Spring is a marvelous season. The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and the air is crisp with renewal and hope. Daycare providers can enhance their curriculum with story-time books and activities that celebrate the spring season.

Spring Art Activity
Eggshell Tulips*
You will need: Eggshells, pipe cleaners, tempura paint, markers, and glue

Clean and dry eggshell halves. Let children decorate the eggshells using tempura paint and let them dry overnight. The next day, children can add details to the tulips using markers. Shape the end of a green pipe cleaner into a small spiral shape and glue the spiral part of the eggshell.

Spring Cognitive Activity
Duck Sorting Activity

Duck sorting teaches young children both classification and counting. For this activity you will need to cut both large and small ducks out of yellow construction paper. You can use a template or draw them freehand. You will also need two containers. Ask the children to sort ducks into large and small, placing the small ducks in one container and large ducks in another. Next, ask the children to count the total number of small ducks and the total number of large ducks. Ask them which number is larger. (more…)

St Patrick’s Day is a holiday during which many parts of the world celebrate St Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, with a large feast.  St Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17.

Introduce children to St. Patrick. Discuss the significance St. Patrick’s Day’s popular symbols: the four leaf clover, leprechauns, blarney stone, rainbows, and the pot of gold.

St. Patrick’s Day is a great time for daycare providers to enhance their curriculum with story-time books and activities that celebrate Irish history.

Consider the following reading lists and resources for free St. Patrick’s Day worksheets, coloring pages, and handwriting practice sheets for your child care center:

Reading List

St Patrick’s Day Board and Picture Books

St. Patrick’s Day Countdown by Salina Yoon [Price Stern Sloan, 2006] (more…)

Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 15-21.  Random Acts of Kindness week month is promoted by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation in order to incorporate kindness into schools and communities. Recognize Random acts of Kindness week in your daycare center by reading age appropriate stories that focus on kindness, charity, courtesy, friendship, appreciation and gratitude.

Consider the following reading lists and resources for free worksheets, coloring pages, and handwriting practice sheets related to kindness and charity for your child care center:

Reading List

Random Acts of Kindness Board and Picture Books (Baby-Age 3)

How Hatie Hated Kindness by Margot Sunderland and Nicky Armstrong [Speechmark Publishing, 2003]

The Giving Chair by Yoshiko Kouyama, Kozo Kakimoto and Mia Lynn Perry [RIC Publications, 2006]

Be Polite and Kind by Cheri J. Meiners and Meredith Johnson [Free Spirit Publishing, 2003]

Let’s be Kind by Janine Amos and Annabel Spenceley [Alphabet Soup, 2010]

Being Helpful by Cassie Mayer [Heinemann, 2008]

Carrying by Gwenyth Swain [Lerner Classroom, 1999] (more…)

February is Children’s Dental health month which is sponsored by the American Dental Association in order to promote awareness of dental health. Recognize Children’s Dental Health Month in your daycare center by reading age appropriate stories that focus on dental health and implementing related activities.

Consider the following reading lists and resources for free dental health worksheets, coloring pages, and handwriting practice sheets for your child care center:

Reading List

Dental Health Board and Picture Books (Baby-Age 3)

The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain [Random House, 1981]

Brush Your Teeth Please Pop-Up Book by Reader’s Digest [Reader’s Digest, 1993]

Little Bear Brushes his Teeth by Jutta Langreuter [Milbrook Press, 1997]

Dear Tooth Fairy by Kath Melletin and Fran Thatcher [Little Simon, 1997]

Pony Brushes his Teeth by Michael Dahl and Oriol Vadal [Picture Window Books, 2010] (more…)

Valentine’s Day or Saint Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated on February 14, is the traditional day on which people express their love for each other through Valentine’s cards, gifts and other acts of thoughtfulness. Celebrate Valentine’s Day in your daycare center by reading age appropriate stories that focus on the symbols of Valentine’s Day and by implementing Valentine’s Day-themed activities.

Consider the following reading lists and resources for free Valentine’s Day worksheets, coloring pages, and handwriting practice sheets for your child care center:

Reading List

Valentine’s Day Board and Picture Books Baby-Age 3

Elmo’s Valentine (A Chunky Book) by Stephanie St. Pierre and David Prebenna [RandomHouse, 1997]

Be My Valentine by Beatrix Potter [Warne, 2002]

It’s Valentine’s Day!: A Rosie Rabbit Book by Harriet Ziefert and Laura Rader [Sterling, 2005]

Be Mine, Be Mine, Sweet Valentine by Sarah Weeks and Fumi Kosaka [HarperFestival, 2005]

Valentine’s: A Book to Touch and Feel by Sugar Pixie [Little Simon, 2003]

Princess Valentine by Megan E. Bryant and Nancy Gale Carlson [Worthwhile Books, 2010] (more…)

Winter is the season which begins with the winter solstice, which is around December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, and ends with the spring equinox which is around March 21 in the Northern Hemisphere.

Teach young children about winter through winter themed lesson plans and activities. Consider the following reading lists and resources for free winter worksheets, coloring pages, and handwriting practice sheets for your child care center:

Reading List

Winter Board and Picture Books Baby-Age 3

Winter by Gerda Muller [Florris Books, 1994]

One Winter’s Night by Diane Dillon and Leo Dillon [Puffin, 2005]

Pooh Welcomes Winter by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld, A. A. Milne, Robbin Hogan, and Robbin Cuddy [Disney, 1999]

Little Fern’s First Winter by Jane Simmons [Little, Brown, 2001]

Winter Wonderland by Alan Benjamin and Samuel J. Butcher [Golden Books, 2000]

Winter:  Seasons Board Books by Chris L. Demarest [Red Wagon Books, 1994]

Chickadee Winter by Dawn L. Watkins and Gabriela Dellosso [Journey Books, 1999]

First Snow of Winter by Graham Ralph and Sue Tong [Penguin Character Books, 1994]

Barney’s Wonderful Winter Day by Stephen White and Bill Langley [Barney Publishing, 1994}

MIffy in the Snow by Dick Bruna [Big Tent Entertainment, 2004]

Winter Early Readers Ages 4-8

It’s Winter (Celebrate the Seasons) by Linda Glaser [Milbrooke Press, 2002]

Winter’s Gift by Jane Monroe Donovan [Sleeping Bear Press, 2004]

Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Helen K. Davie [Collins, 1996] (more…)

Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November to commemorate a feast in 1621 that the Pilgrims shared with Native Americans. Thanksgiving is also celebrated in Canada on the second Monday in October in order to give thanks for a bountiful harvest.

Celebrate Thanksgiving in your daycare center by reading age appropriate stories that focus on the symbols of Thanksgiving and by implementing Thanksgiving themed activities.

Consider the following reading lists and resources for free Thanksgiving worksheets, coloring pages, and handwriting practice sheets for your child care center:

Reading List

Thanksgiving Board and Picture Books Baby-Age 3

Happy Thanksgiving, Emily by Claire Mauserel and Susan Calitri [Puffin, 2004]

Turkeys Never Gobble by Joan Holub and Jennifer Beck Harris [HarperFestival, 2002]

Happy Thanksgiving (Wee Board Book) by Wendy Cheyette Lewison [Grosset & Dunlap, 1993]

My First Thanksgiving Tomie dePaola [Grosset & Dunlap, 2008] (more…)

Through storytelling and activities, celebrate and teach young children in your daycare center about  the season autumn (or fall).  This resource list will provide you with a fall themed reading list and free autumn themed  printable worksheets and activities for young children in child daycare centers.

Reading List

Autumn Board Books and Picture Books (Baby – Age 3)

Dappled Apples by Jan Carr and Dorothy Donohue [Holiday House, 2001]

Leaf Baby: Baby Seasons Board Books by Mary Bridgid Barrett and Eve Chwast [Red Wagon Books, 1998]

Autumn by Gerda Muller [Floris Books, 1994]

Fall: Seasons Board Books by Chris L. Demarest [Red Wagon Books, 1996]

5 Little Pumpkins by Michael Scott [Hyperion Books, 2003]

One Fall Day by Molly Bang [Greenwillow books, 1994]

Pumpkin Baby by Jane Yollen and Susan Mitchell [Key Porter Books, 2009] (more…)

Inspire children’s love of reading by providing a well rounded library of fascination, age appropriate books in your daycare center. Classic books make a great foundation for lifelong reading.  This article will focus on helping licensed daycare providers set up a daycare library for preschool aged children.

Children’s books are usually categorized by genre and reading level. First books are divided into three categories: Fiction, folklore or poetry, nonfiction. Nonfiction books are books of information.  Folklore and poetry include folktales, mythology, tall tales, nursery rhymes, verse and epic literature.

Fiction books for children are then divided further into categories by reading level: Board books, picture books, easy readers, transitional books, and chapter books.  Infants and toddlers and preschoolers in child care centers are interested in board books, picture books, and easy readers. (more…)

When teaching  young, preschool aged children about Halloween, keep lesson plans simple.  It is not necessary to discuss the historical background of Halloween at this time. Instead, young children in daycare centers can celebrate Halloween by having costume parties and playing special games like bobbing for apples.  Halloween can be fun and educational when you incorporate the following activities:
(more…)