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Gardening with Young Children
Explore resources about planting and gardening with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
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Special Education Assessment and Eligibility
This tool kit provides step-by-step information for teachers as they guide families through the special education assessment and eligibility process.
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Teaching in a Classroom Where Many Languages are Spoken
In this episode, we have a conversation with Dr. Koryne Nnoli from Morgan State University about how early childhood educators can use strategies to support multilingual learners in their classrooms where many languages are spoken.
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Gaining Confidence in the Project Approach
This blog post supports educators in becoming more confident using the Project Approach.
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What is the Pyramid Model?
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Mary Louise Hemmeter from Vanderbilt University about the Pyramid Model and how it works to support young children’s social and emotional development in a variety of early childhood settings.
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Mixing Early Math and Social Studies within Preschool Classrooms
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jennifer McCray from the Early Math Collaborative at the Erikson Institute about mixing early math and social studies in preschool classrooms.
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Noticing Signs of Voting in our Community
Voting is an important part of our democracy. During an upcoming election, there are signs of voting all around us. We can help children notice and learn about voting.
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They Said “No” … Now What?
Sometimes children can have a difficult time hearing “no” from a peer. Adults can help these children use communication strategies to become more resilient with their friends.
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Teaching Multilingual Early Learners
Families and professionals may wonder about the differences among instruction models used to teach multilingual early learners. This tip sheet provides information about two common language models.
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Tattling Behavior In Preschool
Young children may be confused about the difference between tattling and telling. Educators can help them understand the differences.
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Partnering with Co-Parenting Families
Co-parenting involves two parents raising their child(ren) following a separation or divorce. In some cases, parents were never married. Co-parenting reflects a commitment to the child’s care, education, and well-being.
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Represent and Celebrate Diversity in Your Classroom Library
Think of the books in a classroom library as mirrors and windows for the children.
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Reflecting Classroom Diversity Through Children’s Literature
This list provides resources for using children’s literature to positively represent students of various backgrounds and abilities.
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Strategies for Children Lost or Separated from Their Caregivers
Children can get lost in many places. This tip sheet provides suggestions for parents and caregivers to prevent children from getting lost and strategies to use if they do get lost.
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Where Are We? Maps and Young Children
Maps are tools for comprehending the spaces we occupy: rooms, towns, nations, the planet.
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Lost or Missing Children
This list provides information related to preventing children from getting separated from parents and caregivers, as well resources to support children who have gotten lost.
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Farm to School Programs
This list provides information about farm to school programs and how they can support young children with healthy locally grown food and nutrition education.
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Food for Thought
This blog describes how food can be a valuable component of Project Approach work in the classroom.
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Trauma-Informed and Responsive (TIR) Early Childhood Programs
This Q&A describes trauma informed and responsive (TIR) early childhood programs, and the underlying principles that guide them.
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Helping Families and Programs Advocate for Inclusion
This list provides resources for families who are advocating for an inclusive program for their young child, as well as for programs promoting inclusive practices and placements.
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Toilet Learning for Older Preschoolers
This Q & A describes supports and strategies for families with children who are learning to use the toilet during the later preschool years.
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Getting Started with the Pyramid Model
This list provides resources about the Pyramid Model for early childhood educators.
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Voting, Leaders, and Elections: What Preschoolers Can Learn About Democracy
This tool kit provides tips and resources to help preschoolers understand of the basics of voting, leadership, and elections.
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Voting and Elections with Preschoolers
This list provides IEL and web resources for early childhood educators and families about voting and learning about elections in the preschool years.
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Recommended Practices for Working with Multilingual Families
This tool kit describes recommended practices for early care and education staff who work with multilingual families.
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Orientation and Mobility for Young Children With Visual Impairments
Young children with visual impairments learn from a variety of professionals, including an orientation and mobility (O&M) specialist. This Q&A is about O&M services.
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Orientation and Mobility
This resource list gives information on orientation and mobility for young children.
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Building Independent Skills in Young Children
As children learn and grow, they become more independent. This toolkit provides tips for educators and family members to build independent skills in young children.
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Project Approach Work for Children who are Multilingual and Children with Disabilities
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Topic Webs and Project Work
This blog describes strategies for using topic webs to enhance project work.
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Knowledge Versus Understanding
This blog explains the importance of helping children develop a deep understanding of topics through their project work.
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Sing It! Chant It! Learn It!
This blog describes how singing and chanting can facilitate connection and learning for young children and their caregivers.
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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT)
This list gives educators and families resources about augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) use to support children with disabilities in early learning settings.
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Swimming for the Ages
Swimming looks different for different age groups. Choose swim lessons with safety and quality instruction in mind.
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Swim Lessons for Young Children
Learning to swim is an important milestone for young children. Knowing how to survive in water is a critical life skill. Swimming builds strength, endurance, and flexibility. It is fun, relaxing, and enjoyed by individuals with and without disabilities.
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Coding and Precoding with Young Children
This list gives educators and parents resources on teaching coding and precoding skills to young children.
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Reggio Emilia-Inspired Classrooms and Programs
This list gives educators and parents resources about the Reggio Emilia approach used in early childhood classrooms and programs.
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Precoding Activities for Preschoolers
Young children can learn precoding skills through games that teach taking and giving directions, turn-taking, communication, and more.
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Precoding for Preschoolers
While preschoolers are unlikely to spend time coding computers, they can develop skills through fun and engaging hands-on games that will prepare them for coding when they are older.
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What Is “Reggio Emilia Inspired”?
What are you likely to see in a Reggio Emilia–inspired program?
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Dining Away from Home with Young Children
Supporting young children as they learn to enjoy meals in new places takes some effort, but the outcome is rewarding.
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Handwriting for Young Children
In this tool kit, we will explore why writing skills are important to young children, the stages of development that lead from pre-writing to writing, and the importance of play in learning to write.
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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) can support communication for children with disabilities. AAC is found in many formats and should be individualized for a child’s particular communication needs and strengths. In this case, one size doesn’t fit all!
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Dealing with Ableism in Early Childhood Settings
“Ableism” refers to ideas and actions that devalue people with disabilities. Even in inclusive early childhood settings, sometimes families report that they or their children with disabilities encounter ableism. Learning about disabled peoples’ experiences can help educators and caregivers deal with ableism in programs for young children.
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Additions to the Family: Help Young Children Prepare
Families add new members in several ways: the birth of a baby, adoption, fostering, or welcoming relatives who need a place to stay. Such situations will affect children already in the family, and they may need support to adjust.
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Food Allergies and Young Children
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Ruchi Gupta and Sarah Valaika from the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research (CFAAR) about caring for children with food allergies in the early childhood classroom.
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Creating Reggio Emilia-Inspired Classrooms
This Q&A gives educators answers to questions about building optimal Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood classrooms.
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Here a Chick, There a Chick!
The Here a Chick, There a Chick! project took place in an inclusive preschool classroom in Elmhurst, Illinois.
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Swimming
This resource list provides information on swimming lessons and swim safety for young children.
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Developing Strong Teacher-Child Relationships
This Q&A gives educators answers to questions about teacher-child relationship building in the early childhood classroom.
