Latest Blog & News
Can Halloween Activities Help Kindergarteners Learn Directions and Map Skills?
10/26/2026Can a friendly haunted town turn map-reading into meaningful learning? For children ages 5–7, designing a Halloween neighborhood can make landmarks, symbols, routes, and spatial relationships concrete and memorable. Try ChildCareEd’s Haunted Neighborhood Map Quest for ready-to-use route-... Can Halloween Activities Help Kindergarteners Learn Directions and Map Skills?
What Happens to Fallen Leaves? Exploring Decomposition With Young Children
10/26/2026When children wonder why last year’s leaves have disappeared, they are ready for a lively investigation of nature’s recycling system. Try a forest-floor inquiry with [Creating the Natural Outdoor Classroom] and [Building Early Science Foundations] to strengthen your ability to design mea... What Happens to Fallen Leaves? Exploring Decomposition With Young Children
How Can Preschoolers Recognize Small Quantities Without Counting Every Object?
10/26/2026When a four-year-old spots three leaves at a glance, they are doing more than naming a number: they are building number sense. Try the printable Colorful Fall Leaves: Quick-Look Quantity Cards for Ages 4–5 for a brief, playful classroom invitation, and explore Early Mathematics Through Play to... How Can Preschoolers Recognize Small Quantities Without Counting Every Object?
How Can Educators Help Young Children Tell Insects from Spiders?
10/26/2026A child spots a tiny creature and asks, “Is it a bug?” That question can open the door to careful observation, early classification, and a lasting sense of wonder about nature. Explore Basic Science in Early Childhood to strengthen your approach to inquiry-based lessons, and consider Cre... How Can Educators Help Young Children Tell Insects from Spiders?
How Can Child Care Providers Make Dental Health Lessons Fun for Preschoolers Who Resist Brushing?
10/26/2026When reminders turn brushing into a daily standoff, playful practice can help preschoolers approach oral care with more confidence and curiosity. Use the Monster Teeth Mission activity kit to turn brushing, sorting, and counting into hands-on learning; for a deeper foundation in planning engaging, a... How Can Child Care Providers Make Dental Health Lessons Fun for Preschoolers Who Resist Brushing?
How Can Child Care Providers Bring Autumn Indoors Through Texture Hunts and Open-Ended Art?
10/26/2026Autumn learning does not have to stop when the class comes inside—or be confined to a sensory bin. A guided texture hunt followed by child-led collage can help preschoolers notice, compare, and describe the world around them while strengthening observation, language, and creative skills. For p... How Can Child Care Providers Bring Autumn Indoors Through Texture Hunts and Open-Ended Art?
What Can Preschool Board Games Teach Beyond Taking Turns?
10/26/2026A simple board game can turn a rainy afternoon into a lively practice ground for number sense, visual attention, rule-following, and flexible problem-solving. Explore ChildCareEd’s Early Mathematics Through Play to build practical strategies for making math meaningful through games, routines, ... What Can Preschool Board Games Teach Beyond Taking Turns?
How Can Child Care Providers Celebrate Fall Without Assuming Every Family Shares the Same Traditions?
10/26/2026Fall can bring rich opportunities for discovery, connection, and joyful classroom learning—but a seasonal plan works best when it begins with families’ voices, not assumptions. Use the Fall Family Traditions Questionnaire to invite optional input about family preferences and communicatio... How Can Child Care Providers Celebrate Fall Without Assuming Every Family Shares the Same Traditions?
How Can Preschoolers Build Confidence When They Skip Numbers?
10/26/2026When a preschooler skips a number, it can be a clue about what to teach next—not a reason to worry or rush in with the answer. Explore practical ways to use visual number-sequence puzzles, including pumpkin-themed missing-number strips, to make the order from 1 to 10 easier to see and talk abo... How Can Preschoolers Build Confidence When They Skip Numbers?
How Can Sweater Patterns Help Preschoolers Build Early Math Reasoning Before Kindergarten?
10/26/2026When a preschooler notices that stripes repeat or predicts which shape belongs next, a cozy sweater design can become a small but meaningful math investigation. The Early Mathematics Through Play course offers providers broader strategies for teaching patterns, geometry, and reasoning through hands-... How Can Sweater Patterns Help Preschoolers Build Early Math Reasoning Before Kindergarten?
