Angel L. Avery-Wright Pets in child care can be a very rewarding and educational endeavor. Shy, younger children often respond to class pets Children can learn how to care for a pet and how to handle them. Pets needs vary depending on what kind of pet, so children can learn the different ways to care...Read More

By Stefanie Camoni What if there was a way to lower the number of challenging behaviors in your classroom? Would you believe it? The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) and the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention (TACSEI) have created the pyramid model a conceptual framework of evidence...Read More

Amy Hoffman The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) created a Code of Ethical Conduct to help early childhood educators understand their ethical responsibilities to children, families, coworkers, and the community. The Code can be used to help teachers and directors make decisions concerning ethical dilemmas. Maybe you’re asking, “What is an...Read More

Beth Simon The term Program Observation Instrument or POI for short is a new term that you will see in the revised Keystone STARS Standards. In case you haven’t heard, the new Keystone STARS Standards went into effect last month. The new standards refer to various “Program Observation Instruments (POI)” that can be used for...Read More

Megan Pittsinger “What is CACFP?” you may ask. CACFP is the Child and Adult Care Food Program. CACFP provides aid to programs for the provision of nutritious foods. For information on how to apply for CACFP please visit United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. Current CACFP Guidelines (until October 1, 2017) The...Read More

Michelle Long We all know that parents like those cute little pieces of art to hang up on the refrigerator. They like to be proud of what their child made. While it is important to please the parents, it is more important to look at what the child is gaining from that project. What goes...Read More

Michelle Long Picture yourself sitting on bleachers. How is your posture? Are you wishing this game was at a stadium equipped with seats with backs? Picture yourself at a crowded café. The only stool left is missing the rungs. Are you having trouble trying to find a spot for your feet to rest? Are you...Read More

Bobbi Philson The authors of the Environment Rating Scales assess the safety of playgrounds using information from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The information is condensed and easily understandable in the document Playground Information to Use with the Environment Rating Scales, available at www.ersi.info. Click on Quick Links for one of the ERS scales...Read More

Leah Zabari Mud pies, hide and seek, climbing trees, grass stains, and ripped jeans. Oh! The fun childhood memories when freedom to explore the world through adventures and imagination went on from sun up to sundown. But sadly, with computer, TV and the push for more developmentally inappropriate academics in early childhood, these adventures seem...Read More

Lisa Mulliken The display in any early childhood classroom is an important part of a thoughtfully prepared learning environment and provides insight into the children and teachers who spend their day there and their current interests and themes. In a developmentally appropriate classroom, many current examples of easily visible, child-created display are observed. Children’s drawings...Read More