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Tip Sheets
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All Tip Sheets are available in English and Spanish (español). Most Tip Sheets are available in Polish (Polski). Selected Tip Sheets are available in Korean (한국어), Chinese (中文 (中国), Arabic (العربية), Russian (Русский) and French (Français). IEL Tip Sheets are easy-to-read, one-page resources on a variety of topics of interest to parents and teachers of young children. You can also search Tip Sheets by Topic.
Graphic Tip Sheets
Graphic Tip Sheets are meant for busy families. Put them on your refrigerator, corkboards, or other common household areas as quick reminders of important activities you can enjoy with your family.
Search IEL Tip Sheets by Keyword
Tip Sheets by Series
PDF Collections
Order Tip Sheets
Videos & Podcasts
Parenting Videos
These videos show some family activities that help infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children learn about the world. For each video we provide some background information, a transcript, and a list of resources about the topic.
Early Learning Moments Videos
The Illinois Early Learning Moments have been developed to assist infant/toddler care providers in implementing the strategies for interaction outlined in the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age Three (IELGs). Each Early Learning Moment includes a video, information about the area being covered, suggestions for creating an environment to support children’s development, and a series of questions to help you assess whether your everyday environment and interactions support the development of the children under your care.
Guidelines Videos
These videos were filmed in various child care settings. For each video, we provide some brief background information, a transcript, and a description of strategies teachers or caregivers used to help children meet standards in the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3. Having promised parents and the child care center that the children’s identities would remain anonymous, IEL has dubbed out any mentions of the children’s names in these videos. In the transcript and the introduction to the videos, we have inserted pseudonyms for the children.
Benchmark Videos
These videos were filmed in a variety of settings, including programs at public universities, community colleges, and private homes. For each video, we provide background information, a transcript, and a description of how various 2013 Illinois Early Learning and Development benchmarks are met.
Podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to explore early childhood education topics on the go. The Illinois Early Learning Project will continue to add new audio content that can be streamed or downloaded to your device.
Standards & Guidelines
Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3
IELG Resources
2013 Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards
IELDS Resources
Illinois Learning Standards for Kindergarten
Kindergarten Standards Resources and KIDS Assessment
Blogs
Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
Increasingly, children with developmental delays or disabilities attend child care or preschool programs where teachers may have limited information about how to include a child with special needs. Parents who have a child with special needs also may want to know more about adapting family activities to more fully include the child. View more blogs.
Culturally Responsive Practices
An increasing population of children entering child care or preschool who speak a home language other than English. This blog is intended to help parents and teachers support these children as they learn English and their home languages. View more blogs.
Learning and Growing Together
Children grow and develop rapidly in the first five years of life. Every day routines and playtimes provide rich opportunities for young children to learn. This blog explores practical and enjoyable ways that caregivers, families, and teachers can help children learn as they play and explore their world. View more blogs.
Perspectives on the Project Approach
View blogs by Lilian Katz, Sallee Beneke, or practicing early childhood directors. View more IEL blogs.
Learn More
Learning at Home Activities
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
The IEL staff has prepared a series of questions (and their answers!) on topics in early learning.
Resource Lists
These Resource Lists are related to popular topics and contain a wealth of information on early care and education.
Tool Kits
Our tool kits are designed to assist teachers and caregivers in their work with young children. The resources have been created as starting points for developing materials that address the individual needs of the children and families in their programs.
COVID-19 Resources
Find resources, strategies, and activities to keep young children learning at home and at school during the COVID-19 situation.
Faculty Resources
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Project Approach
Project Guides
Each Project Guide will suggest a topic suitable for project work in preschool settings, with an explanation of why the topic is worth studying. All Guides include several components: ▪ potential strategies for introducing the topic and engaging children’s initial interest ▪ suggestions for possible roles for the teacher and activities for the children during each phase of project work ▪ a list of Illinois Early Learning Benchmarks that are addressed by the project activities described in the Guide, showing how specific activities address those benchmarks Many teachers find it easier to start using the Project Approach when they have some resources and suggestions for how to begin. Others who have experience doing projects with children often report that they would like some help deciding on a worthwhile project topic. Still others say that a short time into their projects, they sometimes find that they have “run out of ideas” for extending children’s investigations. The IEL Tip Sheets on the Project Approach offer brief introductions to the phases and features of project work. Project Guides are intended to provide “the next step” for teachers.
Project Examples
Illinois Educators are invited to submit simple documentation of project work from their classrooms. IEL staff will help edit and publish your project! By sharing documentation of their experiences implementing the Project Approach, Illinois teachers can help each other learn new strategies and ideas for implementation.
Lesson Planning in the Context of Projects
Teachers who use the Project Approach value the ways that a project emerges from the children’s engagement and their investigation activities. The fact that investigations may go in unanticipated directions is one of the aspects of project work that appeals to many educators. However, the fact that the course of project work can be unpredictable can also present challenges to a teacher’s planning process, especially when a program’s sponsors require that teachers submit detailed lesson plans in advance. The Illinois Projects in Practice Web site hopes to address that problem with this special section. Key activities in any project can address Illinois Early Learning Benchmarks as well as broader intellectual and social-emotional goals. Such activities as making a topic web with the children, field sketching, interviewing experts, and taking surveys can all be planned in advance, even as much project work emerges from the children’s interests. Lesson Planning Aids for the Project Approach are designed to be quick, adaptable references for teachers who wish to use the Project Approach but are required to create lesson plans ahead of time. Each lesson planning aid provides suggested step-by-step procedures for an important Project Approach activity, along with possibilities for expanding upon the…
Project Approach Tip Sheets
Blog: Perspectives on the Project Approach
View the most recent blog postings. View blogs by Lilian Katz, Sallee Beneke, or practicing early childhood directors.
Project Approach Resources
The Legacy of Lilian Katz
Search IEL Resources
Tip Sheets by Keyword
These are larger collections of tip sheets by keyword.
Select a keyword below:
Keyword
All
Adult Child Relationship
Advocacy
Allergies
Anger
Anti Bias Practices
Art
Asthma
Attendance
Autism
Behavior/Discipline
Best Practices
Biting
Blocks
Bullying
Child Abuse Prevention
Child Assessment
Child Care Centers
Child Care Quality
Child Care Regulations
Child Development
Choosing Child Care
Classroom Activities
Cognitive Development
COVID-19
Creativity
Culturally responsive practices
Curiosity/Initiative
Curriculum
Dance and Movement
Dental Health
Developmental delay
Developmental Milestones
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Disability
Diversity
Divorce
Documentation
Drama
Dual Language Learners
Early Care and Education
Early Literacy
Emotional Development
Environmental Quality
Executive Function
Family Activities
Family Child Care
Family Engagement
Family Life
Fine Motor
Gardening
Geography
Handwashing
Health
Hearing
Home Safety
Homelessness
IL Birth to Three Guidelines
IL Early Learning Standards/IELDS
Immunizations
Inclusive Settings
Infants
Kindergarten
Language Arts
Language Development
Lead Poisoning
LGBTQ+
Lice
Mathematics
Mental Health
Music
Native American
Nutrition
Obesity
Outdoor Activities
Parent Teacher Relationship
Parent/Family Involvement
Parenting
Peer Relationships
Perceptual
Pets
Phonics
Physical Development
Play
Praise/Encouragement
Pregnancy
Problem Solving
Program Transitions
Project Approach
Reading Skills
Reading to Children
Recommended Books
Recycling
Safety
Schedules/Routines
School Readiness
Science
Scribbling
Self Care/Life Skills
Self Concept
Self-Regulation
Separation Anxiety
SIDS
Sleep
Social Communication
Social Development
Social Science
Spanking
Special Education
Stress
Teachers
Technology for Children
Time Management
Toddlers
Toilet Learning
Toys
Trauma
Violence Prevention
Vision
Writing
Let’s Talk About … Young Children and Religious Diversity
Tip Sheets
Let’s Talk About … Young Children and Family Structures
Tip Sheets
Let’s Talk About … Race, Ethnicity, and Young Children
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Let’s Talk About … Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families
Tip Sheets
Let’s Talk About … Young Dual Language Learners and Their Families
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Let’s Talk About … Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
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Sensory-Friendly Events
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Trauma-Informed Care in the Classroom
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Understanding Trauma and Young Children
Tip Sheets
Collaborating with Interpreters and Families
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Talking to Your Child’s Teacher
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Dental Health for Babies and Young Children
Tip Sheets
Supporting Children with Limited Verbal Skills
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Special Education Assessment for Preschool-Aged Children: Reviewing Results and Next Steps
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Special Education Assessment for Preschool-Aged Children: Participating in the Assessment
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What Is an IEP?
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Special Education Assessment for Preschool-Aged Children: Referral and Getting Started
Tip Sheets
What Is Assessment?
Tip Sheets
Asthma: Easing the Wheezing
Tip Sheets
Food Allergy Awareness
Tip Sheets
Keeping Healthy and Safe: Play Time
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Keeping Healthy and Safe: Fighting Germs
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Keeping Healthy and Safe: Smaller Group Sizes
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Keeping Healthy and Safe: Arriving at School or Childcare
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Keeping Healthy and Safe: Face Coverings
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Keeping Healthy and Safe: Physical Distancing
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Returning to Childcare During COVID-19
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Positive Guidance for Young Children: Be Thoughtful
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Positive Guidance for Young Children: Take a Break and Calm Down
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Positive Guidance for Young Children: Plan Ahead
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Positive Guidance for Young Children: Be Consistent
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Keeping Track of Important Information
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Rights of Families Experiencing Homelessness
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Math Is Everywhere
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Music and Movement
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Keep Young Children Safe in the Car
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Get Ready to Read
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Get Them to School Every Day
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Going to Kindergarten?
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Helping Children Develop “Impulse Control”
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Tech Time for Young Children
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Tech Time for Infants and Toddlers
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
SIDS: Back to Sleep
Tip Sheets
Out and About with Preschoolers: Visual Arts
Tip Sheets
Choosing Child Care for Infants & Toddlers
Tip Sheets
Children’s Social Competence Checklist
Tip Sheets
Bullying Hurts Everyone
Tip Sheets
Autism: Be Aware of the Signs
Tip Sheets
Children’s Votes Count!
Tip Sheets
Healthy Children Eat Right
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
When Children Mourn
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Work and Play Together
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Talk Together
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Talk, Listen, and Learn
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Supporting Adult-Child Relationships
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Sorting, Classifying, and Organizing
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Read and Write Together
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Making Sense of Numbers
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Learning by Listening to Language
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Keep Up the Good Work
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Investigate Together
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Feelings Are Fantastic
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Discover Shapes in Many Places
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Discover Letters and Words
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Counting Up, Down, and All Around!
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Helping Children Handle Disappointment
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Get Physical
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Helping Siblings Get Along
Tip Sheets
Getting Ready for Kindergarten
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Encouraging Words
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Time to Play, Time to Dream: Unscheduling Your Child
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Teaching Children to Avoid “Stranger Danger”
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Real Work: Preschoolers Can Help
Tip Sheets
Project Approach: Phase 1—Getting Started
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Project Approach for Preschoolers
Tip Sheets
Please Don’t Go! Separation Anxiety and Children
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Fun at Home with Preschoolers: Play with Light & Shadow
Tip Sheets
Eyes Right! Your Child’s Vision
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Art Is All Around
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Young Children Need to Play!
Tip Sheets
Using Words to Discipline Children
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Music, Sound, and Movement
Tip Sheets
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Learning Activity Kits
Tip Sheets
Starting Kindergarten? Help Make It a Good Experience!
Tip Sheets
Sharing Books with Your Preschooler
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Play Right—Don’t Bite!
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Learning and Fun on Family Field Trips
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Inclusion in Preschool Classrooms
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Fun at Home with Preschoolers: Let’s Measure!
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Encouraging Child-to-Child Conversation
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Do You Hear What I Hear?
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Connecting with Parents: “But He Doesn’t Do That at Home!”
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Language and Literacy
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Making the Holidays Memorable and Meaningful
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Play With Your Toddler—Indoors
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Helping the Often-Angry Child
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Helping Children Learn to Get Along
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The Gift of Words: Reading and Games
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The Gift of Words: Conversation and Routines
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Fuss Management: Planning Ahead to Prevent Tantrums
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Fuss Management: Comforting the Irritable Child
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Ease Those First-Day Blues!
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Conference Time! Talking to Your Child’s Teacher or Caregiver
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Your Child’s First Day in Preschool
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Young Children’s Mental Health: What Is Essential?
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Physical Activities
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Sharing Books with Your Toddler
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Say What You Mean! Talking Straight to Children
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Project Approach: Including Every Child
Tip Sheets
Manners and Preschoolers
Tip Sheets
Eyes Right! Find Amblyopia Early
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Curious Young Scientists
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Five Tips on Choosing a Preschool
Tip Sheets
Read with Your Toddler!
Graphic Tip Sheets
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Tip Sheets
Project Approach: Phase 1—Choosing a Topic to Investigate
Tip Sheets
What Is Developmental Screening?
Tip Sheets
Engaging Every Child
Tip Sheets
Small Child, Big Stress?
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Out and About with Preschoolers: Close Up with Visual Arts
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Make Room for Blocks!
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Literacy across the Preschool Curriculum
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Natural Illinois: The Trees You See
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Kids Who Care
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It Takes Money: Economics for Preschoolers
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Helping Preschoolers Learn in Two Languages
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Get Growing: Planters and Preschoolers
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Get Growing: Planning a Garden with Young Children
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Get Growing: Learning about Seeds
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Get Growing: From Seeds to Sprouts
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Games for All Young Children
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Fight Germs! Wash Your Hands!
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Encouraging Scientific Thinking: Rain or Shine
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Drama and Young Children
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CSI: Child Scientist Investigates!
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Cooperation Across the Preschool Curriculum: Science
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Young Authors at Work: Story Dictations
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Young Authors at Work: Literature Response Journals
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Who’s the Leader?
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Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?
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What’s Next? Predictions at Story Time
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Using Predictable Books with Young Children
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Toys from Throwaways: Let’s Recycle!
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Toys from Throwaways: Boxes
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Time for Preschoolers: In Sequence!
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Time for Preschoolers: Duration
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Things We Need: Economics for Preschoolers
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Things Change
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Sing, Play, and Hear: Music’s in the Air
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Say Yes to the Mess! Water Works
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Say Yes to the Mess! Snow Time
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Say Yes to the Mess! Play with Rocks
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Remember When …
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Project Approach: Helping Preschoolers Represent What They Learn
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Project Approach: Helping Children Ask Questions
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Project Approach: Children Taking Surveys
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Project Approach: Anticipating What Children Might Learn
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Predicting: Helping Preschoolers Look Ahead
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The Power of the Pen: Let Children Choose Writing Centers!
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The Power of the Pen: Drawing and Scribbling
Tip Sheets
Playground Physics: Watch for Falling Objects!
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Playground Physics: On a Roll!
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Playground Physics: Hang in There!
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Play and Self-Regulation in Preschool
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Physical Fitness for Preschool-Age Children
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Path to Math: Word Problems for Preschoolers
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Path to Math: Real Graphs for Preschoolers
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Path to Math: More Word Problems for Preschoolers
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Path to Math: More Numbers
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Path to Math: Measurement with Young Children
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Path to Math: Geometric Thinking for Young Children
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Path to Math: Classification
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Path to Math: Beginning Numbers
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Out and About with Preschoolers: The Places You’ll Go!
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Out and About with Preschoolers: Sunshine Science
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Out and About with Preschoolers: Science in the “Built Environment”
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Out and About with Preschoolers: Make Some Music
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Out and About with Preschoolers: Dancing on the Sidewalk
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Out and About with Preschoolers: Literacy Activities
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Neighborhood Geography with Young Children
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Math Sense: Learning about Coins
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Natural Illinois: Frogs and Toads
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Natural Illinois: Mammals
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Natural Illinois: Butterflies and Moths
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Natural Illinois: Rock On!
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Natural Illinois: Leaves Are All Around
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Natural Illinois: Birds
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Natural Illinois: Insects
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Building Endurance: Let’s Get Physical!
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Dealing with Distraction
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No More Diapers: Is Your Child Ready?
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Outdoor Play: Weather or Not
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Pets and Young Children
Tip Sheets
Cooperation in the Preschool Classroom: Class Discussions
Tip Sheets
Old Home, New Home, Our Home
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Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Planning Ahead
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Fun at Home with Preschoolers: Getting Ready to Read!
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Science
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Art Works!
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Freedom to Grow
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Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Follow Up!
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Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Being There!
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Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Preparing with the Children
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Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Deciding Where to Go
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Sharing Books with Your Baby
Tip Sheets
Protecting Children from Preventable Disease
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Eating Right = Healthy Children
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Physical Fitness for Toddlers
Tip Sheets
Tearless Transitions
Tip Sheets
Lice Aren’t Nice!
Tip Sheets
ZZZs, Please! Bedtime for Preschoolers
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Organized Sports and Young Children
Tip Sheets
No More Diapers: Getting Started
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The Curious Child
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Say Yes to Healthy Snacks!
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When Should I Send a Sick Child Home?
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Too Sick to Go to Child Care?
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Take a Bold Approach to Shyness
Tip Sheets
Preventing Lead Poisoning in Children
Tip Sheets
When the Teacher Calls…
Tip Sheets
Observing Your Child in Preschool
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Dealing with Parental Guilt
Tip Sheets
Helping Your Child Learn in Two Languages
Tip Sheets
Project Approach: Phase 3—Concluding the Project
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Project Approach: Phase 2—Doing Fieldwork
Tip Sheets
Project Approach: Phase 2—Getting Ready for Fieldwork
Tip Sheets
Getting Ready to Read and Write in Childcare
Tip Sheets
Making and Keeping Friends
Tip Sheets
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Math
Tip Sheets
What Makes a Good Toy?
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