Resource Books

With forms, worksheets, staff-training workshops, and task lists, as well as helpful guidelines and insights, this groundbreaking guide is filled with practical advice for every program director. Learn how to create a Disaster Readiness Master Plan and implement it; train teachers and administrators how to react in a catastrophic event; educate parents about your disaster plan to reduce panic; create planned evacuation routes and notify local emergency management agencies of your plans; and complete… More »

Updated to reflect the latest research about how children learn, the revised edition of 125 Brain Games for Babies is a fun-filled collection of ways to develop the brain capacity of infants. Included are everyday opportunities to nurture brain development in the critical period from birth through twelve months. Each game and sensory experience presented includes an annotation on the latest brain research and how the activity promotes brain power in babies. Paperback. 144 pages.

Challenging behaviors can derail an early childhood classroom, and punishment and exclusion aren't the answer. Young children need support and instruction to help them learn how to cooperate, listen, share, interact positively with their peers and with adults. Where to start? Effective Discipline Policies will be your go-to resource. Craft a developmentally appropriate, consistent, effective behavioral guidance policy. Create a system that supports young children's social-emotional competence. Provide… More »

It's a common dilemma in early childhood classrooms: How to provide new, interesting experiences on a shoestring budget. This book offers low-cost ideas for gathering and creating rich explorations in learning centers by vividly describing the unique ways teachers can use found and recyclable materials to encourage cognitive development and creative exploration in young children. In addition to photographic examples, the book offers tips on how to source, select, and integrate materials into a center;… More »

This book emphasizes creating positive relationships with parents and families as the foundation for strong, ongoing partnerships between parents and families and after-school programs. This edition includes revised and expanded learning activities and answer guides to reflect current issues and concerns; revised and expanded handouts; enhanced and expanded tools for assessing parent needs and concerns; new and expanded tip sheets for building connections with parents and families; and a selected… More »

Thoughtfully created learning centers are bubbling with opportunities for active learning. Dr. Jean, beloved author of dozens of books and songs, and coauthor Carolyn Kisloski bring you a collection of practical ideas and tips to inspire engagement and spark learning in your classroom centers-and, importantly, keep children coming back for more. Children learn best through play. Discover how you can help them thrive in your learning centers. The Possibilities of Play brings expert tips for selecting… More »

Movement-inspiring activities reinforce key literacy and math concepts! Young children learn best when they connect physical activity with learning! Up, Down, Move Around is packed with fun, simple math and literacy activities that will have your children jumping, shaking, rolling, dancing, and clapping as they learn! From the Syllable Freeze Dance to a Math Orchestra, children ages 3 to 6 will actively explore letters and numbers as they develop number sense, practice counting and rhyming, and… More »

You can't stop a disaster from happening, especially when Mother Nature is the force behind it. But, you can limit the amount of time your early childhood program is closed, pick up the pieces, and return to normal as quickly as possible. The key to serving children and their families again quickly is advanced planning. Preschool Preparedness for After a Disaster, the third book in the Preparing for the Unexpected Series, will help your center get up and running after the worst has happened. In… More »

Classroom-tested and teacher-approved, these activities help children ages 3-6 learn all about numbers. With 100 engaging and fun activities, Learn Every Day® About Numbers offers everything a teacher needs to build a foundation for future math learning. Each activity offers learning objectives to meet standards, a materials list, related children's books, and an assessment component to measure children's learning. 128 pages.

As child-care professionals, we don't like to think about what might go wrong - whether a disaster is natural or human made. The key to serving children and their families again quickly is advanced planning. This might seem daunting, but emergency preparedness, response, and recovery are easier when you break them down. In approachable, bite-sized pieces, emergency-preparedness expert Andrew Roszak, JD, MPA, EMT-P, shares advice from his more than 20 years of experience in disaster recovery to help… More »

Take your children beyond the ordinary and into the amazing world of art! Children will explore and create with activities such as hair dryer painting, lawn prints, and face and body paint recipes. Paperback. 132 pages.

The resource you need to encourage a child's development in a variety of domains through block play. This book is full of photos that illustrate block play in real classrooms and stories from teachers who have successfully used block play to encourage children's development in a variety of domains. Age focus is 2 - 8 years. Paperback. 200 pages.

100 easy-to-do activities give children a peek into the lives of their creepy-crawler friends. Each activity features learning objectives, vocabulary, related children's books, materials, preparation (if necessary), directions, and an assessment component.

No education professional wants to think about an active shooter on campus. Recent tragic events illustrate a clear and imminent need to prepare educators for these threats. Public institutions are required by law to follow rules and regulations to train for emergency responses, and several states have enacted or are considering enacting regulations specific to early childhood programs. "Preschool Preparedness for an Active Shooter," the first book in the new Preparing for the Unexpected… More »

30 Fun Ways to Learn with Blocks and Boxes is full of small group and individual activities that explore construction, collaborative play, and basic math concepts. From building basic models and mazes to constructing complex stairs and bridges, these activities ignite children's imaginations and engage their creativity and critical thinking. 80 pages. Paperback.

Many Languages, One Classroom applies the latest information about best practices to all aspects of a preschool program. Designed to fit any preschool curriculum, this book addresses state standards and benchmarks of standard quality programming. Organized by interest areas and times of the day, you'll find everything you need to help English language learners during dramatic play, outdoor play, reading, science, blocks, and circle time. Each chapter is broken down into several sections: the environment,… More »

Babies are naturally active, and their movements help them explore their environment. They first move involuntarily, based on reflexes, and then learn to move more independently as their bodies grow stronger and they begin to investigate the world around them. You can encourage their muscle development, strength and balance with simple activities done with infants as young as six weeks old. Paperback. 96 pages.

Dig In: Outdoor STEM Learning with Young Children provides strategies, ideas, real-life examples, and information to help you get children outside and learning, all while meeting required early learning standards and objectives. Explore the Learning Life Cycle and discover fresh ideas for engaging children in deeper explorations and experiences outdoors that will stick with them into kindergarten and beyond. Have more aha moments, seize learning opportunities, invite questions, and investigate answers… More »

This book has been an essential resource for the early child care field. Fully revised and expanded, the 2009 version comes with a supplementary CD containing readings on key topics, plus video examples showing developmentally appropriate practice in action. Based on what the research says about development, learning, and effective practices, as well as what experience tells us about teaching intentionally, DAP articulates the principles that should guide our decision making. Chapters describe children… More »

Based on her popular Pre-K Now blog, Sophia Pappas' book Good Morning, Children provides an up-close and personal view of the challenges and successes of a beginning teacher. The book describes daily encounters with students, family members, and administrators; reflects on the state of early childhood education in America; and celebrates the ways the pre-K teacher can help prepare every child to succeed in both school and life. Paperback. 192 pages.

Music and movement go together like books and reading--they spread joy! It's no secret that quiet doesn't always equal quality learning. At times, we struggle to help children settle down so they can listen and learn. However, we can also encourage them to move to the beat so they can listen and learn in more active ways. In this book, you will find activities that inspire curiosity, exploration, and creativity. When children are singing, moving, listening, and playing music, their creative energy… More »

Parenting isn't always the joy it's made out to be. On the contrary, many parents feel they are struggling to maintain their sanity and control of their young children's behaviors. Offering realistic, practical advice for parents who want the joy back in parenting. Instead of getting bogged down in negative cycles, the book will help readers leave those behavior struggles behind and turn children on to cooperation and respect. The book will also help adults model their "best self" and… More »

Each book is written just for that particular age group. From autumn leaves to recycling games these resource books are sure to be a favorite. Contains over 600 activities written by teachers to discover new ways to use everyday items to create fresh exciting projects. Also includes management techniques and helpful tips for working with a certain age group.

Early childhood is a critical time in human development. Understanding and supporting children's wellness early on can make the greatest impact on physical, social and emotional, and cognitive health throughout childhood and adulthood. This book provides a comprehensive collection of checklists and research-based information to help you evaluate and improve wellness in your program, making it a safe, happy place for each person -- child and adult -- who passes through the doors. The checklists cover… More »