Hey Reader! How do the next two weeks look for you? Special events are popping up. There are extra projects to finish, family gatherings to plan, and a growing list of things to do before the end of the year. And that’s just outside the classroom! What about IN your classroom? These holiday seasons can…
Hey Reader! Beyond VeggieTales and Goldfish Bible stories, worship songs, and fun activities all have a place in early childhood ministry. Children need to hear the stories of Jesus and learn about God’s character. But information alone isn’t the whole picture. Children also need opportunities to experience God—to develop a sense of wonder, curiosity, and…
Hey Reader! You know the moment. You look at the clock and realize you have 5 or 10 more minutes until the next part of your schedule. The children are getting restless. You’re tired. And whatever you had planned is already finished (or maybe the lesson just fell a little flatter than you’d hoped)! What do you do? Instead of scrambling for something new, keep a few no-prep or almost-no-prep activities in your back pocket (or a list on your clipboard). These aren’t meant to replace your…
Hey Reader! “You need to clean up. Now. Because I said so.” Sometimes that is exactly what we want to say, isn’t it? And sometimes, that simple command turns a small transition into a full-blown power struggle. Young children spend much of their day having decisions made for them. What they wear, when and what they eat, where they go, when they clean up, what activity comes next, and where they sit are often adult decisions. So it can be powerful (and SO helpful to your own sanity) to give…
Hey Reader! Remember that sweet little child who quietly watched everything during the first few weeks of school? She’s talking. A LOT. And the little boy who carefully followed every direction in September? He has discovered that making his friends laugh is really fun. The child who seemed easygoing? Suddenly has an opinion about everything and seems to be digging in his heels more often! Welcome to October! As children become comfortable with their teachers, friends, and routines, we often…
Hey Reader! As early childhood educators, we often notice things before anyone else does. Have you noticed child is struggling to remember something you’ve practiced again and again. Maybe you notice that a child who once used several words is using fewer. Maybe following directions, communicating, joining the group, or managing everyday activities seems unusually difficult. What do you do when you begin to wonder if a child needs some extra support? You don’t have to diagnose the problem. In…
Hey Reader! Arguably one of the most important things you can do in your early childhood classroom is build a strong connection with each child—and help children learn how to connect with one another. Before children can fully engage in learning, they need to know that they are safe, valued, and cared for. Here are a few simple ways to build those connections at every age: Infants & Toddlers 1. Respond to their needs. When a baby cries, pick them up. When they’re hungry, feed them. When…
Hey Reader! If you are a parent or early childhood educator, you have likely felt the screen-time squeeze. On one side, we hear that technology is the future, and we must prepare our kids for a digital world. On the other, we are warned that too much screen time can delay language development, cause sleep disruptions, and impact social-emotional growth. It feels like a zero-sum game: hand over the iPad and worry about their development, or banish technology entirely and worry they’ll fall…
Hey Reader! Have you ever watched a child carry blocks around the classroom and wondered, “Aren’t blocks for building? What is going on here?” Well…block play develops in stages, and every stage is an important part of learning (even the “carrying around” stage)! Knowing what to expect can help us provide the right materials, encouragement, and time for children to grow as builders. 1. Discover, Explore & Carry Children carry, touch, stack, and investigate blocks – sometime even with their…
Hey Reader! Young children learn best by moving and grooving! Early childhood educators recognize this quickly. When we try to make them sit still…well, it’s usually frustrating for us AND for them. Children’s physical development generally progresses from head to toe and from the center of the body outward. Think about it: • Babies learn how to hold up their heads well before they can sit up and walk. • They learn to walk well before they can hold a pencil properly. To support these…
