Resource Books

This uniquely comprehensive manual is a clear, easy-to-read handbook that provides specific guidelines for virtually every aspect of early childhood administration. Contents include: sample criteria, procedures for program development, schedules, applications, and evaluation forms. An invaluable tool for every child care facility manager.

Best-selling, award-winning authors Pam Schiller and Clarissa Willis have teamed up to create this collection of 100 literacy lessons, designed to introduce children ages 3-6 to a variety of literacy concepts and build important literacy skills. Each of these simple, fun lessons offers adaptations for children with special needs, including: visual and hearing impairments, cognitive challenges, motor delays, speech/language delays, and emotional/behavior issues. The first page of each two-page lesson… More »

Preschoolers are constantly using their bodies to play and learn, whether you encourage activity or not. You can help them stay active as they grow by providing instruction in physical skills, motivating them to develop strength and fluid movements, and challenging them to improve their skill levels. Not every child will become an athlete, but all children use motor skills to move around their environment, interact with others, play games, and learn. Paperback. 192 pages.

Connecting with dual language learners (DLLs) is a growing reality among early childhood educators, who need to learn practical, proven strategies to reach these students. Grounded in research and strengthened by the author's personal experience as a student learning English, Connecting Right from the Start helps teachers understand the culturally and linguistically diverse children in their classroom, as well as those with disabilities. Some of the skills teachers will learn: ways to make DLLs… More »

The Busy Family's Guide to Volunteering shows you how to access the resources and information available to find volunteer opportunities that meet the needs of your family. Whether you have a two-year-old or an eighteen-year-old, you'll find everything you need to know to have a fulfilling and fun volunteer experience, from finding the right opportunity for your family to answers to hesitations you may have. The perfect book for families who want to do good things for their community, spend quality… More »

Finding the right people to staff your center is challenging! Have you ever hired someone you thought was perfect, only to have her leave after a few months? Have you filled a position with a "warm body" to maintain the adult-child ratio because you couldn't find a more qualified candidate? Recruiting is an ongoing process that requires reflection, dedication, and importantly, a solid plan. But the plan isn't always easy to craft, especially when you're understaffed! "Build Your Dream… More »

An activity can pass the time. an experience can change a life! This book turns activities into experiences and celebrates each child's development while taking into account the relationships between the caregiver and the child. Paperback. 176 pages. 192 pages.

Packed with more than 70 ways to invigorate play with sand and water tables while encouraging problem solving skills, fine and gross motor creativity, and imagination. Children will learn creative ways to explore and discover on their own!

Communities of practice are an age-old phenomenon representing teamwork. Whether its researchers developing treatments for a disease or educators sharing best practices to enhance early childhood learning, communities of practice are about connection and shared purpose. "Growing Together" will help you define, create, and promote a community of practice to foster collaborative problem solving and enhance professional learning experiences. You will learn key strategies and techniques to… More »

Now more than ever, adults must help children develop the skills necessary to navigate through life successfully. By focusing on building social and emotional strength, we increase children's resilience and prepare them to handle the challenges in life. The strategies and activities in "Socially Strong, Emotionally Secure" help children become socially and emotionally healthy for life. Organized into five chapters, the activities support and build resilience in children ages 3 to 8. 160 pages. Paperback.

More than 300 theme activities written by teachers for teachers! Actively engage children's imaginations with more than 300 activities for young children organized into a variety of popular themes -- from the alphabet to the weather. The result of a nationwide contest among teachers, the classroom-tested activities in Another Encyclopedia of Theme Activities for Young Children provide many months of learning fun! Each activity is complete with learning objectives, materials list, related children's… More »

"Teaching Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder" is a straightforward, easy-to-understand guide to working with children who have autism. It explains the major characteristics associated with autism and helps teachers understand the ways children with autism relate to the world. Each chapter offers specific strategies for teachers to use, including setting up a proactive preschool environment, helping children learn life skills, managing behavior, helping children with autism communicate,… More »

It's never too early to read to a child, especially when you have Story S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s! The youngest children love the repetition of words and experiences that stories provide. Contains a resource of activities for 80 popular age-appropriate children's books and 240 ways to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the stories in new ways to enhance the learning process. (Books are not included). Children reap amazing benefits from being exposed to reading at an early age, and Story S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s makes reading… More »

3 years & up. Introduce STEM concepts to your class with this exciting Science Is Simple Engaging STEM Activities Book for Preschoolers. Like learning to count or read, understanding the fascinating world of science is an essential skill. This innovative book encourages young children to predict outcomes, ask questions, and investigate answers. Watch preschoolers develop essential observational and analytical skills as they eagerly jump into the hands-on, interactive process that is science.

Veteran teacher Judy Fujawa offers over two decades of experience in her warm, witty book of lists. Filled with the imminently practical (Creative Gift Ideas, Things to Do With Boxes, Supplies or Materials That Encourage Children to Be Creative) to the philosophical (How Children Learn, Answers to: Why Read to My Child?) to the hilarious (The "F" Words Children Are Allowed to Use, Things Found in Children's Pockets), these lists cover nearly everything one needs to know to work with and… More »

Early childhood educators are responsible for the health and safety of the children they care for. From preventing harm from known safety risks to promoting children's medical, nutritional, oral, and mental health, educators and program directors act as children's daily protection and support. This easy-to-use manual provides educators with the information they need to ensure that the children in their care are safe, while they learn the best practices to stay healthy for life. With suggestions,… More »

Resource books often provide tips and tricks for managing challenging behaviors, but what happens when those tactics don't work? Most teachers give up. This book brings a raw, real, and at times funny approach to handling challenging behaviors and understanding why most behavior-management strategies don't work. Author Angela Searcy shares real-world examples, proven solutions, and new approaches to overcoming classroom disruptions using her PUSH PAST IT approach. Paperback. 176 pages.

3 years & up. Introduce more activities to arts and crafts lessons with this wonderful Activities Guide for Preschool Art Clay and Dough Crafts with Recipes. Encourage your children to explore art though clay and dough. This guide includes 50 easy activities with an emphasis on the process of art, not on the product. Also included are recipes to create play dough, tissue Mache, yeast dough and more. Follow along for fun classroom activity ideas. Paperback. 58 pages.

This new book features 100 activities all about shapes! Contributed by teachers, these activities are organized by curriculum area and offer fresh ideas that provide hours of engaging activities. Complete with learning objectives, related children's books, and an assessment component, teachers will find everything they need to teach children ages 3-6 all about shapes. 128 pages.

With more than 125 activities, Science Adventures opens up a world of exploration through nature activities in urban, suburban, or rural settings. From Big Step Measuring and Rocks That Write to The Ant Restaurant and How Far Can You Squeeze a Squirt?, the engaging activities in Science Adventures make exploring the environment fun and easy! The authors have adapted the kindergarten science standards set by the National Academy of Sciences to make them developmentally appropriate for preschool children.… More »

2 years & up. You have the instruments! Now you can add new activities for more musical fun. This book includes 101 ideas, a subject index, monthly planning pages and teacher tips to fit every curriculum. Paperback. 120 pages.

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.

Encourage young investigators to feel, listen, smell, taste, and see their way to discovery by seamlessly infusing math and science throughout the school day! As you incorporate all five senses into learning experiences, you will give little innovators the opportunity to observe and explore the world around them. The activities in this book will help you plan engaging science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) lessons that will excite children and foster their critical thinking. Children… More »