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These days, parents and educators can be concerned about children spending too much time indoors, and with screens. Experts are beginning to question whether traditional, structured learning is best for young, developing minds. Have we lost touch with nature? Is this how we were meant to learn? And why are we so afraid of spending time outside, especially if the weather is bad? Well, as it turns … [Read more...] about 4 Top benefits of outdoor education in early childhood

Teaching children the alphabet is foundational to learning how to read. Before children can put together sounds or draw together lines that make words, they need to know what they are. If you’ve never taught the alphabet before, the concept may sound abstract: how do you teach something that comes so naturally to you? Teaching letters can be really fun and simple. In this article, we’ll give you … [Read more...] about 5 Easy ways to teach the alphabet to preschoolers

If you’ve read our article on screen time alternatives, you’ll know that we’re not all about getting kids to sit in front of a TV all day. That said, limited screen time can be a way to keep kids occupied and happy, while also giving them a bit of education...or just entertainment (that’s ok too! We all love a bit of relaxation time!). YouTube is a regular go-to for parents and their toddlers. But … [Read more...] about 12 YouTube channels for toddlers and preschoolers

Did you know that preschoolers can get benefits from dancing? It may seem like dancing is just another form of play, or a way to keep kids occupied. But in fact, it has developmental and learning components to it too. Of course, kids at all ages can benefit from dancing - whether structured or not. But in early childhood, it can have specific goals. Below are some of the reasons to incorporate … [Read more...] about The benefits of dancing at daycare and preschool

We could put kids in a playroom for a day and ask them to sit quiet and listen to us (or, we could try - the kiddos may have something else to say about it!). But, there is nothing quite like spontaneous learning, in real-life contexts, to help kids learn. Things happen throughout a preschool teacher’s day - often by accident - that can create opportunity for instilling knowledge into a toddler or … [Read more...] about How to find and use teachable moments as an early childhood educator

When your child sits in a play room at age 1, with other 1-year-olds, you may notice there isn’t a lot of interaction between them, other than to take toys from each other without much empathy. And that’s typical. Some parents refer to this as “parallel play.” However, as your child grows into a toddler, it becomes normal for them to interact with others as part of their play. But how well they do … [Read more...] about What is social competence in the early years?