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Conscious Discipline: Chapter 1 Introduction

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Conscious Discipline: Chapter 1 Introduction

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Classroom Management: Classroom Arrangement 

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Classroom Management: Classroom Arrangement 

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Certificate

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Classroom Management: Rewards & Consequences 

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Classroom Management: Rewards & Consequences 

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Certificate

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Certificate
NOTES

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Opportunity for 4 hours of training. View the PowerPoint and then create a lesson plan. Even if you have been doing lesson plans for 10+ years this is a good refresher on the Adventures curriculum.

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Moshi Sleep & Mindfulness School Subscription 

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Moshi Sleep & Mindfulness School Subscription 

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Login
Email: adventurescclc@gmail.com
Password: Adventures300!

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What is Moshi?

Moshi is an award-winning, audio-only app that helps kids get to sleep faster and stay asleep for longer.

In a recent study*, scientists at New York University discovered that on average, when using Moshi:

Kids fall asleep 28 minutes faster

Kids sleep for 22 minutes longer

Night wakings decrease by up to 50%

"WOW...used this app every night and my kids are both asleep in 10 minutes"

*30 children over 10 days, NYU Langone, August 2020

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Moshi: The Sleep & Mindfuless App for Kids

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Moshi is an award-winning, audio-only app that helps kids get to sleep faster and stay asleep for longer.

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Need to introduce more fine motor activities into your day...

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Need to introduce more fine motor activities into your day...

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Some of the kids have scored low in fine motor skills on assessments this month. Please review the link and make a focused effort to incorporate some of the activities or similar activities into your weekly lesson plans.

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Check out the minutes from our staff meeting.  If you missed the meeting you need to review the information and take any questions you may have to a manager.

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Please check the online calendar before submitting any request for time off.

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Keep your I-Pad with you at Pick Up time...

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Keep your I-Pad with you at Pick Up time...

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Parents are going to start sending notifications via kid reports when they are here.  You need to watch for these and then have the kids get their hands washed and get their stuff together to go home.  The runner will come and collect them from the room take them out to their parent's car.  Our goal is to make the pick up process run fast and smooth.  Please pay attention to your app messages.

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Halloween Freeze Dance - The Kiboomers Halloween Song - Circle Time Game

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https://pin.it/28zr6q5

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https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/teachingtribevideos/ORGANIZE-PH-MEMBERS.mp4

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Pour in 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda plus a cup of white vinegar. Allow it to work its magic overnight then flush the drain with hot or boiling water the next morning. This will sanitize the drain and kill the flies and their eggs.

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This is not meant to diagnose and illness or other condition. Please consult your doctor if you are concerned and for an official diagnosis.

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Games, Challenges and Competitions Archives - Summer Camp Programming

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SummerCampPro.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. SummerCampPro.com also participates in the Mediavine advertising program.

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10 classic hand-clapping games to teach your kid

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10 classic hand-clapping games to teach your kid

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In a culture where it's normal to pack your kid's backpack with earphones and an iPad, it may seem like forever ago that hand-clapping games ruled the schoolyard. But if you're an old-fashioned soul wanting to pass down the skill of hand-eye coordination to your kid, look no further! Here are some classics that will surely get them hooked.

1. Patty Cake

"Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can." Patty Cake is the most classic and simple clapping game out there. Played with two people, hands are clapped in the standard criss-cross motion. Then you roll your dough, pat it and mark it with a B (for baby). It's a game that can be played with the youngest of tots.
You may also like: 8 best deals at Costco for families
2. Miss Mary Mack

Sometimes the lyrics in kids' hand-clapping games make very little sense. Case in point: Miss Mary Mack. It raises questions such as "Who is this Miss Mary Mack, exactly?" and "Why does it only cost her 50 cents to go to the zoo?" Regardless, this clap game encompasses the basic skill learned in Patty Cake, but adds in two other elements.

3. The Cup Game

Before there was Anna Kendrick's song "Cups," there was the cup game. It includes the same rhythm that Kendrick sings over, but is a competitive game played in a group. Each person plays the rhythm and passes down the cup to the next player. If you lose the rhythm at your turn, you're out!

Watch it in action:

Learn how to play:

4. Sevens

Much like the cup game, Sevens puts your rhythmic skills to the test. There are a few rhythm patterns within this game. Once you've started, the following player must match your rhythm as you move onto the next one. The tricky part is keeping in sync with the others in the game.

5. Rockin' Robin

An ode to Bobby Day's 1958 hit song by the same name, Rockin' Robin can be played with two to four people. The rules of the game vary in accordance with the number of people that join in. However, it's best played with four people so you can clap over and under (as demonstrated in the video).

6. Tick-Tack-Toe

There are no real rules to this game; it's simply a bunch of hand movements done for fun! (This one totally reminds us of that scene in The Parent Trap when Annie (Lindsay Lohan) is saying goodbye to her butler, Martin.)

7. Concentration 64

Without repeating or hesitating, players must think of a name or word that relates to a chosen category. There's no real meaning to the number 64 within the game, but it might be a good challenge to see if you can list off 64 words without breaking concentration.

8. Slide

This game is all about keeping count while keeping your cool. Slide can get pretty intense as your claps increase in number. Try this game with your kid and see how far you get!

9. Say, Say Oh Playmate

Let this song take you back to those sunny days with sidewalk chalk, ice cream and your schoolyard bff. Its innocent lyrics encompass the essence of childhood friendship and it's an easy clapping rhythm to learn, too. (Note: This one is also known as "Cee Cee My Playmate," and there are versions where the lyrics aren't quite so innocent.)

10. Stella Ella Ola

The precise lyrics to Stella Ella Ola are hotly debated ("clap clap clap" or "quack quack quack," for example). What we do know for sure is that it's a fun and easy game that can be played in a large group.

Here are some suggested lyrics (that will almost certainly conflict at least slightly with your memory), courtesy of the YouTube video above:

Stella Ella Ola clap clap clap
singing es Tiga Tiga, Tiga Tiga Shack Shack
Es Tiga Tiga, Baloa Baloa, Baloa Lo-a-Lo
1 2 3 4 5

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10 Classic hand-clapping games to teach your kid

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In a culture where it's normal to pack your kid's backpack with earphones and an iPad, it may seem like forever ago that hand-clapping games ruled the schoolyard. But if you're an old-fashioned soul wanting to pass down the skill of hand-eye coordination to your kid, look no further!

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https://theneonteaparty.com/friendship-bracelets/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/mackenziekruvant/15-summer-camp-style-friendship-bracelets-you-can-make-right

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Friendship Bracelets - How-To & DIY Instructions

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Friendship bracelets are a nostalgic craft that never go out of style. Use the instructions below to master patterns like Candy Stripe and Chevron

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What if today was their only day?  Staying aligned with DAP even during COVID

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What if today was their only day?  Staying aligned with DAP even during COVID

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Good reminders in this one and very validating.
Print your certificate and fill out.

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Certificate

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Certificate
Assessment Packet

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Child Care Training Courses

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Child Care and COVID-19 Courses Overview
Early childhood educators in the U.S. completed 649,667 online courses in 2018 (1,193,695 clock hours). Evaluation data collected from over 14,300 online participants indicate that they are very satisfied with the quality of the courses. Over 99% rated the online courses as "Good," "Very good," or "Excellent." Ninety-seven percent of respondents stated that they learned new information from the courses, and 99% would recommend the online courses to others. In addition, when asked to rate the quality of the online courses compared to online courses taken from other organizations, over 73% indicated that Extension's courses were "Better" or "Much Better."
View all Child Care Training Courses
These online courses will provide you with expertise / knowledge in the areas of:

Child Health

Child Growth and Development

Guidance and Discipline

Developmentally Appropriate Activities

Preventing, Recognizing & Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect

Observation and Assessment

Safety in the Child Care Setting

Professional Development

Transportation Safety

SIDS, Shaken Baby Syndrome, and Brain Development

To learn more about Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's Early Childhood Educator Online Training Program, go to http://childcare.tamu.edu.

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Child Care Training Courses - child care courses online

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Child Care and COVID-19 Courses Overview Early childhood educators in the U.S. completed 649,667 online courses in 2018 (1,193,695 clock hours). Evaluation data collected from over 14,300 online participants indicate that they are very satisfied with the quality of the courses. Over 99% rated the online courses as "Good," "Very good," or "Excellent."

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watch videos and print certificate

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This past March I read my book, Lisa Murphy on... PLAY The foundation of children's learning during a series of FB LIVE recordings. There are 15 links (we had some wi-fi issues) but you will get all of the recordings if you follow them here in order starting with the INTRO section and ending with the PLAY section!

MAKE TIME TO PLAY This one was a lesson in understanding and persistence! I recorded them all in a row, but the wi-fi was super challenging and it took 4 times to get it all!

Shout out of thanks to ECE Play Advocate HEATHER up in the Canada for getting this initial list compiled for me!! I am very much appreciative!

Let me know if you have any questions!

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This past March I read my book, Lisa Murphy on... PLAY The foundation of children's learning during a series of FB LIVE recordings. There are 15 links (we had some wi-fi issues) but you will get all of the recordings if you follow them here in order starting with the INTRO section and ending with the PLAY section!

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Links to the videos of the reading of BEING CHILD CENTERED book

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Links to the videos of the reading of BEING CHILD CENTERED book

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watch videos and print certificate

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If you read them in this order you will hear Lisa read the whole book from start to finish. There were wifi issues on some of the days, so some of the sessions have multiple videos!

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 1 of reading) Lisa starts at the beginning, giving context and presents how the "9 POINTS" (we called them attributes in the book) came about.

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 2 of reading): Finishing the Intro and starting attribute #1

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 3 of reading): Finishing attribute #1

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 4 of reading) - Attribute #2 (video 1 of 2)

Attribute #2 (video 2 of 2)

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 5 of reading) - Attributes #3 & #4 (vid 1 of 2)

Attributes #3 & #4 (video 2 of 2)

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 6 of reading) - Attributes #5 & #6

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 7 of reading) - Attribute #7

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 8 of reading) - Attribute #8

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 9 of reading)

Attribute #9 (part 1) video 1 of 4

Attribute #9 (part 1) video 2 of 4

Attribute #9 (part 1) video 3 of 4

Attribute #9 (part 1) video 4 of 4

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 10 of reading) - Attribute #9 (part 2)

Lisa Murphy on..... Being Child Centered (Day 11 of reading)

WRAP UP, CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS

Thank you so very much for all of your support of PLAY!

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If you read them in this order you will hear Lisa read the whole book from start to finish. There were wifi issues on some of the days, so some of the sessions have multiple videos! Lisa Murphy on.....

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The Classroom Environment, How We Show Up for Children, & What Love's Got to do With It with Dr. Isela Garcia

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The Classroom Environment, How We Show Up for Children, & What Love's Got to do With It with Dr. Isela Garcia

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watch video and print certificate

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Using Puppets for Social-Emotional Learning (and More!) with Patricia Wiggins, MA and Aida Torres

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Using Puppets for Social-Emotional Learning (and More!) with Patricia Wiggins, MA and Aida Torres

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Watch video and print certificate

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TCBOC 2019: Patricia Wiggins and Aida Torres

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How to Prevent Biting in Your Classroom with Lisa Poelle, MA

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How to Prevent Biting in Your Classroom with Lisa Poelle, MA

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watch video and print certificate

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How to Use Music and Movement to Prevent Challenging Behavior with Jocelyn Manzanarez, MMEd

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How to Use Music and Movement to Prevent Challenging Behavior with Jocelyn Manzanarez, MMEd

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watch video and print certificate

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Transform Challenging Behavior Online Conference 2019: Jocelyn Manzanarez

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30-60 minute online courses

• Practical strategies for the classroom and home

• Research-based brief, and relevant to you

• Interactive multi-media format

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Learn more about our course catalog for early childhood educators.

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Play, Challenging Behavior, and Conveying How Play IS Learning to Families with Lisa Murphy, MEd

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Play, Challenging Behavior, and Conveying How Play IS Learning to Families with Lisa Murphy, MEd

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watch the video and print the certificate for 1 hour of training.

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Outdoor Play, Outdoor Classrooms, and Challenging Behavior with Eric Nelson, MA and Lisa Agajanian, MA

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Outdoor Play, Outdoor Classrooms, and Challenging Behavior with Eric Nelson, MA and Lisa Agajanian, MA

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This was a good talk on outdoor classrooms and how they relate to challenging behaviors.  If you watch this video you can get 1 hour of training.  Print the certificate and turn into Jess.

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Adventures COVID-19 Policy and Procedure

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All policy and procedure are in accordance with Indiana State and Health Department Guidelines.

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It’s Not Children’s Education We Should Worry About, It’s Their Mental Health

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It’s Not Children’s Education We Should Worry About, It’s Their Mental Health

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Learning to play with their peers is one of the most important things children learn at school ... [+]
Corbis via Getty Images

The decision on when to re-open schools has become one of the most hotly contested issues around easing the coronavirus lockdown.

But while the debate has largely focused on the loss to children's education while schools have been shut, a bigger concern is the effect on their mental health.

While President Trump has taken issue with his own infectious diseases adviser over when it will be safe to reopen schools, while in the U.K. the government is locked in a battle of its own over a planned return for students.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, desperate to get the economy moving again, has said he aims to reopen schools to some students in England from the beginning of June, with all children of primary age - up to 11 - returning to class before the summer break.

Teaching unions have rejected this and set out their own five tests before schools can fully reopen, including more testing, effective social distancing and adequate supplies of protective equipment.

And their trust in government advice that reopening can be done safely has not exactly been enhanced by a catastrophic response to the virus that has left the U.K. with the highest death toll in Europe so far, and the second highest in the world, after the U.S.

The ensuing battle has seen a level of vitriol and bitterness that quickly dispels any feelings of solidarity in the face of a common foe.

Teachers have been accused of shirking their duty and refusing to step up when others have done so, while teachers have accused their critics of using them as human guinea pigs, putting both them and the children they teach at risk.

But while the debate around what's best for children revolves around closing the gaps in their education, this misses the real impact of the lockdown.

Just as important as their formal education - perhaps even more so - are the social lessons children learn at school.

They learn to play with other children and to form and maintain relationships, as well as a host of skills including co-operating, negotiating and the art of compromise.

Through relationships with their peers, as well as with their teachers, children also learn how to regulate their emotions and develop social skills, skills that will be at least as important for their future lives as anything else they learn in the classroom.

Deprived of the opportunity to play and interact with their peers in person, young people risk losing those skills and instead of developing confidence and self-assurance are instead in danger of feeling isolated and insecure.

On top of this, they are likely to have feelings of despair, fear and helplessness as the virus disrupts their lives.

In between the tragedy of the lives lost to Covid-19 and the impact on the economy, we are in danger of underplaying how traumatic this whole experience is and will be for everyone, particularly for young people whose characters and personalities are still being formed.

The impact on young people's mental health is likely to be significant and long-lasting, and far in excess of the impact of losing a few months of education.

This is why, when schools do return, the focus should be on easing children back into the classroom environment and encouraging them to play with their friends, rather than cramming them with as much of the 'missing' material as possible.

It is why reopening schools but preventing children from playing with each other is both misguided and risks causing further harm.

And it is also why talk of running summer schools to help children 'catch up', or making children repeat a year, are wide of the mark.

It is true that students with important exams coming up next year will have missed large chunks of the syllabus.

But instead of embarking on a learning frenzy to make sure they fit the exams, we should tailor the exams to fit the student. We need to recognize that young people have been traumatized and make allowances. And we need to make sure we pay as much, if not more, attention to their mental health as to their education.

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It's Not Children's Education We Should Worry About, It's Their Mental Health

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The decision on when to re-open schools has become one of the most hotly contested issues around easing the coronavirus lockdown. But while the debate has largely focused on the loss to children's education while schools have been shut, a bigger concern is the effect on their mental health.

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Project Learning Tree's award-winning early childhood materials help you bring nature into the classroom and safely take your young learners outdoors, whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural community. PLT's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood guide recieved a Teachers' ChoiceSM Award for the Classroom from Learning® Magazine.

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PURDUE EXTENSION OF HOWARD COUNTY PRESENTS:

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PURDUE EXTENSION OF HOWARD COUNTY PRESENTS:

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I am Moving, I am Learning

We hope to see you Wednesdays, April 8 - May 13, 2020 from 1 - 2 p.m. EST.

To join meeting click: https://purdueextension.zoom.us/j/195167124

Dial by your location: 1-312-626-6799 US

Meeting ID: 195 167 124

For more information about the individual sessions being offered click here.

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Educators: Getting Started with Flipgrid

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Password: playdough
Credit: 1 hour

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Learning Centers: Child Development Basics, Creative Art Center and the Makerspace

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Learning Centers: Child Development Basics, Creative Art Center and the Makerspace

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Welcome this training, Learning Centers: Child Development Basics, Creative Art Center and the Makerspace,  is one of a multi part training that will cover some child development basics, creative art, movement, STEM, language & literacy, and some helpful tips for setting up your areas and creating new interest.
If you do not have a free Padlet account you will need to set one up so you can receive appropriate credit.  Read and answer all the activities, questions and discussions in the comment sections.
Training Link:  https://padlet.com/TeamAdventureFoot/LearningCenterP1
Password: MakerSpace
Credit: 1 hour

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The following training, Building Positive Teacher-Child Relationships, needs to be completed by every staff member.  If you do not have a free Padlet account you will need to set one up so you can receive appropriate credit.  Read and answer all the activities, questions and discussions in the comment sections.
Training Link: https://padlet.com/TeamAdventureFoot/Positive_Relationships
Password: RelationshipsMatter
Credit: 2 hours

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https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0CmXjm2Ho0zp9F5seyF6kSlk3Z2gqwvv1zpFr2I9z92dtbg/viewform?usp=sf_link

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Process art is characterized by being open-ended, experiential, unstructured, self-motivated, creative, and unique. It focuses on the process, or the doing, rather than the outcome.
It is through the doing that children learn so much: problem solving, experimentation, expression, innovation, scientific thinking, mathematical understanding and language development. Children gain confidence and feel a sense of competency when they create something based on their own ideas and efforts.
Exploring Process Art with Kids

Prepare, prepare, prepare. Cover surfaces with newspaper or plastic tablecloths. Provide old shirts, aprons, or smocks to cover clothes. Have water, paper towels, soap, or rags at the ready. Discuss any guidelines to keep paint, glue, and markers away from furniture or walls. Ensure small items are not accessible to very young children and supervision is used as needed.

Set up space. If you can, find a designated space for creating. If space is limited, consider a small rolling storage container that can be wheeled outside or stored in a closet.

Compile a selection of safe materials to offer. Keep in mind the age of your child when planning activities and stockpiling supplies. Materials can include: paper in a variety of colors, textures and sizes, pencils, markers, crayons, watercolors, multiple colors of tape, glue, stickers, and collage materials. You do not need to offer all of the options at once. Remember, sometimes less is more.

Organize your materials. Organizational systems keep things neat and appealing, and inspire children's creativity. Use tackle boxes, small metal flowerpots, containers with lids, boxes, small baskets, small bowls, and muffin tins to corral like items and make clean-up easy.

Try making a collage. Cut or rip construction or tissue paper in a variety of colors into small pieces. Provide your child with a small amount of glue in a disposable cup, a thin paint brush, and paper. You can vary what you offer. Think about three-dimensional materials, such as paper towel tubes or cardboard boxes, and other collage materials, such as leaves, flowers, sequins, small tiles, or pieces of fabric.

Encourage creative independence. Process art is about your child forging his or her own path. If you feel tempted to give your child instructions on what to make, try stating, "Here are some art materials I collected for you. Let’s see how you use them."
Discuss your child’s creations and creative process. Engaging in a conversation about your child’s art helps him or her to become more cognizant of choices and actions, allows for verbal expression, and boosts vocabulary.

Try saying, "Tell me more about this," rather than, "What a beautiful house you drew." You may just learn that what you thought was a house, is actually, "a friendly monster ready to play with his friends."

Ask questions to encourage reflection on the process. "Why did you decide to use purple over here?" Or, "How did you figure out how to attach those pieces to the paper?" You can also share observations on what you see. "I see that you used multiple strips of tape." Or, "I noticed that you mix very thin lines, with large wide ones."

Remember, there is no right or wrong way when it comes to process art projects for kids.

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Why do we always want what others have? We spend endless hours scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest and daydream about what we could achieve if we... only had more money... only had one child... only had a bigger house....

In truth much of what we see set up on social media is for a nice photo and isn't the reality of how people are day-to-day.

I work as a registered childminder in Manchester, England. My setting and my practices have evolved over time.... and my way of sharing ideas has also expanded. In January 2018 I decided to include my early year's ideas onto my Instagram feed Mama's Den as well as start a blog of the same namesake.

One of the main areas I have been asked about on my Instagram relates to the play scenes I provide for children and how I organise and structure them.

I don't claim to be an expert, I can only base my ideas on my own experience of working with Early Years children however, I thought it might be useful to share with you some of these activity ideas.

What exactly is an Invitation to Play? Yes I am sure you have heard the phrase used a lot on Instagram and Pinterest but what exactly does it mean...

An Invitation to Play is just as it sounds. Inviting your child to play with certain materials or resources which you provide and your child investigates.

It should be about exploration, discovery and above all, play.

But do you have to have all of these beautiful <insert> 'expensive' toys that you often see in these popular settings?

Certainly you may be fortunate to own some of them but probably not all of them, so you work with what you have and with the resources you own.

Everything can be substituted.

Looking at the above photo closely, on the left is a budget play scene and on the right is a luxury play scene.

Both are a road play set up, both have bridges, people, and cars but each one makes the most of the resources at hand... Grapat Nins, Grimm's tunnel and wooden cars can be swapped for Happyland people, Lego Duplo and other cars in your toy box. Even the play mat can be created with washi/ masking tape.

An Invitation to Play should encourage your child to get involved. Either of the above play scenes would fire the imagination and allow the child to develop their own ideas.

You can also apply this budget vs luxe set ups to creative stations.

The above activity was based around "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" story. Think about different ways you can enhance your child's learning experience... sensory, textures, colours, they all offer a rich variety of ideas which help to fire up a child's imagination.

I subscribed to Kids Knead Play activity boxes to add variety to my activity ... they are so easy to set up though if you like the idea. If you have some Playdoh, buttons, ribbon and a few toys to link to a favourite book, then you have the perfect creative station ready to go!

I add sensory experiences with paint... but you don't always need paintbrushes, pegs with tissue paper or cotton buds can work really well and allow for development of fine motor skills.

But remember you are facilitating the activity by providing the tools, your child has the ability to develop their own ideas and if given the chance will explore at their own pace and quiet often will surprise you with their creativity.

So you see we can do lots of creative things with relatively little cost.

When you first start to think about an invitation to play it can seem a little daunting. We are used to just getting toys out and not really thinking about their benefits. We need to think about 'setting the scene' but still leaving room for imagination and play.

Pick up little ideas from here and there but do your best to create a learning environment which reflects your child's own interests.

We love natural, wooden, open-ended toys and learning environments.

I think about how the toys and activities benefit the children as individuals.

In the UK we use the early year's tracker in our settings to look at a child's development. If this would be of interest you can google search 'ages and stages questionnaires' so you can see where your child is up to developmentally but more importantly so that you can encourage their next steps.

You can also create interesting spaces for babies. High contrast is useful and I like to keep baby areas neutral with different textures.

Here is a recent invitation to play I set up for an 8 month old.

Whilst this may look like an expensive set up, many of these resources can be found without too much expense.

Sensory exploration baskets are fantastic to fire a baby's brain and by including spoons, shakers and things you find around the house, your little one can easily practice fine and gross motor skills.

A paper towel holder with some old bangles makes a wonderful ring sorter.

And empty jewellery boxes filled with sensory items are a great way of adding exploration.

We all have our strengths and it would be so easy to be overwhelmed with the wealth of knowledge that others have in this field. Step back and look at what you could use in your home or setting.

What are your strengths? What is within your means? What interests your child? What do they like to play with? You can find Invitation to Play set ups achievable in your home by focusing on one area at a time.

We can only start with the basics and improve and enhance them as time passes, as our practice gets more effective and our knowledge of early years learning improves.... we evolve as parents and practitioners.

Jennifer x

Thank you so much Jennifer on such a fabulous blog post, we have loved having you write for us this month.

Please say hi to Jennifer over on her blog or follow her on her social channels listed below.

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What exactly is an Invitation to Play? Yes I am sure you have heard the phrase used a lot on Instagram and Pinterest but what exactly does it mean... An Invitation to Play is just as it sounds. Inviting your child to play with certain materials or resources which you provide and your child investigates.

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I have recently begun a new series on my Facebook page where I post one or two photos each day, and it has become very popular. These are pictures of the little Invitations to Play that I have set up for our girls in various places in our home. I'm hoping through this series to inspire us all to play and create more with our children and to realise that we don't need expensive materials or a lot of preparation in order to do that!

I have been asked lots of questions about these Invitations to Play, or play prompts, and I thought I'd address all of these in a post.

What exactly are Invitations to Play?

This term is used a lot by Early Childhood Educators and is deeply rooted in the Reggio philosophy of allowing children to direct their own play by offering open-ended, meaningful resources to explore. I believe the first person I heard the term "invitations" from was the wonderful Christie at Childhood 101, who has written on a similar subject in the past,

It simply describes a little set up of play materials for your child to come and discover and play with in any way that they choose. It can be as simple as setting out the tea set and play food on a little table with napkins, bringing out the building blocks and setting them on the grass or presenting the child with an unusual object for investigation. Most of the time, by placing toys or materials in a new location or presenting them in an original way, the child's imagination is sparked and they can come to it with fresh eyes and new ideas!

We don't constantly need to be buying new toys or finding the next best thing to "entertain" our children with. By keeping some toys and materials in the cupboard for rotation ( great posts from Picklebums and from Dirt and Boogers here about toy rotation!) it means that they forget about some toys and are really excited to be presented with them again when they reappear! It may even be that they have developed new ways of thinking since they last saw the Lego bricks, for example, and now that they are out again they will use them differently.

Why give them these play prompts? Why not just leave them to do their own thing?

I haven't actually been asked this yet, but I'm sure I will soon and it's a good question! In our home at the moment the days are very long with a 3 year old 2 year old and 10 week old underfoot. Daddy works long hours and even though we try and get out of the house every day to go to classes, the park or see friends, it still leaves many hours to fill!

Recently the days have been so rainy and miserable, it has led to squabbling, moaning and lots of requests to watch dvds. We have a few play areas set up throughout the home, in little nooks and corners of most rooms, and there is constant access to toys, puzzles and art materials. Even so, they sometimes lose interest and need some inspiration and new ideas of ways to play to get them started again.

By setting up little invitations to play for them to discover, it has caused them to get excited and interested in playing in new ways with familiar (and sometimes completely new) objects. They have shown me that they are remarkably creative and have often used the materials in such imaginative ways!

[ Side note:] I do not want to serve the "I'm bored" culture by constantly providing them with things to do. I believe it is very important for children to learn how to entertain themselves by using their imaginations and creativity in whatever situation they find themselves in. But I don't think these counteract that desire. They are simply providing the sparks to creativity.

How do you make Invitations to Play?

To make these play prompts, all you need to do is look around your home at the materials you already have. If you don't have any open-ended art or recycled materials you may need to invest in some from a £1/ $1 store just to get stocked up and ready to go. (See below for a list of ideas.)

I tend to pick something that the girls haven't seen in a while. Then I move it to a place they wouldn't usually play with it, to add some variety and make them see it in a different way. For example, with this little tea party invitation, I moved these items from their play kitchen to our real kitchen and laid the table nicely, using paper napkins. It would be even more special with a tea pot filled with herbal tea and a plate of real cookies!

On other occasions I find a material that they may not have played with or not for a while, and something that adds a real sensory element to the play, such as dried pasta, play dough, sand or glitter.

The most effective play set ups are the ones that combine materials in a new way, such as play dough with little sticks for poking into it, coloured water with droppers or bubble wrap with scissors. These encourage creative thinking and investigative, questioning skills. What can I do with this? What would happen if? What can I make this into? What does this do?

What materials do you need to create them?

Chances are you probably have most of these things lurking in your craft drawers already! This is by no means a comprehensive list, but these are the things I have to hand most of the time. Bear in mind I'm a craft and recycled materials hoarder- I'm working on it!

dried beans/ lentils/ couscous

sticky tape and masking tape

[S ide note:] I do not advocate wasting food by playing with dried pasta, rice and beans etc. However, the food that we use I store carefully and re-use umpteen times, taking care not to throw any away. I feel there is huge sensory benefit in allowing children to handle and smell theses lovely textured materials and that they far surpass plastic and man-made materials in terms of exploratory play. As long as waste isn't encouraged, they are a vital, readily available and cheap addition to the play store cupboard.

Where do you store everything?

I am not at all good at keeping organised or systematic (apart from in my head!) Currently I store all our materials in one cupboard in the kitchen in Bonne Maman jam jars (because they look so pretty!) This is not all of it, but you can get the idea from this photo. I also have larger mason jars containing pebbles, coloured rice, play dough in different colours, cloud dough, sand and dried beans/ lentils.

I store a small range of art materials for free access at any time in some gorgeous metal buckets (plant pots from Ikea) on the girls' art table. I change what these contain from time to time, to add some variety and they are free to make and create with these materials as they choose. See photo above.

The rest of the materials, such as blocks, puzzles, toy food and play people are all stored in baskets in various places around the home. Many of the play prompts include real items, such as colanders, baskets and other household items that simply come from around the house.

I also keep two sensory tubs stored under the art easel and they can be pulled out at any time for some distraction from the pre-dinner-moaning session! (It hits us hard in this house- you too?)

But my child just destroys everything!

I've already had a few people say this in response to some of the activities I've posted on the page. Of course, not all these ideas are going to suit all ages and stages of kids. You know your own children and you know what's safe, appropriate and suitable for your own child. If your toddler just wants to throw and destroy things, consider giving them things to throw safely and that you don't mind being destroyed! For example, a catalogue that can be ripped or crumpled, bubble wrap to jump on or balled socks to toss in the air! Creative With Kids has a wonderful post of ideas on this topic.

As well as the Invitations to Play I have started to set out some Invitations to Create too. These are the same idea and simply involve setting out art and craft materials and allowing the children to create with them in any way that they like. It's not a set activity with expected outcomes, just an invitation to experiment, explore and create!

If you would like to follow along with us in this daily series of play and creative prompts, then be sure to follow The Imagination Tree on Facebook and check in with us each day!

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Creating Invitations to Play! - The Imagination Tree

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I have recently begun a new series on my Facebook page where I post one or two photos each day, and it has become very popular. These are pictures of the little Invitations to Play that I have set up for our girls in various places in our home.

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Setting up Invitations To Play – Inspiration from Educators

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Setting up Invitations To Play – Inspiration from Educators

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To simplify ... invitations to play are really just a collection of materials (or props if that helps you to visualise) set up together with some thought and creativity behind the process. The aim is as the name suggests...to invite children to explore, investigate, create PLAY. They might be set up with intent of children exploring and understanding basic learning concepts or they might be set up with no specific learning outcome in mind. They might encourage further exploration of a current interest using different mediums or they might simply be fun and interesting.

The invitation to play might be large or small, indoors or outdoors, use many props or just a few, use natural or man made materials -how you COMBINE AND SET UP those materials is the important part! The aim is to plan for and provide an invitation that offers opportunities for multiple learning outcomes depending on how the children approach the space and materials.

No matter the intent of the setup, both perspectives ultimately allow for the child to direct the play in the way that they want to -even if it differs from the educator or parents initial concept or planning.It is for this reason that invitations to play work very well with the Reggio philosophy of allowing children to direct their own play by giving them access to open ended materials that encourage investigation, further exploration of current interests, curiosity and imagination.

The key to setting up invitations to play that engage (not just look pretty) is not a big resource budget, always using new materials or spending days getting it 'just right' and then freaking out when the children actually touch it and 'mess it up'....in reality it is about being intentional in your teaching but keeping it simple, hands on, child led and above all FUN!

15 Tips for Creating & Setting Up Invitations to Play

1. Stop using the excuse that you don't have a big budget for natural and quality resources -look again at what you DO have and think about how you might present or use them in different ways.

2. Begin sourcing and organising a collection of simple but meaningful materials to use together in your invitations. Op shops, markets and garage sales are a treasure trove of old items waiting to be reused in playful ways!

3. Think differently - When your collection begins to build and you store the materials with some organisation and purpose you will find it easier to get creative and think about how the materials might work together.

4. Try to use as many open ended resources as possible (see my previous post on loose parts here for some ideas and a free printable) but there is also nothing 'wrong' with incorporating favourite toys and more generic play things - just keep them the minority not the majority (it's cheaper for you that way too!).

5. Observe the children at play, listen to their conversations, think about the questions they are asking then bring that information to your planning and setup of invitations.

6. Use clearly defined spaces to set up your materials - this doesn't have to be a table, it might be simply a small tray, a few tubs together on the ground, a mat, the sandpit, the water play tub, a large rock, a shady spot under the trees....what will work best for both your invitation materials and the ages and developmental stages of the children? Remember to change around the areas you use to help keep boredom at bay.

7. Rotate toys often to spark interest and combine those that have been left in the corner unloved for quite a while with some open ended resources from your collection to reignite engagement.

8. Natural and sensory materials - Collect and use them whenever possible - aim to stimulate the use of senses, not just creative thinking.

9. Keep it age appropriate! Consider the materials that you feel are safe and appropriate for the children you currently have in your care. Think about how you could modify if you are doing Family Day Care with a mixed age group. If you are concerned about using the materials inappropriately - throwing to hurt, swallowing etc make sure to model, supervise and provide other options close by that you can redirect to if needed.

10. Be flexible - just because you set up an invitation to play doesn't mean all the children will want to do it -ensure you still plan for other play opportunities as well and don't force a child to participate if they are not interested.

11. Add to the play. If you have the space try to leave the invitation out for a few days before packing away so the children have time to go back and forth adding their own elements and letting the play evolve in different ways as different children engage with the materials on different days. Remember - it's not about perfection or snapping a great pic to get on your Instagram feed!

12. Less is usually more - try not to go overboard with the number of props you use!

13. Plan ahead - think about ways you can use that invitation in different ways by adding or taking away certain materials. How are the children playing? Reflect and keep notes so you can easily extend the play and save yourself some work!

14. Decide on the intention behind your invitation to play and what you would like to see. Is there something you are extending on? An interest you want to help the children explore? A learning concept you want to help clarify? An investigation they want to lead? To explore with their senses? To problem solve? To express themselves creatively? Always be open to the children taking their learning in a different direction though!

15. Collections & Props- consider the combinations and experiment with your invitation. Start with your basic open ended materials and interest toys (I call them the stage) then build from there with your additional 'props'. Will you incorporate books related to the invitation, felt puppets, music, material, posters, photos, cards, drawing tools, sensory items? ...and the list goes on.

In my Empowered Educator Community on Facebook we have many hard working members who share their invitations and setups with us in our weekly share section and each month here on The Empowered Educator website we feature a collection of some of the wonderful ideas that have inspired us in the community - and I hope by sharing they also inspire you to perhaps try something different with your invitations to play or begin using them for the first time.

Please keep in mind that this collection of images is not meant to overwhelm you or make you feel as though you aren't as good - everyone has different environments, children, resources and levels of creativity so the aim is to just take an idea here and there and modify it to suit your individual style and preferences. I warn you ....there is so much dedication and commitment to early learning in our Empowered Ed group at the moment that there are a whole lot of photos to wander through...but who doesn't love to be inspired?

I've grouped them into categories to help you think about the different ways you can plan for and use your invitations to play. This is a collection of table top invitations but you can use any surface that works for you !

Enjoy and thank you to all of our talented community members for sharing their work with us each week!

Using invitations to play to invite creativity.

Using invitations to play to offer intentional teaching moments.

1. Renata's Family Day Care

2. Christine Walker

3. Renee Smith - Awabakal Preschool

4. Ronnie's Preschool

All 4 invitations in collages above and below shared by community member Renata's Family Day Care.

Taking invitations to play to lower levels creates interest and allows younger children to more easily engage.

1. Josie Sheehan

2. Jess Lawless

3. Julia Jeffs

4. Clare Louise - The Woodland Child

1. Renee Smith - Awabakal Preschool

2. Renata's Family Day Care.

3. Gail Fort (A Hairy Maclary invitation!)

4. Renata's Family Day Care.

Invitations to play can begin with a mud kitchen or sink!

1. Tennille Zammit from Little Ted Family Day Care

2. Candice Rivet

3. Marina Healey

4. Ronnie's Preschool

Invite the imagination in with small world play.

1. Helen Garland

2. Tennille Zammit from Little Ted Family Day Care

3. Ronnie's Preschool

4. Belinda Bryce

1. Tamara Miller

2. Tennille Zammit from Little Ted Family Day Care

3. Anna Grebenshikoff

4. Jessica Watts

Engaging opportunities to play with open ended materials.

Invitations to play that ignite the senses!

1. Renee Smith - Awabakal Preschool

2. Ronnie's Preschool

3. Belinda Bryce (fossil digging fun)

4. Renata's Family Day Care.

1. Jasmine Jones

2. Renata's Family Day Care.

3. Renee Smith - Awabakal Preschool

4. Emily Vogler (DIY Sensory Table)

All 4 sensory invitations in collages above shared by community member Veronica from Ronnie's Preschool

Love those salt trays!

All 4 sensory invitations in collages above shared by community member Renata's Family Day Care.

Invitations that help children explore nature, lifecycles and animals big and small.

1. Ronnie's Preschool

2. Narieta Tinaikulabu

3. Dolores Fitzpatrick

4. Kelly Marie

1. Christine Walker

2. Tennille Zammit from Little Ted Family Day Care

3. Leesa Maree

4. Kelly Marie

A fantastic nature-based invitation to play and create shared by community member Renata from Renata's Family Day Care.

Whew! That was a lot of photos! I certainly hope you have been inspired to begin collecting those materials, reusing what you already have and thinking about how you could set up your next invitation to play...and how the children might take the lead in their own learning.

Why not stop by and share your own invitation to play ideas and photos with other educators from around the world in The Empowered Ed Community!

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How to set up and create Invitations To Play for early learning!

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Setting up invitations to play doesn't need to be complicated, time consuming or use expensive resources. Find out how to create your own using simple materials and the reason why we use invitations for early learning. Includes a huge photo gallery of real ideas from educators.

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Ways to make engaging invitations to explore in your classroom!

I have been seeing a lot of "Invitations to Play" across the web and on Facebook. The photos being shared are beautiful and inspiring to look through but there are many things to consider when creating an invitation to play...

Defining the Invitation to Play

Simply stated, an invitation to play is arranging the environment so that it "invites" young children to come to an area in your classroom to explore, investigate, question, examine, participate, touch, feel, and manipulate through as much independent play as the materials can possibly allow.

An invitation to play should...

Capture a child's curiosity

Be intentional in design and purpose

Be appropriate for the age of children you teach

Include materials that the children can freely touch, manipulate, and explore

Questions to Answer When Designing an Invitation to Play

The invitation to play is not just setting up a pretty table but it is instead intentional in design to foster learning and to keep the child engaged the learning process. I am an avid believer in creating an invitation to play whenever and where ever I can in my classroom. As I am preparing my invitations to play, I try to visualize how the children might use the materials and at the same time leave room for exploration that may not be what I expected.

It is a good idea to consider some of the following questions when setting up an invitation to play...

Are there plenty of materials available for the children to equally and fully participate?

Can the children freely explore the materials?

Is the area well organized and can it be easily managed by the children and the teacher as needed?

What do I think the children will do with the materials?

What do I hope the children will do with the materials?

What kind of developmental growth or learning am I trying to promote or do I visualize taking place in this area through play?

Tips for Creating an Invitation to Play

I have compiled a few photos from my own classroom that I consider to be an invitation to play. Each of these invitations to play lead to different kinds of experiences but I hope they will inspire your own ideas as you take a look...

Make it Appealing

Make it Engaging

Make it Challenging

Make it Hands-on

Make it Curious

Make it Colorful

Make it Surprising

Make it Tempting

Make it Obvious

Make it Real

Make it Fun

Make it Ready

Make it Interesting

Make it Open Ended

Some of my invitations go beyond just the area of play and include an invitation to create, cook, write, and draw. Ultimately, I want to send my preschoolers an invitation to participate in all areas of my classroom and in all types of play and learning experiences.

Links to Grow On

You can view more invitations to play on Pinterest by clicking here!

Creating Invitations to Play from The Imagination Tree

Elements for Creating Play Scenes and Invitations to Play from Childhood 101

An Invitation to Play (Play Dough) from Learn with Play@home

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Ways to make engaging invitations to explore in your classroom! I have been seeing a lot of "Invitations to Play" across the web and on Facebook. The photos being shared are beautiful and inspiring to look through but there are many things to consider when creating an invitation to play...

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One way to disinfect Toys at Home or in the Daycares

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The bacteria living on your hands right now

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1/2 cup hair conditioner

1 cup cornstarch (you will need more to get the right consistency, but this is a good starting point).

Winter theme:

Blue sparkles

Spruce essential oil

Measure the hair conditioner into a bowl and then mix in the essential oil and cornstarch. You will most likely need more than 1 cup of cornstarch, but 1 cup is a good measurement to start with.

You are looking for a smooth and soft texture, one that does not break away or crumble when you knead it like bread.

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Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.

We are on a wintery theme here this month, which is fitting since the temperatures have plummeted and we are getting a winter storm this weekend. This sparkly winter 2 ingredient play dough for sensory play. I also added a couple extra special things to make fit our wintery theme.

I also have a free printable download of this recipe below, along with 4 other sensory play recipes when you subscribe to Growing Hands-On Kids. Keep scrolling to see that towards the end of this post.

This play dough is so easy to make and is the softest play dough you will ever make.

2 Ingredient Play Dough Recipe

1/2 cup hair conditioner

1 cup cornstarch (you will need more to get the right consistency, but this is a good starting point).

Winter theme:
Blue sparkles
Spruce essential oil
Measure the hair conditioner into a bowl and then mix in the essential oil and cornstarch. You will most likely need more than 1 cup of cornstarch, but 1 cup is a good measurement to start with.

You are looking for a smooth and soft texture, one that does not break away or crumble when you knead it like bread.

To store it I keep it in a plastic bag and place it in our invitation to play wooden tray with whatever other items I decide to put with it (typically play dough tools, cookie cutters etc).

If it happens to get left out overnight or for a few hours it will begin to crumble apart and dry out. You can try adding more hair conditioner and cornstarch as needed to try and get it back to the right consistency to play with.

We had a lot of fun playing with this, this week. I plan on making it monthly with different themes and scents so I hope you will come back and check them all out.
Recommended Products to Make This Activity
Get a Free Download of this recipe, plus 4 other sensory play recipes!
Spruce Essential Oil
I send out a weekly newsletter filled with child development tips, tools, and strategies. I'd love to have you join.

Just put your email address in the box below and click the green "CLICK HERE" button. You'll see a confirmation page and then your email with the link to confirm your subscription and get the free download will be in your email inbox within 20 minutes.
Plus, when you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE DOWNLOAD of this Winter 2-Ingredient Play Dough recipe and 4 other fun sensory play recipes!
I also created this Sparkly Christmas themed 2 ingredient play dough, which is just as fun.

For more sensory play ideas like this one, you can check out these posts below and also follow me on Pinterest.

Follow Heather | Growing Hands-On Kids's board Sensory Fun on Pinterest.
You May Also Like:

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Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. We are on a wintery theme here this month, which is fitting since the temperatures have plummeted and we are getting a winter storm this weekend.

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Explore Our Database

Welcome to the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care database of hands-on activities. Here you will find hundreds of hands-on, ready-to-do activities especially designed to help young children of different ages learn, develop, and flourish. The activities are designed for child care providers, parents, grandparents, and anyone else who works with children.
Browse Activities

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Welcome to the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care database of hands-on activities. Here you will find hundreds of hands-on, ready-to-do activities especially designed to help young children of different ages learn, develop, and flourish. The activities are designed for child care providers, parents, grandparents, and anyone else who works with children.

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Education for a Civil Society Chapter 1 A New Education for Civility

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Blogging about Lego Clubbin and other library program ideas

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Ingredients:

1 cup salt

2 cups flour

2 cups water

1 Tablespoon cream of tartar

2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

Food Coloring

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice (to bring out the fall smell).

OPTIONAL: Leaves, bottle lid, cinnamon stick, pipe cleaners, cloves & other fun tools!

DIRECTIONS:

To make this, you will just whisk all of the ingredients in a pan & put it on the stove.

Cook it on medium heat for a few minutes.

It will start out runny but quickly form into a ball.

When this happens (when it gets thick), remove it from the heat, but continue to stir it.

When it is semi-cool, take it out and place it on a floured surface.

Knead the dough.

Sprinkle another 1/2 Tablespoon in and keep kneading.

Store in a ziplock bag or get busy building & playing!

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Re-thinking risk: Are children too safe for their own good?

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Re-thinking risk: Are children too safe for their own good?

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Re-thinking risk: Are children too safe for their own good?

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Outdoor Fall Activities for Kids: 11 Ways to Play with Leaves

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Outdoor Fall Activities for Kids: 11 Ways to Play with Leaves

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The fall is a great time to get outside and play with fall leaves. Below you will find 10 easy ways for kids and families to have fun outside with autumn leaves.

If you are looking for nature crafts to make with fall leaves check out turkey leaf lanterns, fall leaves fish and top 10 fall nature crafts.

This post is part of The Get Outside and Connect Series. To learn all about it click on the link.

Make a game out of catching and counting fall leaves. Click on the link to find out how.

2. Rake and Jump in Piles of Leaves

This activity is one of the simplest and most classic ways to get outside and have fun with fall leaves. Want to make it more interesting? Try one of the next two activities while you're at it.

Since you have to rake, why not make a leaf maze or labyrinth while you're out there? Click on the link for all the fun details.

Yup, you read that right... A leaf slide! Click on the link to learn more.

Go on a leaf hunt! Click on the link to download the free printables and learn more about the many ways to do this activity.

Click on the link for all the details on how to play this fun game.

7. Make Land Art from the Artful Parent

Use fall leaves to make land art. Click on the link to learn all about this beautiful way to create art.

Use fall leaves for this fantastic STEM activity. Click on the link to learn all about how to do this fun learning activity.

Download these wonderful Leaf Identification Cards and take them with you on a nature walk.

This scavenger hunt uses a fun way to count leaves. Click on the link to learn how.

Get outside, connect and have fun playing and learning about leaves this fall with these awesome activities!

More Fun Ideas for Using Fall Leaves

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10 Ways to Have Fun Outside with Fall Leaves - Rhythms of Play

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The fall is a great time to get outside and play with fall leaves. Below you will find 10 easy ways for kids and families to have fun outside with autumn leaves. If you are looking for nature crafts to make with fall leaves check out turkey leaf lanterns, fall leaves fish and top 10 fall nature crafts.

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An effective teacher or family child care provider chooses a strategy to fit a particular situation. It’s important to consider what the children already know and can do and the learning goals for the specific situation. By remaining flexible and observant, we can determine which strategy may be most effective. Often, if one strategy doesn’t work, another will.

1. Acknowledge what children do or say. Let children know that we have noticed by giving positive attention, sometimes through comments, sometimes through just sitting nearby and observing. (“Thanks for your help, Kavi.” “You found another way to show 5.”)

2. Encourage persistence and effort rather than just praising and evaluating what the child has done. (“You’re thinking of lots of words to describe the dog in the story. Let’s keep going!”)

3. Give specific feedback rather than general comments. (“The beanbag didn’t get all the way to the hoop, James, so you might try throwing it harder.”)

4. Model attitudes, ways of approaching problems, and behavior toward others, showing children rather than just telling them (“Hmm, that didn’t work and I need to think about why.” “I’m sorry, Ben, I missed part of what you said. Please tell me again.”)

5. Demonstrate the correct way to do something. This usually involves a procedure that needs to be done in a certain way (such as using a wire whisk or writing the letter P).

6. Create or add challenge so that a task goes a bit beyond what the children can already do. For example, you lay out a collection of chips, count them together and then ask a small group of children to tell you how many are left after they see you removing some of the chips. The children count the remaining chips to help come up with the answer. To add a challenge, you could hide the chips after you remove some, and the children will have to use a strategy other than counting the remaining chips to come up with the answer. To reduce challenge, you could simplify the task by guiding the children to touch each chip once as they count the remaining chips.

7. Ask questions that provoke children’s thinking. (“If you couldn’t talk to your partner, how else could you let him know what to do?”)

8. Give assistance (such as a cue or hint) to help children work on the edge of their current competence (“Can you think of a word that rhymes with your name, Matt? How about bat . . . Matt/bat? What else rhymes with Matt andbat?”)

9. Provide information, directly giving children facts, verbal labels, and other information. (“This one that looks like a big mouse with a short tail is called a vole.”)

10. Give directions for children’s action or behavior. (“Touch each block only once as you count them.” “You want to move that icon over here? Okay, click on it and hold down, then drag it to wherever you want.”)

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All Head Start staff, from classroom teachers to bus drivers, are responsible for making sure no child is left unsupervised. Find out what active supervision is and how to use it across all program activities.

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Teachers can use the problem solving approach of this in-service suite with children in their classrooms. It helps children resolve social problems as they arise "in the moment."

This zip file contains presentation materials including training videos and handouts. To view or use these materials without internet access, download Problem Solving in the Moment 15-minute In-service Suite in advance. Please ensure your browser is updated to the newest version available. If you have difficulty downloading this file, try using a different browser.

For more information, please contact us at ecdtl at ecetta dot info or call (toll-free) 844-261-3752.

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Teachers can use the problem solving approach of this in-service suite with children in their classrooms. It helps children resolve social problems as they arise "in the moment." This zip file contains presentation materials including training videos and handouts. To view or use these materials without internet access, download Problem Solving in the Moment 15-minute In-service Suite in advance.

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We survived the week!  It has been very busy around here lately and it seems like everyone has been a little more overwhelmed than usual.  We have noticed that some important details have bee getting lost in the shuffle and we have been hearing some sharp tones through the building.  The kids are starting to pick up on this and we are seeing an uptick in aggressive and cranky behavior from some of the kids.  It can all be a vicious cycle that feeds the beast.

We need to do better and stop just surviving.  We need to be thriving and exceeding expectations.  We are trying to hire at least one additional staff person for the afternoons.  We don’t want to just hire anyone and be stuck with someone who adds to the crazy instead of being helpful and self-sufficient.

With regard to details, we all really need to pay attention to details.  Things like classroom allergies, special milks and food substitutes are important.  This goes beyond just forgetting to bring out milk or snack subs.  It is about double checking before we serve and making sure we get it right the first time.  Details like checking diapers at the end of the day and not sending kids home poopy or with filthy faces and hands.  Put yourself in the position of the parent and how would you feel if you arrived and found your child in a dirty diaper with a filthy face and hands?  Would you wonder if they had been walking around like that all day and why?  Also, paying attention to timing details and making sure you initiate specific transitions, tasks and activities at the appropriate times.  Take the kids outside at the designated outside time not just when you feel like it and come in when it is time to.  If you want to stay out longer have a plan, take areas outside and take your children to a designated area of the grounds for that.  DO NOT interfere with another classes outside time and mix age groups.  You are in the same classrooms every day, don’t stand around waiting for someone else to initiate what you should already know needs to happen.  We have no time for hand holding or micromanaging.

With regard to tone of voice, life is stressful and everyone has their own struggles and concerns.  It is understandable that you may carry some of that into work with you and have rough days from time to time.  That being said, it is not the children’s fault so please don’t take it out on them.  Remember they are children and they are going to make mistakes.  Your job is to help them to learn to be kind, responsible and self-controlled.  That does not happen by being yelled at, embarrassed in front of the class, threatened or brought to the office.  It is one thing to take a firm tone when a child bites or hits, it is another to tell them you are mad at them or disappointed in them, berate them in front of the class, threaten to call their parents or Miss Jessica, dismiss them from your sight and/or refuse to accept their apology and move on.  If you are frustrated, walk away and let your co-teacher tag in.  Ask yourself, Is it better to be right or happy?  You may be right that it makes you look more competent to outsiders but do the children really need to be standing in a straight line to go outside. The answer is NO!  We are not looking for perfection, after all we as adults are not perfect.  What we are looking for is an environment that promotes learning from play and learning from mistakes.

How do you lessen your own stress in the room and create an environment that is calm?

·         I keep coming back to the idea of routine.  Create a routine and stick to it.  Your day needs to be predictable for you and the kids.

·         Start with relationships.  When we get frustrated with children it is instinct to want to push them away.   This however is the opposite of what really needs to happen.  We need to pull that child in and build a relationship with them.  Let the child know you love them, they are more likely to care and not want to disappoint you if they have a relationship with you.

·         Take time to guide children through using their words.  Kids don’t know what it means when you say “use your words!”  Ask them open ended questions like “what can you say when he takes your toy to let him know you want it back?”  If they can’t come up with an answer then tell then what their options are.  Encourage them to use a loud voice to let the other child know they don’t like something, or give it back.  Pay attention when you hear the kids use a big voice and offer them support that they might need.  Sometimes it is just looking in the direction so the other child knows you are paying attention and they will give the toy back or stop what they are doing.  Sometimes you may have to stop what you are doing walk over to the child and offer immediate intervention.

·         DO NOT yell across the room.  Just like you don’t appreciate someone getting in your face or yelling at you or yelling at you across the room letting everyone know your business the kids don’t like it.  Before you think I don’t care if they like it they are in trouble, it is about showing respect for another human being.  The only time you should be yelling across a room at a child is if they are about to stick their finger in a light socket or something similar.  Before you think respect is earned, kids have to learn what respect is before they can give it to someone and they learn it from the example you show them.

·         Take time for yourself in your personal life to blow off steam and refresh yourself, mentally and spiritually.  It is not healthy to only work and never play.  Take time to do the things you enjoy and when you go home at the end of the day enjoy your family and let go of work.  It is awesome that you love the kids as your own, your hearts are big and full, but when you go home you need to allow yourself to relax, decompress and have a personal life that does not revolve around your job.  This doesn’t mean you can’t ever talk about your kiddos outside of work or look for fun ideas outside of work but keep it in moderation and remember to take care of you.

·         Finally, if you don’t laugh you will cry.  🤬 happens and sometimes the moon is full and the kids are psycho.  Learn to laugh at the little things.  When the drama subsides, the moment has passed and everyone is safe, smile and remember you survived and now you have a story to share that involves poop, vomit, snot, and/or any number of other gross and awkward things that no other adult ever gets to talk about at work because HR would deem it inappropriate.   Your job is unique and you are tougher than most!  If you have made it this far come into the office and say “the cow goes quack” and you will receive 30 minutes of training and we won’t make you stay after work for a staff meeting that could have been an email.

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NEW Target Dollar Shop with Me - Fall & Halloween

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DAP with Infants and Toddlers, Ages Birth - 3

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DAP with Infants and Toddlers, Ages Birth - 3

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The earliest years are all about relationships. Infants and toddlers crave and develop attachments to the special people in their lives. Depending on how parents, early childhood educators, and others treat them, babies also develop expectations about people and themselves.

Young infants (0 to 9 months) seek security.

Mobile infants (8 to 18 months) are eager to explore.

Toddlers (16 to 36 months) are working on their identity; they want to know who they are and who’s in charge.

In child care programs, relationships with families are critical. Caring teachers and caregivers learn from the experiences, knowledge, culture, and childrearing beliefs of family members.

Partnerships grow when teachers value the family as the primary source of information about the child and as the constant in the baby’s life, and when families value the knowledge and personal characteristics of their child’s teachers. Good communication is essential.

Working with Infants and Toddlers

Good teachers understand typical development from birth through age 3. Knowing how the youngest children learn and develop helps professionals closely attune to individual children and their families—in all their variety.

Here’s what DAP looks like in an infant/toddler room:

At mealtime, Lisa notices that Haylee is starting to grab for the spoon. The baby isn’t old enough to feed herself, but she sure is determined to try. Lisa gets Haylee her own spoon. Later in the day, she gives Haylee another spoon, and a bowl, to play with.

Lisa selects materials for Haylee with her specific interests and developmental progress in mind. Countless small actions like this make up best practice for infants and toddlers.

The classroom example on this page is taken from Basics of Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Introduction for Teachers of Infants & Toddlers.

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Creative Art with Young Children (1 Hour)

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Creative Art with Young Children (1 Hour)

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This training is available online and will also be available in the school age room,during nap time, for the remainder of the month. If you have not completed your training hours for the year yet you need to take advantage of this. If you have hours dropping of this month or next this is an easy 1 hour.