First published July 2011. Updated 2018. I’m going to sound a bit like a textbook right now. I’m sorry. Bear with me. You’ll be glad you did…I hope. :) I was taught in my early childhood courses that there are 6 domains of early childhood development. I say there are 7, but we’ll get...
When you enter into the world of Early Childhood Education it’s no doubt just about play and teaching! Educator’s alike would agree that observing and documenting children’s learn…
Digital Cameras: Theories Reinforced with Digital Photography “multiple theoretical frameworks to give a rationale for using photographic images in early childhood education” (Good, 200…
Learn how to teach children self-control the right way with this collection of fun yet powerful self-regulation strategies and activities for kids!
Children with higher emotional intelligence are better able to pay attention, are more engaged in school, have more positive relationships, and are more empathic.
When you enter into the world of Early Childhood Education it’s no doubt just about play and teaching! Educator’s alike would agree that observing and documenting children’s learn…
Learn how to teach children self-control the right way with this collection of fun yet powerful self-regulation strategies and activities for kids!
See Sections below for different types of resources including general resources, 5 ways to... resources, benefits of... resources, self assessment prompts and critical reflection prompts. Aligning NQS with the EYLF v2.0Download PDF Sleep and Rest Risk AssessmentDownload WORD Sleep and Rest Risk AssessmentDownload Aligning NQS with MTOP v2.0Download Infographics environment agencyDownload compliance in formsDownload study
First published July 2011. Updated 2018. I’m going to sound a bit like a textbook right now. I’m sorry. Bear with me. You’ll be glad you did…I hope. :) I was taught in my early childhood courses that there are 6 domains of early childhood development. I say there are 7, but we’ll get...
Problem solving is challenging for young students (and many adults too)! To support my little friends, I teach them problem solving strategies that they can use when they encounter a problem. We want our students to become independent thinkers who can solve problems, control their emotions, express empathy, and help others.
What are some things every early childhood teacher should do for and with their students? We’re answering that question in today’s blog post, through some of our favorite quotes from the experts on early education. Keep these quotes on hand for inspiration—because these days, we need all the inspiration we can get. (This post would […]
Here's a list of fun activities you can do with preschool and kindergarten using rhythm sticks!
I loved reading Sandra Smidt's book, An ABC of Early Childhood Education: A Guide to some of the Key Issues. It's so wonderfully laid out and easy to read. It's based on research but written so that anyone can understand it with lots of stories and anecdotes to keep you glued to the page. Here
Teach kids to tackle challenges and build vital thinking skills with these fun problem-solving activities and games for preschoolers.
When you enter into the world of Early Childhood Education it’s no doubt just about play and teaching! Educator’s alike would agree that observing and documenting children’s learn…
Learning to write is much more complicated than we think. After all, most people can write so what is so difficult about it? It's second nature to most of us, yet take some time to look at yourself when you write. What muscles are you using? Switch hands and see if you can manage writing with your other hand. This may give you some idea of the level of control required to make meaningful marks on paper. Building muscle strength and learning to control those muscles is an integral part of children learning to write. Core muscles, the large arm muscles and the small muscles in the hand and wrist all need strengthening and developing in order for children to be able to gain control of a pencil or crayon. In addition to strengthening and controlling muscles, refining depth perception and visual tracking skills are important. Hand-eye coordination is essential as the hands and eyes have to work together to enable children to form letters and write across the page. While your child's first writing experiences may look like scribbles to you, if you ask them what they have drawn you may get a very complex story. Children recreate and make sense of their world first through their drawing and later through their writing. This takes time to develop and develops alongside their language. When a child can tell you all about their drawing and you can record that for them, they are learning that their words are valued and can be represented. When children begin to understand that symbols have meaning, they are on their way to being motivated to record these symbols for themselves. Their first efforts at writing recognisable letters will possibly begin with them writing their names between four and five years old. It's vital that children see their name written and have opportunities to write their names independently. This is their signature, it's not a copy or tracing of an adult's writing. Children who can write their names are very proud of this and this achievement needs to be celebrated, whatever the writing looks like, so they will be enthusiastic about writing. When their child is beginning to write, parents should not worry about letters that are not properly formed, letters that are back wards and that their child may have missed out letters. This is a natural part of children developing their writing style. They get plenty of practise at forming letters later on, the early years is a time for children to experiment as they develop the brain connectors needed to control their hand eye coordination and make writing on the lines possible. Source: Words their way Children need experiences to write about so exploration and interaction with the world around them and other people is essential. Children learn to express themselves through their writing when they have opportunities to: à draw, paint and create and a collage à practise their skills in a variety of contexts through different experiences à strengthen their muscles through manipulating materials during play à develop their coordination through physical activity à interact with their peers and adults Ideas to develop muscles and hand-eye coordination include: à playing outside, swinging, running, pouring sand and water, playing tag, swimming, riding a bike à exploring and experimenting with a variety of materials such as sand, water, glue, tweezers and tongs, boxes and puzzles à finger painting and gloop à working with playdough The more children are engaged in purposeful play; the more opportunities they have for interactions with others; the more they are positively encouraged; the stronger their foundations for both writing and reading will be and the more rewarding their progress will be for them as you celebrate each success together. Some examples of emergent writing
The Empowered Educator - Analysis, Reflection and Evaluation in Early Childhood Programming.
Learn how to teach children self-control the right way with this collection of fun yet powerful self-regulation strategies and activities for kids!
Introduce opposites words such as HOT, COLD, IN and OUT using this printable flashcards to preschool kids. Browse more oppositve flashcards.
As Early Childhood Educators would agree, observing and documenting children’s learning and development makes up a large part of the job. Too much paper work and documentation is one complain…
A veteran PBL instructional coach shares 6 skills teachers need to coach students effectively.
In this educator organisation series you can download a free mini organiser to help you create a simple step by step system to meet paperwork and documentation requirements yet still save valuable time!
Teaching students to write for a specific purpose is one of my favorite skills to teach. Students enjoy drawing sketches that illustrate different writing
Hand Made Places designs playgrounds for learning and fun, creating playground equipment which supports the development of children and young people.
These ABA therapy activities for kids with autism spectrum disorder will give you heaps of ideas you can use at school, in therapy, and at home!
Our homemade treehouse that is great for exercise and creative play in kids with monkey bars, a climbing wall, a rope, a slide, zip line and slack line.
How to solve letters b-d reversal problems with simple tips and activities.
See Sections below for different types of resources including general resources, 5 ways to... resources, benefits of... resources, self assessment prompts and critical reflection prompts. Aligning NQS with the EYLF v2.0Download PDF Sleep and Rest Risk AssessmentDownload WORD Sleep and Rest Risk AssessmentDownload Aligning NQS with MTOP v2.0Download Infographics environment agencyDownload compliance in formsDownload study
Family consumer science lesson plans for high school. These child development high school lessons and food and nutrition lessons are free for teachers. If you are teaching family and consumer scien…
Drawing promotes mental growth in children by providing opportunities to try new ideas and ways of thinking. Use our drawing pages as a guide in how you can encourage children in kindergarten to develop their creativity.
Explore angelasue's 1678 photos on Flickr!
Children's Play SchemasIn case you need a recap on Play Schemas then I highly suggest you head to our blog 'What are Play Schemas?' before reading ahead.
Use the correct positional word to describe the position of the bee in this preschool positional word worksheet.
Playtime is More Than a Fun Activity, It's a Learning Experience! Learn About the 6 Stages in Play Development That Build Your Child's Social Skills!
I share about five things that are easy to do with almost every folk song that help to extend your teaching, expand student knowledge, and make life fun!
If you are familiar with the Walker Learning Approach, then you are no doubt also familiar with writing a Statement of Intent. This fortnightly planning document is vital to the success of your play-based learning program. Check out this blog post to see how we write ours.
Find the perfect word and tell us exactly how you feel.
Researchers at UCSF have found that children with sensory processing disorders have decreased structural brain connections in specific sensory regions different than those in autism, further establishing SPD as a clinically important neurodevelopmental disorder.
Do you know how my 5th grade teacher taught us the planets? She sang it to us. When her former students would come back and visit, she would always ask if they remembered the order of the planets. And they’d all end up singing it back to her. Imagine these big high school juniors and seniors singing
