Curious how bringing young children and older adults together can lift learning, behavior, and community ties? Thoughtfully run intergenerational programs reduce social isolation, teach social‑emotional skills, and give children rich, real‑world language practice — while giving older adul... How Can Intergenerational Learning Between Children and Older Adults Improve Early Childhood Practice and Community Well‑Being?
Want to bring the benefits of a #forest preschool into your existing program without rebuilding your whole model? Integrating regular, intentional nature-based #outdoor experiences can increase children’s movement, curiosity, and resilience while strengthening classroom practice; a practical f... Can traditional child care programs add forest preschool activities without starting a new program?
Circle time can become the heart of an early childhood program—a predictable, joyful gathering where children strengthen language, social skills, attention, self-regulation, and a sense of belonging. This article gives child care providers and directors practical, research-informed strategies ... How can I create meaningful circle-time experiences that engage every child?
Open-ended art—often called process art—gives young children the time, materials, and freedom to explore ideas without being expected to copy a model or create an identical finished product. This article gives child care providers and directors practical strategies for making open-ended ... How can child care programs support creativity through open-ended art?
Helping children recognize their names and notice letters is one of the most meaningful ways child care programs can strengthen early literacy. This article gives providers and directors practical, evidence-informed strategies for building name recognition, letter awareness, print knowledge, and eme... How can child care providers support name recognition and letter awareness effectively?
Hands-on exploration gives young children meaningful opportunities to observe, question, predict, test ideas, and learn from unexpected results. This practical guide helps child care providers and program directors strengthen scientific thinking through playful, low-cost experiences involving water,... How can we encourage scientific thinking through hands-on exploration?
Play is not a break from learning—it is one of the most effective ways young children build early reading and writing skills. This article gives child care providers and directors practical strategies for strengthening oral language, vocabulary, phonological awareness, storytelling, print awar... Can we build early literacy skills through play in high-quality child care?
Worried about a blurry or inconsistent approach to devices, photos, online communications in your program? Clear, short technology policies help protect children, keep staff aligned, and reduce family conflict while freeing teachers to teach. As a practical next step, consider ChildCareEd’s Te... How Do I Create Clear Technology Policies for Staff and Families?
Struggling to keep staff training organized while running a busy program? Using well-chosen digital tools can streamline assignments, track completions, and free directors to focus on coaching rather than chasing paperwork. A practical next step is to build supervisory skills and learning systems&md... How Can Technology Make Staff Training Faster, Fairer, and More Effective?
Choosing digital tools that genuinely support learning without displacing hands‑on play can feel like navigating a maze. This article gives child care directors and providers a practical decision framework to pick apps, videos, and devices that are truly #developmentally appropriate for your class... How do I select developmentally appropriate digital resources for young children?