Resource Books

Children are innately interested in their world. The activities in this book invite children to explore the world around them, learn about different cultures, enjoy a variety of careers, and discover the uniqueness of their very own neighborhood. From the many ways we are alike and different to the variety of homes around the world, children will delve into these social studies activities that are perfect for children ages 3 to 6. 128 pages. Paperback.

The Power of Presence: A Guide to Mindfulness Practices in Early Childhood offers insight and information to help you transform your teaching by learning how to pause, notice your surroundings, and simply be. Learn ways to spark joy, elevate well-being, and promote a deeper sense of inquiry, both personally and with others-young and old. Learn ways to consciously plant seeds of mindfulness at home, in the classroom, and around the world. Paperback. 112 pages.

This fresh, practical, and realistic guide explains to parents how they can avoid mealtime battles with kids aged one to six years, using sensible strategies that will establish a lifetime of healthful eating habits. With cases ranging from the toddler who eats only peanut butter and jelly on white bread to the six-year-old who insists on scrambled eggs and cheese at every meal, pediatrician William G. Wilkoff, M.D., has been counseling picky eaters and their concerned parents for more than twenty… More »

This user-friendly, strategy-packed book speaks to the realities, challenges, and needs of daily life with rambunctious, enthusiastic, unpredictable toddlers in group settings. The design and format of this book highlights informative and real-life examples, with immediate take-away action steps that detail solutions and resources for practice. This book includes: real-life vignettes that show best practices in action, teacher tips, the child's point of view, action skills for success, fast facts,… More »

For experts in the field of early care and education, defining and providing technical assistance can be as difficult as nailing jelly to the wall. Learn to effectively coach, mentor, and train early childhood teachers and administrators with guided experiences, strategies, and activities to provide technical assistance in specific program areas like parent involvement, science, outdoor play, music. and art. 144 pages. Paperback.

Open the door to teaching infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds successfully with these 300 activities linked to the latest development in child development. Observe what your children are already doing, then give them varied opportunities to develop at their own pace. This book outlines a typical development sequence in ten domains: social/emotional, fine motor, gross motor, language, cognitive, sensory, nature, music and movement, creativity, and dramatic play. Chapters on appropriate curriculum… More »

Toddlers are on the move almost constantly! Even though encouraging physical activity is not a problem, you can model new movements and skills and lay the foundation for them to enjoy physical activity as they grow. Toddlers need lots of time to master the basics, such as jumping, rolling, and balancing. As they become more comfortable with their bodies and confident in their ability to be physically active, their desire to participate will increase. They'll enjoy kicking and throwing different… More »

An invaluable collection of over 600 activities covering 48 themes, created by teachers from all over America. These are ideas that work and keep children learning and happy for days, weeks and months. Many activities include suggestions for extending the circle time or group activity into other areas of the curriculum such as math, science, snack, language, or field trips. Books and songs related to the acrtivity as well as original songs and poems are included. 510 pages.

Turn children's love of active games into learning opportunities with these activities. Each chapter is organized by level of difficulty and each one incorporates fun math experiences with movement. Most activities require few or no materials and include related children's books or music to extend the learning. The index is an great tool as it gives teachers flexibility to plan around children's interests. Use these activities during circle or group time, or use them to reinforce other lessons.… More »

Get ready for fun! These new and classic games, each with a noncompetitive twist, are sure to get children up and moving. You'll find everything you need to know to play over 100 great games, including outside games, musical games, circle games, concept games, and cooperative games. Every game provides benefits for children by supporting cognitive, social/emotional, and physical development. Perfect for rainy days, sunny days, and every day, each game in this book offers heart rate raising, team-building,… More »

Materials, ideas, how-to tips, and what to do to make learning challenging and fun for the very young. Paperback. 192 pages.

Describes practical ways to adjust centers and classroom routines for children with special needs. Suggestions enable all children to learn by keeping them involved in developmentally appropriate routines and center based activities. Each chapter focuses on either a learning center, such as art or science, or a time of the day, such as snack time or dismissal, with particular attention to the needs of children who are developmentally delayed, orthopedically impaired, have autism/Pervasive Development… More »

Dr. Levine shows parents and those who care for children how to identify these individual learning patterns, explaining how they can strengthen a child's abilities and either bypass or help overcome the child's weaknesses, producing positive results instead of repeated frustration and failure. Consistent progress can result when we understand that not every child can do equally well in every type of learning and begin to pay more attention to individual learning patterns -- and individual minds… More »

At last! A book has finally arrived that takes the worry out of parent-teacher communication. This innovative and original guide makes it easy for preschool teachers to connect with parents and involve them in the learning process using family meetings. Offering a complete plan for every meeting, Partnering With Parents is bursting with helpful tips, strategies, and creative ways to build a connection between home and school.

Veteran teacher Judy Fujawa offers over two decades of experience in her warm, witty book of lists. Filled with the imminently practical (Creative Gift Ideas, Things to Do With Boxes, Supplies or Materials That Encourage Children to Be Creative) to the philosophical (How Children Learn, Answers to: Why Read to My Child?) to the hilarious (The "F" Words Children Are Allowed to Use, Things Found in Children's Pockets), these lists cover nearly everything one needs to know to work with and… More »

Build the home-school connection to prepare for Kindergarten! Studies show that parent and family involvement with school is an important factor in children's later academic success. Many families of young children want to learn ways to support their little ones in preparing for and getting the most out of kindergarten. With easy-to-share parent letters and simple, fun activities for families to do together at home, Kick-Start Kindergarten Readiness is the perfect tool for early childhood teachers… More »

Featuring activities organized by age, this resource provides you with the tools and information you need to teach fine motor skills to children ages 3 to 5. With few materials needed, the activities are perfect for both large and small groups and are easy to integrate into any curriculum. Paperback.

A young child's brain grows at a phenomenal rate in the first years of life. Revised and updated to reflect the latest research on how children learn, 125 Brain Games for Toddlers and Twos is packed with everyday opportunities to contribute to brain development. Each game is accompanied by an annotation on the latest brain research and how the activity promotes brain power in the critical period between twelve and thirty-six months. Paperback. 144 pages.

1 year & up. With more than 250 songs, rhymes, and chants, this book is a fun way to enrich toddlers' language experiences. By incorporating songs, chants, and rhymes into the classroom, teachers provide opportunities for children to develop every aspect of reading readiness and literacy. While the selections themselves are a great way to enhance the development of literacy skills, the follow-up suggestions for story time, outdoor play, music and movement, and literacy extension activities will… More »

With over 600 activities, The GIANT Encyclopedia of Monthly Activities is the result of a nationwide search for the most unique, fun, developmentally appropriate, and educational experiences for children. The activities included were selected as the best-of-the-best, and are organized by month for easy use by teachers. Teachers will love the creative ideas that span the traditional areas of the curriculum such as science, math, art, and music and movement, as well as the additional experiences including… More »

When young children are engaged in imaginative play, they are not just having fun; they are developing skills and concepts that are foundational to their learning. Teachers can get the most out of this critical development time with thoughtful preparations that allow the children to freely explore their creativity and learn from each other. Using simple props and donated items, the book shows how centers can be transformed into rich and rewarding learning spaces for children. Play Today offers dozens… More »

Children are expected to read, write, count, and sit still at younger and younger ages. As these unrealistic expectations mount, family members and teachers alike continue to believe that these activities will prepare young children for school. But there is a better way one that helps children build school readiness through developmentally appropriate activities. Best of all? The children can have fun! Building on Emergent Curriculum guides preschool teachers to tap into young children's natural… More »

As honeybees gather and store pollen, young children gather and store concepts through play and repeating patterns of movement. Sandra Duncan, Sue Penix, and Sally Haughey explore this concept with in-depth knowledge and share creative ways to brighten the youngest imaginations. The Honeycomb Hypothesis will grow your teaching practices with new ideas, materials and activities, celebrating the magic that happens when children and nature are brought together. The book includes The Honeycomb Hypothesis,… More »

This award-winning guide provides child care directors, teachers, and caregivers with essential information on the prevention and management of infectious diseases in group care settings. The newly revised and updated sixth edition is aligned with the most recent version of the premier AAP source of information on infectious diseases, Red Book(REG): 2021 - 2024 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases, 32nd Edition. The robust section of more than 55 quick reference fact sheets on common infectious… More »