Kitty Syster We all know hand washing is important to reduce the spread of germs. We also know that there is a right way and many not as effective ways to wash hands. Below are t...

Beth Simon Kid Inventors’ Day was created to encourage children’s curiosity for the world around them and tap into their creative problem-solving skills. January 17th each year i...

Wishing you a season of gladness, a season of cheer, and to top it all off – a wonderful year! We look forward to bringing you more posts in 2020! Sincerely, The Program Quality A...

By: Pam Schaffner The Program Quality Assessment team in PA is often asked if they have any tips to make meeting quality standards easier. Since they have experience visiting man...

Angel Avery-Wright Hugs help you feel connected to the people you care about but can also bring a host of health benefits to your mind and body. Some experts attribute the stres...

Natalie Grebe As an assessor, I often observe classrooms with many well-stocked activity centers: a kitchen center for dramatic play, a bookshelf with cozy areas, a science cente...

Stefanie Camoni I recently sat down with Deb Swartout, early learning professional and longtime director, to see what contributes to her success. Here is what she had to say. Q...

Jill Kortright Wood Professional development (PD) activities – workshops, courses, Communities of Practice, Peer Learning Groups – are an important way to grow your classroom p...

Beth Simon Crecí en las montañas de Central PA (centro de Pensilvania), un paisaje idílico para la mayoría, pero no para mí. Lo despreciaba. Había visto suficientes árboles y nat...

Beth Simon I grew up in the mountains of central PA, idyllic scenery to most, not to me. I despised it. I had seen enough trees and nature to last a lifetime. You couldn’t have p...

Angel Avery-Wright Ever wonder what else there is to do with play dough? Standard play dough tools include cutting tools, rollers and cookie cutters. Children often play with pl...

Leah Zabari I am sure by now that you all have seen the Netflix show, Tidying Up with Maria Kondo who “works with her clients to clear out their clutter and choose joy.” I don’...

Suzanne Glenn It is wonderful when children have the opportunity to interact with nature. Of course, this can be accomplished by taking the children outdoors to explore what natu...

Natalie Grebe Now that classrooms are settling into a new school year, many teachers will be planning Fall activities and themes. In Pennsylvania, October not only means chillier...

By: Robyn Kelton Those familiar with the Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) know that each item in the BAS is comprised of two pages: Notes Page and Sc...

Regina Wright When children choose block play, they are not only building their creative imagination, they are using self-expression, mathematics, science, small and large muscle...

Erin DelRegno “How much good inside a day? Depends on how good you live ‘em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give ‘em.” – Shel Silverstein, A Light in the A...

Leah Zabari I absolutely love gardening! Putting seeds and plants in the ground is my favorite time of year, but shhhh… don’t tell anyone, I do NOT have a green thumb! Those seed...

By Stefanie Camoni Please take a moment to remember those who lost their lives and honor those who gave theirs. “The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit....

Kitty Syster We all know that changes in CACFP whole grain food requirements occurred a little over a year ago and they can be confusing. The reason for the change, is that grain...