Resource Books

With 100 classroom-tested activities this book makes it easy for teachers to incorporate discussions about caring for the Earth into any curriculum. Each activity features learning objectives, vocabulary, related children's books, materials, preparation (if necessary), directions, and an assessment component. Paperback.

Movement-inspiring activities reinforce good nutrition, health and motor skills! Young children learn best when they connect physical activity with learning! Up, Down, Move Around is packed with fun, simple activities that will have your children jumping, shaking, rolling, dancing, and clapping as they learn! From the Healthy Food Obstacle Course to the Bendy Bodies Stretch, children ages 3 to 6 will get moving as they learn and support an awareness of nutrition and health concepts as well as fine… More »

Get the most of the revised edition with this companion CD-ROM containing more than 40 pages of Core Learning Activity handouts plus sample posters for promoting a family-friendly program environment and sample cover letters and response forms.

Learn what makes boys tick (and run and jump and yell), and discover how to actively engage the boys in your early childhood classroom with simple effective strategies that support boys' learning. Using the latest brain research to explore and explain the differences in how boys and girls learn, 'Wired to Move' provides early childhood educators with facts and strategies to actively engage boys in an early childhood setting. It addresses the unique needs of African-American and Hispanic or Latino… More »

Children love getting their hands dirty. Putting their fingers into clay and other squishy stuff gives them a chance to create and have fun while strengthening important developmental skills. From wet clay to paper pulp, sawdust to shaving cream, these open-ended activities focus on the process of creation, not the final product, and allow imagination to flourish. 80 pages. Paperback.

This indispensable book helps you develop areas important for the growth of 12 to 24 month-old areas such as language, creativity, coordination, confidence, problem-solving, and gross motor skills. Toddlers will experience the joy of discovery on every fun-filled page! Paperback. 256 pages.

Discover the natural curiosity and enthusiasm of toddlers and twos as they explore creative art experiences designed just for them. In this updated, color edition of First Art for Toddlers and Twos, you will find more than seventy-five art experiences, with lots of variations that add to the fun and tips for making the activities run smoothly. There's even a chapter of special adult-made props, such as an Art Baggie Book to display a child's artwork and a Tabletop Easel made from a pizza box to… More »

For experts in the field of early care and education, defining and providing technical assistance can be as difficult as nailing jelly to the wall. Learn to effectively coach, mentor, and train early childhood teachers and administrators with guided experiences, strategies, and activities to provide technical assistance in specific program areas like parent involvement, science, outdoor play, music. and art. 144 pages. Paperback.

Adults and children write to communicate ideas, to share information, and to record events. 'Playful Writing' builds on the cyclical nature of learning with open-ended play ideas that will inspire children to write. From the first marks of the youngest writers to ready writers who use their expanding vocabularies to express increasingly complex ideas, this book offers teachers, caregivers, and parents of children ages three to eight, 150 ideas for inspiring and scaffolding children's writing explorations.… More »

Children are innately interested in their world. The activities in this book invite children to explore the world around them, learn about different cultures, enjoy a variety of careers, and discover the uniqueness of their very own neighborhood. From the many ways we are alike and different to the variety of homes around the world, children will delve into these social studies activities that are perfect for children ages 3 to 6. 128 pages. Paperback.

Toddlers are on the move almost constantly! Even though encouraging physical activity is not a problem, you can model new movements and skills and lay the foundation for them to enjoy physical activity as they grow. Toddlers need lots of time to master the basics, such as jumping, rolling, and balancing. As they become more comfortable with their bodies and confident in their ability to be physically active, their desire to participate will increase. They'll enjoy kicking and throwing different… More »

Open the door to teaching infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds successfully with these 300 activities linked to the latest development in child development. Observe what your children are already doing, then give them varied opportunities to develop at their own pace. This book outlines a typical development sequence in ten domains: social/emotional, fine motor, gross motor, language, cognitive, sensory, nature, music and movement, creativity, and dramatic play. Chapters on appropriate curriculum… More »

1 year & up. With more than 250 songs, rhymes, and chants, this book is a fun way to enrich toddlers' language experiences. By incorporating songs, chants, and rhymes into the classroom, teachers provide opportunities for children to develop every aspect of reading readiness and literacy. While the selections themselves are a great way to enhance the development of literacy skills, the follow-up suggestions for story time, outdoor play, music and movement, and literacy extension activities will… More »

This resource book is full of attention-grabbing, creative activities that provide children with an outlet for wiggles, while giving their brain a jumpstart with cross-lateral movement games. Includes songs, games, and finger plays for anytime of the day. Paperback. 208 pages.

Children are expected to read, write, count, and sit still at younger and younger ages. As these unrealistic expectations mount, family members and teachers alike continue to believe that these activities will prepare young children for school. But there is a better way one that helps children build school readiness through developmentally appropriate activities. Best of all? The children can have fun! Building on Emergent Curriculum guides preschool teachers to tap into young children's natural… More »

Turn children's love of active games into learning opportunities with these activities. Each chapter is organized by level of difficulty and each one incorporates fun math experiences with movement. Most activities require few or no materials and include related children's books or music to extend the learning. The index is an great tool as it gives teachers flexibility to plan around children's interests. Use these activities during circle or group time, or use them to reinforce other lessons.… More »

200 quick fixes for everything from big messes to small budgets, from clean up solutions to storage ideas to help with cost saving strategies, and everything in between. Solve everyday problems, giving you more time to teach and enjoy the children in your classroom. 160 pages.

When young children are engaged in imaginative play, they are not just having fun; they are developing skills and concepts that are foundational to their learning. Teachers can get the most out of this critical development time with thoughtful preparations that allow the children to freely explore their creativity and learn from each other. Using simple props and donated items, the book shows how centers can be transformed into rich and rewarding learning spaces for children. Play Today offers dozens… More »

Children are the inspiration for positive family-provider relationships that are essential for promoting healthy child development and learning. School-to-Home Connections is bursting with ideas for early childhood educators. Inside, you'll find simple ways to explain developmentally appropriate practice to parents, ideas on partnering with them on their child's journey to school readiness, and tips for nurturing families' active involvement in the school community. Along the way, you discover information… More »

Most preschool teachers have musical instruments in their classrooms, but may not realize they can use them for science explorations. In this book, discover 100 activities that let children ages 3-6 explore the science of music and sound using materials easy to find for a preschool classroom. Children will use their bodies to create sounds, explore the relationship between size and pitch, investigate how tempo affects the way we listen to sounds, create musical instruments, and much more. From the… More »

An ideal way to start children on an exciting, creative adventure towards global understanding! The fun, easy-to-do art activities in Global Art use collage, painting, drawing, printing, construction, and sculpture to help children appreciate people and cultures from all over the world. Each activity is explained in step-by-step detail and accompanied by geographic and cultural background to help you make the most of the teaching possibilities. Paperback. 190 pages.

With art math, body math, moving math, wet and messy math and more, children will delight in the 140 activities that bring math to life in the classroom. 256 pages.

'The Neglected Child' provides everything educators and caregivers need to know to identify and intervene in neglectful situations, while also creating a safe, nurturing, and protective environment for young children. From defining the different types and levels of severity of neglect to establishing suspicion and reporting neglectful situations, this book is filled with helpful information from expert psychologists and educators in the field today. Each chapter includes a brief quiz to assess chapter… More »

The literature-based activities in this book help children who have been through a trauma. With activities and exercises that can be used in conjunction with 50 children's books, teachers can use the discussion starters, writing activities, and art activities to promote children's ability to cope and heal. Addresses numerous crises that can affect a child, including earthquakes, epidemics and mass casualty incidents, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and major storms, shelter experiences, volcanic… More »