If your daycare or preschool program does not include curriculum that introduces children to foreign languages, you may want to rethink or restructure your daycare program.

According to experts, introducing children to foreign languages should begin as early as possible. For a child in a daycare center, the advantages and benefits of learning multiple languages at an early age are extremely valuable and continue long into adulthood.

In our interview with Myelita Melton, CEO of SpeakEasy Communications, Inc., and author of the SpeakEasy Spanish™, discusses the importance of teaching foreign languages to young children.

OwnADaycare: What is an appropriate age to begin learning foreign languages?

Melton:  Experts agree that introducing children to second and third languages as early as possible is best. The earlier a child is exposed to another language the greater the likelihood that the child will become truly proficient in the language. Some suggest that waiting until age 10 or later is too late to develop true fluency. (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…)

One important duty of childcare centers and preschools is to prepare children to enter preschool. Is your child preschool ready?

In this interview with Stacey Kannenberg, co-author of the award winning, California and Texas Approved books Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!, discusses signs of kindergarten readiness.

OwnADaycare: What is kindergarten readiness?  Is there a best age to start kindergarten?

Kannenberg: I believe age 5 is the best time to start Kindergarten.  It might not always work that way due to late birthdays. But I also believe parents and preschool or daycare teachers can start getting children ready for Kindergarten as early as age 2.  Children at a young age can start to learn their colors, shapes, numbers and the alphabet.

OwnADaycare: What are some signs of kindergarten readiness that parents and educators should look for with respect to concept, physical, number, language, reading, and writing development?

Kannenberg:

• Concept development – children will be tested on basic shapes, colors, the numbers 1-10 and the alphabet mixed up
• Physical development – children should be able to use the bathroom, independently as well as able have good motor skills
• Social and emotional development – Share, take turns, answer questions with more than a yes or no response
• Number concept – be able to recognize numbers out of sequence, count objects to 10, start to count toward 100

(more…)

Creative activities for the children in your child care center should foster creative development. Creative activities should promote expression, encourage spontaneity in material usage, and introduce children to textured materials.

A leaf mural is a creative activity that supports creative development and teaches children in child day care centers about seasons. Begin by introducing the children to the concepts of autumn/fall. Read age appropriate board books and picture books that feature the season fall. Take the children on a nature walk. Discuss the signs and symbols of autumn. Let the children collect fall items like leaves, acorns and pine cones. Discuss the colors, textures, smells.  Bring them back to the class and sort all of the items. You may save these items for other fall crafts. (more…)

Activities for young children in child care centers should include physical gross motor activities. Through gross motor activities, preschool age children learn to master balance, spatial orientation, laterality, and the coordination of major muscles.

Children in your daycare center can learn gross motor skills by practicing and by participating in activities which involves hopping, jumping, and climbing. Activities that involve tossing, catching and kicking objects are also great examples of activities that promote the development of gross physical motor skills.

Activity Materials List (more…)

Early learning goals for preschool age children involve creative development objectives. According to Mary Mayesky*, “People who work with young children need to understand creativity and have the skills to help and encourage children to express their creative natures. They should realize the importance of creativity for both children and teachers. They should be able to identify creativity in children and be able to help them develop a willingness to express this creativity”.

Preschool teachers and daycare providers have the opportunity to promote creative development by providing art activities that explore an array of media and materials. Creative art activities should also encourage imagination.

This Halloween Cookie Cutter Art lesson plan includes the materials list, preparation instructions and procedures for this activity. Also included are age appropriate learning objectives and an example of the simple supporting verbal cues required to encourage participation and support learning in a child day care center. (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…)

Fall is in full swing! The leaves are changing colors and falling and the air is nice and brisk.  As many child daycare centers begin to implement fall themed activities, consider this pumpkin sorting activity. Pumpkin sorting is a fun autumn-themed activity that supports cognitive development.

Cognitive Development in Preschoolers

Cognitive development focuses on developing functions of the brain such as thinking, learning, awareness, judgment, and processing information. According to developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, children go through several stages of cognitive development and learning activities for toddlers and children should correspond to the appropriate developmental stage.

Pumpkin sorting is a cognitive activity for preschoolers that helps them learn and practice the skills of classification, relationships, and counting. This lesson plan includes preparation instructions, procedures, and materials list for this activity. The lesson plan also includes age-appropriate learning objectives and examples of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning in child care centers.

Activity Materials (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…)

Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the 4^th 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.

Daycare providers can create a Thanksgiving lesson plan filled with fun, educational activities.  First provide children with a brief summary of the meaning of Thanksgiving.  It is appropriate to discuss the story of Thanksgiving and the spirit of thankfulness, along with the symbols associated with Thanksgiving with the children in your licensed home daycare.  The traditional Thanksgiving symbols include turkeys, pilgrims, Indian corn, autumn leaves, and cornucopia. Your Thanksgiving lesson plan should include activities in a variety of areas of development.

Thanksgiving Craft for Preschoolers (more…)