Child Development

Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

We all know that fine motor skills are important, but are we making sure our curriculum integrates them enough into our early childhood activities? They are not just helpful for writing, but they are essential for everyday activities like feeding, dressing, and other hygiene activities.

Here is some fine motor fun you can implement into your curriculum or home to strengthen those muscles that control your child’s hands, fingers, and thumbs.

Transform Challenging Behavior FREE Online Conference for Early Childhood Providers

In this online event, participants will consider the topic of challenging behaviour from many angles, focus on prevention and look at how to support children using innovative strategies. Sessions will also explore racial disproportionality and implicit bias surrounding issues of challenging behaviour in the early years.

Podcast: Improving Children’s Attention Spans Through Play

In this episode of The Preschool Podcast, you'll learn about children’s attention spans, and how educators and parents can foster learning and regulated attention through intentional play.

How can we help kids develop physical literacy?

To be healthy, children need to move and be physically active. And it’s much more than physical health that comes with being active! Children who move are healthier, happier, and more successful in life. In our digital world, it can be challenging, but here's a simple "recipe" for getting kids moving every day!

CMAS WEBINAR: Learning As We Go – Literacy Strategies to Support Young Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID IMAGEBookmates joins us for this important webinar to talk about early literacy resources, tools and strategies that support early learning during challenging times such as we are currently experiencing with the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s an opportunity for participants to hear about; possible long term repercussions of physical distancing on preschool development, evidence based research on increased anxiety/frustration, sedentary behaviours and screen time our early years population may be experiencing, the importance of relationships in a socially distant world, and literacy strategies and children's books designed to mitigate some of the challenges facing children in 2021 and beyond.


The Power of Mirror Play for Infants and Toddlers

Mirrors are wonderful tools for engaging babies and toddlers. But what makes mirrors so intriguing and why should you hang one in your play space?

Understanding and Responding to Children Who Bite

Biting is a typical behaviour often seen in infants, toddlers, and 2-year olds. As children mature, gain self-control, and develop problem-solving skills, they usually outgrow this behaviour. While not uncommon, biting can be an upsetting and potentially harmful behaviour. This article will help you to understand why some children bite and provide some ideas and strategies for responding appropriately.

INFOGRAPHIC: How Racism Can Affect Child Development

This infographic explains in basic terms how racism affects learning, behavior, and lifelong health. Let's start with a shared understanding so that we can work together toward creative strategies to address these long-standing inequities…

20 Developmentally-Appropriate Activities for 6-9 Month Olds

Play is a powerful part of childhood development, and there are so many important developmental milestones during infancy. But it can sometimes be difficult to come up with ways to play with babies. Here are some play ideas for 6-9 month olds.


Choosing your words carefully…

Changing the way we speak to children is the first step in changing behaviour. When we teach children what to do instead of telling them what NOT to do, behaviour changes and relationships grow. Here's a list of common phrases used with children - along with suggestions for alternatives!