Nurturing Imagination and Creativity in Early Childhood
Imagination and creativity are at the heart of a developmentally appropriate early childhood program. Tightening budgets and mandated curriculum standards have made it challenging to integrate...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why My Books Sing and Move
By: Eric Litwin I am a former classroom teacher. And, when I write I still think like a teacher. My interest in early literacy began as a teacher working with elementary-aged special needs students. I...
View ArticleTips to Refocus During Circle Time
Circle time is a cherished tradition in the early childhood classroom. Done right, circle time allows for valuable learning and community-building opportunities. Keeping the attention of a group of...
View ArticleTips to Prepare for the NAEYC 2016 Annual Conference
Are you attending the NAEYC 2016 Annual Conference & Expo? With 600 engaging sessions and hundreds of exhibitors available to you, it’s important to be prepared so you can get the most out of your...
View ArticleMake Childcraft Your First Stop at the NAEYC Conference!
Are you coming to the NAEYC 2016 Annual Conference & Expo? We’ll be there showcasing our newest, innovative solutions for your early childhood spaces as well as hosting many exciting events and...
View ArticleEngineers in the Block Corner
By: Ginny Streckewald, M. Ed. The “block corner” has long been a beloved staple for early learning. Today, more than ever, the hands–on discovery and problem solving that happen naturally when young...
View ArticleSciencing in Early Childhood
By: Ginny Streckewald, M. Ed. Spell check may not like the word sciencing but I believe it makes perfect sense in the world of young children. Science is a noun but to describe what our future...
View ArticleBeyond the Early Childhood Math Center
By: Ginny Streckewald, M. Ed. There is growing concern in our country regarding a lack of qualified applicants for jobs that require a STEM/STEAM skill set. This concern has spilled over to the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Thank You for Joining Us at the NAEYC 2016 Annual Conference
As the Childcraft 70th birthday year closes, we wanted to thank you, our customers and NAEYC show attendees, for a memorable celebration year. The Childcraft team is grateful for the outpouring of...
View ArticleMakerspaces in Early Childhood
By: Ginny Streckewald, M.Ed Those of us who work with the youngest learners (ages 0 through 8) have lots of buzz words to describe best practice in our early childhood classrooms. One of the terms that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
4 Ways to Make Early Childhood Spaces Both Fun & Functional
The key to setting up a great early childhood room is to make sure there is a balance between fun and function. Everything from furniture and seating to the layout of the room should work together...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Floor and Carpet Activities for Early Childhood
A lot of time in early childhood classrooms is spent engaging in group activities on the floor. It is important as teachers that we incorporate a combination of gross motor skills and academics as much...
View Article11 Ways to Instill Healthy Lifestyle Habits in Your Children
Children learn from the influences around them. Part of growing up is creating the habits that will follow your children throughout their lifetimes and shape them as they mature. Instilling a healthy...
View ArticleHeart-Healthy Meals that are Child-Friendly
It’s not easy to get kids to eat healthy, and it’s even more difficult to get them to understand why eating a certain way is important; children live in the now and are blissfully unaware of how their...
View ArticleHow to Include Dance in Your Lesson Plan
Just as with most sports, dance has many benefits beyond the physical. It has been shown to improve a child’s social and emotional skills, with teachers reporting that dance made their students more...
View ArticleUsing Music to Unlock Learning Opportunities for Children with Autism
By: Cathy Bollinger, Board Certified Music Therapist According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 68 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A new government survey of...
View ArticleCelebrate Our Nation’s Youngest Learners During National Week of the Young...
School Specialty is excited to join with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), as part of the national Week of the Young Child™ (April 24-28, 2017), in honoring children...
View ArticleMath on the Carpet: Not Just a Soft Place to Sit
By: Megan Finesilver, M.Ed. To create a welcoming learning environment, I invite my students to join me on the floor! In an early education environment, a bright, educational carpet is a key fixture....
View ArticleGet Excited about Math with Manipulatives!
By: Megan Finesilver, M.Ed. Math is a subject that I never excelled in during my own early education. The struggles and frustrations that I felt in failing to see how math related to my life fuels my...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Great Spaces for Early Childhood Education
It seems that with almost every study that comes out revealing new insights into how the brain best learns, early childhood seems to be the key. Not only do we find the building blocks for future...
View Article