Online Activities for Children

March 25, 2020

It’s helpful to have easy-to-find, accessible resources for children. Save time searching for things to do or view by choosing activities from the resources below. We’ve compiled a list of learning and play tools, including digital books, kids podcasts, yoga workouts for children, and age-appropriate science experiments. You can even visit several zoos and aquariums across the country by accessing live webcams!

Parents Are a Child’s First Teacher: Homeschooling with FunShine

March 18, 2020

As news rapidly evolves regarding the spread of COVID-19 and precautions we should take, parents continue to face child care challenges. Questions about how to care for children and how to maintain and promote learning are abundant. While K-12 institutions have widely moved to online learning, parents of young children, especially those in preschool or Pre-K, are at a disadvantage. It is likely that many child care providers and early learning centers will offer parents guidance and resources for working with their children, however, these items may be limited and only reflect a fraction of what your child’s experience might have been like in child care.

Welcome Spring with an Outdoor Classroom

March 13, 2020

There is no greater sigh of relief after a long day with young ones than when you open the door and they rush past you to play outside. The benefits of outdoor play for children are well researched. Ample outdoor experiences promote exercise, executive functioning, risk-taking, socialization, and an appreciation for nature. Support children’s outside explorations by welcoming spring with an outdoor classroom.

Children and Place: An Intro to Geography

February 27, 2020

When we think of geography, we tend to imagine maps, globes, and atlases. While these tools are relevant to learning about place, the study of geography involves so much more. For children, geography involves developing a sense of place by learning about the natural environment and understanding their relationship to it. It goes without saying that children are most in touch with the places where they live.

Tips for a Successful Circle Time

January 29, 2020

Most early child care or preschool educators will tell you that circle time Singing and Clapping During Circle Time is a staple in their settings. But what is circle time, and how can we do it well? Circle time comes from the tradition of Friedrich Froebel, a German educator responsible for implementing the first organized kindergarten in the mid-19^th century. For Froebel, circle time was a time for children to learn and play in group activities. Circle time then was much like it is now in many school communities—it happened at the beginning and end of each day to help children focus and to reinforce community. Circle time included music and movement, as well as fingerplays and storytelling, and in many settings, these activities still comprise the time. The word “circle” describes the position of the educator and children during the activities—they may sit or move in a circle depending on the activity.

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