Resource Books

From 'Sipping Cider Through a Straw' to 'Apples and Bananas', children will sing and learn about a variety of foods while exploring nutrition and traditions. The enclosed CD features 25 fun songs, old favorites and originals, and the book offers more than 300 activities that help children appreciate the fabulous food we enjoy every day. All children love to sing and learn, so the book includes both English language learner strategies and special needs adaptations.

How do children learn about the world around them? They touch, taste, see, smell and hear it, of course! With over 200 activities, Learning Games will delight children as they expand their learning by engaging all of their senses. The chapters are organized by each of the five senses, with a bonus chapter of multi-sensory activities. The games and activities are designed to help children identify and use their senses-essential tools for understanding the world. Paperback. 168 pages.

The engaging, exciting introduction to early math concepts will be a sure-fire hit with young children. They can go on geometric shape hunts, measure with pompoms, or find the missing numbers. Includes activities that relate to the National Standards in the back of the book. 208 pages.

From 'Ten Little Monkeys' to 'The Bear Went Over the Mountain', children will sing and learn about the animals they love. The enclosed CD features 27 songs, old favorites and originals, the book offers more than 300 activities that teach children about zoo animals, farm animals, and pets. All children love to sing and learn, so the book includes both English language learner strategies and special needs adaptations.

Teach children to create using paper, feathers, buttons, and other easy-to-find materials! The 50 activities featured in this book will make art fun and accessible to children of all ages. 64 pages.

Emphasizing essential interpersonal skills that should be developed in early childhood, this guide offers a holistic approach to developing classroom communities in which each child feels recognized, appreciated, and able to contribute. Taking into account a teacher's goals, values, strengths, and weaknesses, guidance is offered for adjusting and planning for developmentally appropriate expectations, classroom organization, and communication with families. Filled with concrete examples and effective… 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 »

You've probably seen it: frustration builds, teacher turnover rises, staff meetings become insufferable, indifference breeds throughout the school. Spark change! When your staff feels supported and empowered to grow and develop their skills, your program and the children will thrive. "Inspiring Professional Growth," the follow-up to Inspiring Early Childhood Leadership, addresses the need for offering nurturing and empowering professional development. This book provides leaders with a… More »

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 »

When was the last time you got down on your hands and knees to see your classroom from a child's height? Research shows that effective early childhood classroom design begins from the ground up. Classroom design is a crucial component of an effective learning environment. This book brings a new approach to classroom design that begins and ends with the child's viewpoint. Each chapter details how the classroom environment influences children's learning, and the authors provide specific examples of… More »

Maltreatment during the first three years of life is of utmost concern. Not only are the numbers of harmed infants and toddlers staggering, maltreatment during this vulnerable period alters children�s development in such a way that it robs them of reaching their full human potential. As an infant-toddler child-care provider, you are a �first responder� to this national crisis, playing a key role in the early identification of maltreatment and unhealthy patterns of development. You can be a gateway… More »

With the help of the stories and activities in this book, take the time to watch, wonder, ask questions, talk about, and explore the world of science with your child. Use favorite children's books to investigate animals and insects, learn how plants grow and change, and discover how shadows grow and shrink. With four chapters that cover a multitude of themes, it's never been easier to deepen your child's understanding of important science and reading concepts at the same time! 144 pages. Paperback.

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 »

The GIANT Encyclopedia of Lesson Plans has more than 250 complete lesson plans covering topics from colors and numbers to seasons and nursery rhymes. Each lesson plan is complete with learning objectives, a circle or group time activity, book suggestions, snack ideas, five learning center activities, assessment strategies, and related songs, poems, and fingerplays. With easy-to-use lesson plans for more than an entire school year, this book belongs on every teacher's bookshelf! 574 pages.

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 »

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 »

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 »

Children learn best through hands-on exploration, observation, and discovery. With more than 100 activities, this book gives them the opportunity to actively engage, experiment, create, and discover the exciting world of science. Children will have fun developing problem-solving skills while becoming comfortable with exploring their world.

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 »

With this book, teachers, parents, after-school caregivers, and anyone working with children will encourage creativity, promote the process of art exploration, and appreciate the significance of the resulting art. Each art experience has three parts; it is introduced by a simple activity, progresses to a more experienced level, and finishes with a more intricate primary art experience. Paperback.184 pages.