with families. For a deeper foundation in typical and atypical development from birth through age five, explore The Science of Growing Up: Typical and Atypical Develop... What Developmental Milestones Should Teachers Know From Birth to Age 5?
Outdoor movement can turn an ordinary playground period into a powerful opportunity for children to build strength, balance, coordination, and confidence. For practical guidance on creating active routines, explore Balancing Active Play in Child Care, which can help you plan structured and unstructu... Which Outdoor Play Activities Best Boost Gross Motor Development?
Supporting toddler development requires more than knowing what children should be able to do; it involves creating responsive relationships, purposeful environments, and meaningful opportunities to practice emerging skills. Strengthen your foundation with Baby Steps to Milestones ONLINE, which can h... How Can Child Care Providers Support Healthy Toddler Development?
Halloween offers children opportunities to develop independence, social interaction, and community participation, while costumes, crowds, traffic, and unfamiliar routines require deliberate safety planning. Child care professionals can strengthen broader safety practices with Safe Supervision in Chi... Halloween Safety