Child Development External Resources
New Developmental Milestones
Did you know that the CDC has developed new developmental milestones and tips for parents? This insightful article explains why the CDC made these changes. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the new milestones - especially for the age group that you work with - so that you can incorporate appropriate developmental goals into your programming, and share up-to-date information and resources with parents.Playful Math: Webinar
How can we make learning math fun for children? An easy way is through play! In this webinar, Scholar's Choice will be sharing activities and ideas that encourage early numeracy, mathematical comprehension, and a love of numbers! Participants will also hear about ways to nurture a sense of curiosity related to mathematical concepts that engage children in a playful way!Creating Opportunities for Active Play
By now, you have probably heard about the importance of regular physical activity. You are likely aware that establishing strong physical activity habits at a young age increases the chance of maintaining healthy activity levels into adulthood. Here are some developmentally appropriate activities that can help us instill a love of physical activity for children of all ages!5 Ways Immigrant Parents Support Children’s Home Language Learning
It is important to preserve and develop a child’s home language for their cultural, linguistic, and social development. Yet, languages other than English are often not welcomed or encouraged the way they should be in classrooms. Here are 5 important ways that immigrant parents pass along their important linguistic, cultural, and social knowledge to support children's home language learning.Webinar: Working Well with Babies
The first three years are a distinct developmental period in which quality of care and education have long-lasting effects. Babies have unique needs, and infant/ toddler education is one of the most important, complex, and challenging jobs. The Working Well with Babies webinar provides a set of comprehensive competencies, organized into 9 domains, along with the supports that educators need!Gross Motor Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers
During the early years, children need to be exposed to many activities that strengthen their large motor muscles. As babies, it begins with their trunk, neck, and head control, and then they strengthen their legs and feet. As preschoolers, once body control is achieved, you can help them work on throwing, running, and climbing! It's important to intentionally integrate fun, physical activities that kids can do to strengthen these muscles into your program. And since most gross motor activities center around physical fun, it won’t be hard to get the students excited about them! Here are some examples of ways to enjoy gross motor activities with children.Encouraging School Readiness Skills in Preschoolers
The early years are a time when we can help children develop the tools they need to succeed before heading to formal K-12 schooling. Developing these school readiness skills help prepare children for optimal learning throughout their educational journey. This article takes a closer look at some of the school readiness skills that children can work on before they head off to kindergarten!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.