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?

As parents and child caregivers, we all know what a lack of sleep can do to a toddler. In the past, we covered the importance of sleep in early childhood, as well as the pros and cons of co-sleeping with your child. But, now that you have that information, how do you put it to use? In this article, we’ll give you some tips to help your toddler get a good night’s sleep. Tip 1) Take your toddler … [Read more...] about 4 Strategies to help your toddler get a good night’s sleep