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]

Night before St. Patrick’s Day by Natasha Wing and Amy Wummer [Grosset & Dunlop, 2009]

On St. Patrick’s Day by Judy Zocchi and Rebecca Wallis[Dingles & Company,  2005]

St Patrick and the Three by Joyce Stengel and Herb Leonhard  [Pelican Publishing, 2009]

St. Patrick’s Day by Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell [HarperCollins, 2010]

St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning by Eve Blunting and Jann Bret [Clarion, 1980]

The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever by Teddy Slater and Ethan Long [Cartwheel, 2008]

Jack and the Leprechaun by Ivan Robertson and Katy Bratun [RandomHouse, 2000]

A Fine St. Patrick’s Day by Susan Wojciechowski and Tom Curry [Dragonfly Books, 2008]

It’s St. Patrick’s Day Dear Dragon by Mary Hillert and David Schimmell [Norwood House Press, 2008]

Clever Tom and the Old Leprechaun: An Old Irish Story by Linda Shute [Scholastic, 1990]

The Leprechaun Who Lost His Rainbow by Sean Callahan and Nancy Cote [Albert Whitman & Co., 2009]

St Patrick’s Day Early Readers Ages 4-8

It’s St. Patrick’s Day by Rebecca Gomez and Mary Morgan [Cartwheel, 2004]

St. Patrick’s Day by Carmen Bredeson [Children’s Press, 2003]

Dear Mr. Leprechaun: Letters from My First Friendship by Martin Nelson Burton and Clint Hansen [London Town Press, 2003]

Laura and the Leprechauns by Amber T Kingston and Jill Ronsley [Chrysalis Press, 2007]

Mary McClean and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade by Steven Kroll and Michael Dooling [Scholastic, 1993]

Good Luck: A St. Patrick’s Day Story by Joan Holub and Will Terry [Aladdin, 2007]

Magic Treehouse #43: Leprechuan in Late Winter by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal Murdocca [Random House Books, 2010]

That’s What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting and Emily Arnold McCully [Sandpiper, 2009]

Leprechaun Luck: A Wee Book of Irish Wisdom by Erin Gobraugh and Catherine O’Neill [simon and Schuster,  2003]

The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever by Teddy Slater and Ethan Long [Cartwheel, 2008]

The Leprechaun in the Basement by Kathy Tucker and John Sanford [Albert Whitman & Co., 2002]

St. Patrick’s Day Preschool Worksheets and Printables

There are many worksheets for St. Patrick’s Day that you can print out and use for your lesson plans and activities. Worksheets should include coloring pages, handwriting worksheets, and printable craft patterns.

The following websites provide free St. Patrick’s Day printables:

First-Preschool: Coloring pages, card, patterns, crafts and worksheets.

A to Z Teacher Stuff: St. Patrick’s Day printables, coloring pages, activities and word searches

ABCTeach:  Free St. Patrick’s Day worksheets and printables

DLTK’s Crafts for Kids: St. Patrick’s Day recipes, worksheets, coloring pages, crafts, games and puzzles

All Kids Network: Free color St. Patrick’s Day printable worksheets

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

Reading List

Spring Board and Picture Books Baby-Age 3

Spring by Geurda Muller [Floris Books, 1994]

God Made Spring: A Really Woolly & Friends Fuzzy, Shiny Flap Book by Beatrix Potter [ThomasNelson, 2008]

Spring by Maria Rius [Barron’s Educational Series, 1998]

Guess How Much I Love You in the Spring by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram [Walker Books, 2009]

Spring: Seasons Board Book by Chris L. Demarest [Red Wagon, 1997]

Pooh’s Favorite Things about Spring by Kathleen W. Zoehfield and Elisa Marrucchi [Disney, 2000]

How do you know it’s Spring? By Linda Masterson [Goldenbooks, 2002]

Hunter Hopes for Spring by Marcus Pfister Herbert [NorthSouth, 1998]

Spring Cleaning by Else Holmelund Minarik and David T. Wenzel [HarperFestival, 2003]

Countdown to Spring! An Animal Counting Book by Janet Schulman and Meilo So [Knopf, 2004]

When Will it Be Spring by Catherine Walters [Dutton Juvenile, 2001]

What’s Hatching? by Mara Conlon and Hala Wittwer [Grosset & Dunlap, 2003]

Spring Early Readers Ages 4-8

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlison and Tiphanie Beeke [Greenwillow, 2009]

Hurray for Spring by Kazuo Iwamura [NorthSouth, 2009]

Let’s Look at Spring by Sarah L. Shchuette [Peeble Plus, 2007]

Busy Spring by Carl Emerson and Cori Doerrfeld [Picture Window, 2009]

Diego’s Springtime Fiesta by Laura Bergenand Brian Oesch [Simon Spotlight Nickelodeon, 2008]

It Grows in Spring: Learn the GR Sound by Autumn Leigh [Rosen Educational, 2002]

Keeker and the Springtime Surprise by Hadley Higgins and Lisa Perrett [Chronicle Books, 2007]

Robins:  Songbirds of Spring by Mia Posada [Carol Rhoda, 2004]

Are you Ready for Spring? by Almaflor Ada and Vivi Escriva [Santillana Publishing Company, 1999]

Splish Splash Spring by Jan Carr and Dorothy Donahue [Holiday House, 2001]

Spring by Joanne Early Macken [Weekly Reader, 2006]

Spring Preschool Worksheets and Printables

There are many worksheets for Spring that you can print out and use for your lesson plans and activities. Worksheets should include coloring pages, handwriting worksheets, and printable craft patterns.

The following websites provide free Spring printables:

First-Preschool: Coloring pages, card, patterns, crafts and worksheets.

A to Z Teacher Stuff: Spring printables, coloring pages, activities and word searches

ABCTeach:  Free Spring worksheets and printables

DLTK’s Crafts for Kids: Spring recipes, worksheets, coloring pages, crafts, games and puzzles

All Kids Network: Free color Spring printable worksheets

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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]

Helping at Home by Margaret McDonald [Smart Apple Med/Black Rabbit Books, 2006]

How Can I Help? by Christine Hood and Michael Jarrett [Creative Teaching Press, 1996]

The Berenstain Bears Lend a Helping Hand by Stan and Jan Berenstain [Random House, 1998]

Random Act of Kindness Early Readers (Ages 4-8)

Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler and Sachiko Yoshikawa [Simon & Schuster, 2007]

The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace [Marshall Cavendish, 2006]

Kindness to Share from A to Z by Todd Snow, Peggy Snow, and Kirsten Sevig [Maren Green Publishing, 2008]

Kindness Counts by Debbie Anderson [Crossway Books, 2007]

The Kindness Tree by Sharon Becker and Irene Virag [Booksurge, 2009]

Behold! No Cavities! A Visit to the Dentist by Sarah Willson and Harry Moore [Simon Spotlight Nickelodeon, 2007]

Have you Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud and David Messing [Nelson Publishing, 2007]

What’s Up Lyle? A Story about Kindness by Ron Eddy and Robert Vann [Little Simon, 2006]

The Giving Book: Open the Door to a Lifetime of Giving by Ellen Sabin [Watering Can, 2004]

The Berenstain Bears Thing of Those in Need by Stan and Jan Berenstain [Random House, 1999]

Random Acts of Kindness Preschool Worksheets and Printables

There are many worksheets about Kindness, charity, manners and giving that you can print out and use for your lesson plans and activities. Worksheets should include coloring pages, handwriting worksheets, and printable craft patterns.

The following websites provide free kindness themed printables:

Acts of Kindness Preschool Activities by The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

Happy World: Kindness to animals worksheets

More Coloring Pages: Free friendship coloring pages

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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]

The Tooth Book: a Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums by Edward Miller [Holiday House, 2009]

Teeth are not for Biting by Elizabeth Verdick [Free Spirit Publishing, 2003]

The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss and Joe Mathieu [Random House, 2000]

Maisy, Charley, and the Wobbly Tooth by Lucy Cousins [Candlewick Press,

Dental Health Early Readers (Ages 4-8)

Dental Office: Who Works There by Lola M. Schaeffer [Heinneman Educational Books, 2006]

ABC Dentist: Healthy Teeth from A to Z by Harriet Ziefert [Blue Apple Books, 2008]

Brush Floss and Rinse: Caring for your Teeth and Gums by Amanda Doering Tourville and Ronny Rooney [Picture Window Books, 2008]

Open Wide! A Visit to the Dentist by Cecile Schoberle and Barry Goldberg [Nickelodeon, 2000]

How Many Teeth by Paul Showers and True Kelley [Collins, 1991]

Behold! No Cavities! A Visit to the Dentist by Sarah Willson and Harry Moore [Simon Spotlight Nickelodeon, 2007]

Smile for the Dentist by Celia Minden and Joanne Meier [Child’s World, 2010]

Molly at the Dentist by Angie Sage [Peachtree Publishers, 2001]

Vera Goes to the Dentist by Vera Rosenberry [Henry Holt & Co, 2002]

Albert’s Toothache by Barbara Williams and Kay Chorao [Dutton Juvenille, 1988]

Free Dental Health Preschool Worksheets and Printables

There are many worksheets about dental health that you can print out and use for your lesson plans and activities. Worksheets should include coloring pages, handwriting worksheets, and printable craft patterns.

The following websites provide free dental health printables:

First-Preschool: Coloring pages, card, patterns, crafts and worksheets.

A to Z Teacher Stuff: Dental health printables, coloring pages, activities and word searches

ABCTeach:  Dental health worksheets and printables

DLTK’s Crafts for Kids: Dental Health month worksheets, coloring pages, crafts, and songs

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

Reading List

Christmas Board and Picture Books Baby-Age 3

Christmas in a Manger: A Pat and Peek Book by Nola Buck and Felicia Bond [HarperFestival, 1995]

The Christmas Baby by Marione Bauer  and Richard Cowdrey [Simon & Schuster Children’s, 2009]

I Spy Little Christmas by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick [Cartwheel, 1999]

Fisher Price: Baby’s First Christmas: Learning about Colors by Lauren Gaede and Lyn Fletcher [HarperFestival, 2008]

Merry Christmas, Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter [Warne, 2003]

Rudolph’s First Christmas by DK Publishing[DK Preschool, 2007]

The Little Christmas Stained Glass Coloring Book by Ted Menten [Dover Publications, 1988]

Countdown to Christmas by Patti Reeder Eubank [Candy Cane Press, 2003]

The Christmas House by Carol Bullman and Jim Madsen [Ideals, 2008]

Christmas Cookies by Wendy Cheyette Lewison [Grosett & Dunlap, 1993]

The Christmas Kitten by Andrew Clements, Simon Galkin, and Alison Winfield [Little Simon, 2000]

The Night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore [Philomel, 2004]

Christmas Early Readers Ages 4-8

Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren, Ilon Wikland, Florence Lamborn [Puffin, 1981]

Marvin’s Best Christmas Ever by Katherine Paterson and Jane Clark Brown [HarperCollins, 1999]

A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe [Sleeping Bear Press, 2000]

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O’Conner and Robin Preiss Glasser [HarperCollins, 2009]

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss [Random House, 1957]

Bear Stays up for Christmas by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman [Margaret K. McElderry, 2008]

Max’s Christmas by Rosemary Wells [Puffin, 2000]

Mr. Willowbys Christmas Tree by Robert Barry [Doubleday Books, 2000]

Humphrey’s First Christmas by Carol Heyer [Ideals, 2007]

Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas by Marjorie Sharmat, Craig Sharmat, Marc  Simont [Yearling, 1997]

My First Story of Christmas by Tim Dowley and Roger Langton [Moody Publishers, 2004]

Free Christmas Preschool Worksheets and Printables

There are many worksheets for Christmas that you can print out and use for your lesson plans and activities. Worksheets should include coloring pages, handwriting worksheets, and printable craft patterns.

The following websites provide free Christmas printables:

First-Preschool: Calendar, coloring pages, patterns, mazes and worksheets.
A to Z Teacher Stuff: Christmas printables, coloring pages, activities and word searches
ABCTeach:  Free Christmas worksheets and printables
DLTK’s Crafts for Kids: Christmas recipes, worksheets, coloring pages, crafts, games and puzzles
All Kids Network: Free color Christmas printable worksheets

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There are two ways to go about finding daycare jobs online. One is to post an advertisement on an online classified ad website like Craigslist.com.  You may also post your resume on general employment websites such as Careerbuilder.com, Monster.com or HotJobs.com. Posting your resume on the internet is a great way to let a variety of employers know that you are ready and available for work.

Another way to find childcare jobs online is to search in childcare job directories or join on online service that specializes in connecting qualified childcare providers with families, daycare centers, and preschools.

Childcare Job Websites

OwnADaycare: Here you will find an extensive directory of current childcare jobs listed by state and then further searchable by city.

Jobs.net:  A directory of current daycare job listings search able by city and state.

CareProviders:  Childcare providers can create a free online profile, set their own rates and hours. Child care providers can respond to job postings or let families contact them about potential job offers.

Nannyjobs.com: If you’re looking for a nanny job, this is the website for you. First create a professional resume then search for jobs. One you select a job, the service then sends your resume to the nanny agency associated with the job.

GoNannies.com: Register with GoNannies.com. One you have completed your online profile you have the ability to search for jobs and contact families directly, removing the middle man. While membership is free, if you purchase an enhanced membership you will have more member privileges.

Great AuPair: Registration with GreatAuPair is free.  Free registration entitles you to receive free FastMatch and Hotlist emails and allows paid members to contact you directly. Paid members receive direct email and a host of other benefits.

Sitter City: Sitter city connects caregivers and families in need of childcare. Once you fill out a profile, you can search for jobs as well as receive daily job alerts sent to your inbox. This site is great for finding babysitting jobs.

Another way to find child care jobs is through nanny agencies.  Going through a nanny agency is a great way to find a high-quality, stable childcare job. Contact the nanny agency to schedule an interview. The nanny agency will match you with an appropriate family. The family will contact you and you will then complete an interview with a family to make sure you are a good match.

Schools, universities, learning centers, churches, and gyms are also great sources for child care jobs. Many schools and universities have onsite child care centers.   Churches are always in need of childcare before, during and after services. Many gyms offer childcare to their members while they are using the facilities.

Good luck in your job search!

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Consider the following resources when starting your home daycare business:

How to Start a Home-Based Day-Care Business by Sherri Steelsmith [Globe Pequot, 2006] For guidance with both the business and educational aspects of starting a home based or family daycare center, consider this guide by Steelsmith. The book contains the necessary basics to get your business up and running. Topics such as creating policies and procedures, activities for young children, interviewing parents, helping children, discipline and guidance. There are also worksheets and templates to help you take a personal inventory and determine profitability. There are also sample menus and examples of daycare forms.

Family Child Care Contracts and Policies: How to Be Businesslike in a Caring Profession by Tom Copeland JD [Redleaf Press, 2006]. For those home daycare business owners that are struggling with contracts and policies, Copeland offers loads of information in this area. The text helps you create contracts and policies with both your business and your clients in mind and indicates how to enforce them. There are also sample contracts for creating a sample policy handbook. Also includes a handy CD-ROM.

How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Child Care Service by Tina Musial [Atlantic Publishing Company, 2007]. Musial provides a great manual to help daycare providers become successful in the highly profitable business of child care. The guide explains start up costs and financing, federal and state requirements, how to promote and market your daycare business, how to set goals and objectives, how to create policies, how to manage financial operations, food management, and health and safety issues. This book also contains a business plan and a business forms on CD ROM.

The Business of Child Care: Management and Financial Strategies by Gail Jack, Mary Arnold and Karen Levine [Delmar Cengage Learning, 2004]. This excellent guide covers effective management skills, dealing with enrollment and staffing, establishing tuition fees, budgeting and financial record keeping, and evaluating staff performance. The included CD ROM includes financial spreadsheets and fully customizable templates.

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