Resource Books

Imagine a learning space infused with life, where curiosity thrives and imaginations bloom. Loose Parts Alive invites you to unlock the extraordinary potential of living loose parts: plants, animals, and even your bodies! Beyond blocks and buttons, discover how the movements of a fish can spark STEM explorations, sun-soaked leaves can inspire vibrant artwork and investigation of light and shadow, and a caterpillar's metamorphosis can nurture wonder and language. Filled with field-tested activities and inspiring examples, practical tips, and stunning photography showcasing real-life implementation, Loose Parts Alive is an invitation to step outside the ordinary, embrace the boundless wonder of nature, and witness the magic of learning.

This indispensable book helps you develop areas important for the growth of 12 to 24 month-old areas such as language, creativity, coordination, confidence, problem-solving, and gross motor skills. Toddlers will experience the joy of discovery on every fun-filled page! Paperback. 256 pages.

Available in packages of 10 booklets, each with 6 observation sheets and 1 scoring summary sheet, these are Spanish forms for conducting the Classroom Assessment Scoring System® (CLASS® ) observation. These forms are a part of CLASS®, the bestselling classroom observational tool that measures interactions between children and teachers -- a primary ingredient of high-quality early educational experiences. With versions for toddler programs, PreK, and K-3 classrooms, the reliable and valid CLASS® tool establishes an accurate picture of the classroom through brief, repeated observation and scoring cycles and effectively pinpoints areas for improvement. Set of 10 booklets with 8 pages each. Spanish.

From 'Baby Bumblebee' to 'The Ants Go Marching', children will sing and learn about the insects they encounter in their own backyards. The enclosed CD features 21 fun songs, old favorites and originals. The book offers more than 250 activities that help children appreciate the wonderful world of bugs. All children love to sing and learn, so the book includes both English language learner strategies and special needs adaptations.

Moving children are developing children. With "Move to Learn," it is easy to turn your classroom into an environment that encourages movement experiences rich in sensory, perceptual, and visual-motor experiences. Through simple strategies and activities, "Move to Learn" seamlessly integrates fine and gross motor-skill development across the early childhood curriculum: Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Creative Representation, and Social Skills. With most activities listed in order of difficulty, choosing the right one for your class is easy! Regardless of the number of children, the physical size of your classroom, or the quality or quantity of equipment available to you, the ideas in this book are flexible enough to get every classroom moving. Paperback. 136 pages.

Recent research has drawn the link between children's brain development and time spent in the natural environment. Every child deserves a safe play to play, supportive adults to watch him grow, and an environment that offers them endless possibilities. In "Seasons of Play," Rusty Keeler takes readers on a photographic journey through real child care centers that have embraced his philosophy that natural play environments create new opportunities for children to explore and grow. This book illustrates how to design natural play environments that encourage exploration and creativity in all seasons of the year. Keeler's own drawings complement the photos with renderings of how the play spaces were designed. Interviews with center directors add a personal touch to how the spaces improve learning at the centers. Paperback. 216 pages.

Effective teacher-student interactions are a primary ingredient of high-quality early educational experiences. With the popular CLASS® observational tool, schools can accurately assess classroom quality in K-3 classrooms based on teacher-student interactions rather than the physical environment or a specific curriculum. Spiral-bound. 128 pages.

This award-winning curriculum for 3-6 year olds offers a complete plan for every learning style. Revised and updated, the new edition of this classic bestseller is full of new activities based on the latest research about how children learn. The comprehensive appendix has been updated and the patterns are now available exclusively online so teachers can easily print them onto paper at any time! 416 pages.

This tri-fold laminated sheet is a handy reference for users of the popular CLASS® observation tool. Available in convenient packages of 5, this sturdy quick-sheet shows evaluators what to look for while observing each of the 10 CLASS® dimensions and scoring the tool. This product is part of CLASS®, the bestselling classroom observational tool that measures interactions between children and teachers -- a primary ingredient of high-quality early educational experiences. With versions for toddler programs, PreK, and K-3 classrooms, the reliable and valid CLASS® tool establishes an accurate picture of the classroom through brief, repeated observation and scoring cycles and effectively pinpoints areas for improvement. Set of 5, available in English and Spanish.

You are not alone! Regardless of the type of early childhood center you lead, you have a diverse set of responsibilities, and managing them all can often feel like a delicate balance. Have you ever wondered if you are the only director facing a specific situation? "The Early Childhood Director's Guide to Solving Everyday Challenges" examines real-world issues experienced at actual child-care centers. Drawing on her years as a child-care licensing consultant and her extensive personal experience as a director, Dr. Thomasa Bond describes scenarios and shares positive resolutions to these situations. Whenever possible, she offers the perspectives of the director, teacher, and parents. Discover how to avoid mistakes, oversights, and incidents as much as possible by developing policies and procedures and by implementing staff training to reduce risk. Follow the practical steps provided to create a plan so you are prepared to address issues if they do occur. Paperback. 288 pages.

This book features classroom activities from teachers around the globe, all focused on topics that teachers use every day. Organized by curriculum area, Learn Every Day® About Colors has 100 activities for children ages 3-6, providing teachers with innovative and fun ways to introduce and reinforce learning about colors. Each activity features learning objectives, related vocabulary, related children's books, materials needed, directions for preparation, instructions for each activity, and an assessment component. Many activities also feature teacher-to-teacher tips that provide additional ideas for expanding the activity in new ways, or suggestions about finding materials. 128 pages.

This welcome collection is designed for children aged 12-36 months. Each of the 100 daily topics is divided into activities and experiments that enrich language skills, cognitive development, social-emotional development, and physical development. Children explore a variety of captivating themes such as "Physical Me" and "Celebrations" through stories, music, art exercises, and more. A detailed appendix offers a quick, easy reference to a number of helpful tools such as craft patterns, flannel storyboards, sign language diagrams, and reproducible letters home.

These dimensions guides are great for teachers and anyone interested in understanding why classroom interactions matter and how they can be improved with the CLASS® tool. WIth this guide you will be able to explore CLASS® Infant domains and dimensions, find clear explanantions of effective interactions, and learn practical strategies for improving interactions. Choose English or Spanish version.

An invaluable collection of over 600 activities covering 48 themes, created by teachers from all over America. These are ideas that work and keep children learning and happy for days, weeks and months. Many activities include suggestions for extending the circle time or group activity into other areas of the curriculum such as math, science, snack, language, or field trips. Books and songs related to the acrtivity as well as original songs and poems are included. 510 pages.

Create intentional developmentally appropriate play experiences for infants and toddlers. Comprehensive program includes: Textbook: Beyond Cribs and Rattles, 2nd Edition (2019) and six downloadable lesson plans & corresponding training videos accessible online: The Grocery Store, Me and My Baby, Going for a Walk, Down on the Farm, Pat-A-Cake, and Baby Bathing.

This tri-fold laminated sheet is a handy reference for users of the popular CLASS® Toddler observation tool. Available in convenient packages of 5, this sturdy quick-sheet shows evaluators what to look for while observing each of the 8 CLASS® Toddler dimensions and scoring the tool. This product is part of CLASS®, the bestselling classroom observational tool that measures interactions between children and teachers -- a primary ingredient of high-quality early educational experiences. With versions for toddler programs, PreK, and K-3 classrooms, the reliable and valid CLASS® tool establishes an accurate picture of the classroom through brief, repeated observation and scoring cycles and effectively pinpoints areas for improvement. Set of 5.

All infants and toddlers need experiences that nurture, support, and teach their home language and culture. Language is a vital component of early experiences well before a child can say his first word. Infants and toddlers whose families come from diverse backgrounds and speak different languages are appearing in all kinds of early care and learning settings in growing numbers. Even the most experienced caregiver can feel a bit unsure about meeting the unique needs of infants and toddlers from different language backgrounds.Many Languages, Building Connections outlines adaptable strategies that caregivers of children younger than the age of three need to feel confident that they know how language develops, how cultural differences can come into play, and how to assess an individual child's situation to provide appropriate support.

"Promoting Resilience For Now and Forever: This resource gives family-friendly information on promoting a child's social and emotional health at home. A Family Guide for Supporting the Social and Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers", Second Edition supports families in understanding what social and emotional health of infants and toddlers is, how to recognize key behaviors, and how to support children's social/emotional health in the home setting in simple ways every day. Set of 20. Available in English and Spanish.

Effective teacher-student interactions are a primary ingredient of high-quality early educational experiences. With the popular CLASS® observational tool, schools can accurately assess classroom quality in pre-kindergarten based on teacher-student interactions rather than the physical environment or a specific curriculum. Available in English or Spanish. Spiral-bound, 120 to 128 pages.

This new book features 100 activities all about shapes! Contributed by teachers, these activities are organized by curriculum area and offer fresh ideas that provide hours of engaging activities. Complete with learning objectives, related children's books, and an assessment component, teachers will find everything they need to teach children ages 3-6 all about shapes. 128 pages.

Author, Rebecca Green, takes readers on an inspiring journey using beautiful color photos that she took of her children doing activities she describes in the book. This book takes a lighthearted approach to the serious business of parenting, and helps parents find activities that they enjoy, while their children learn and have fun. Green suggests ways for parents to maintain their own identities and pursue their own interests while raising children who are creative, confident, and independent thinkers. The book emphasizes adapting activities to suit the particular interests of each child, while also taking into account the personality of the parent. Paperback. 120 pages.

From 'The Alphabet Song' to 'The Nursery Rhyme Rap', children will sing and learn about a place they spend much of their time: school. The enclosed CD features 28 fun songs, old favorites and originals. The book offers more than 300 activities that teach children about starting school. All children love to sing and learn, so the book includes both English language learner strategies and special needs adaptations.

This best selling book comes with 2 CD's featuring 50 songs. Children will build a strong foundation in skills such as listening, imagination, coordination, and spatial and body awareness. Accompanying songs are sure to get children up and moving! 500 pages.

Looking through an aesthetic lens of nature, color, furnishings, textures, displays, lighting, and focal points, educators will learn to determine a classroom's level of aesthetic beauty. ROSIE then provides images and examples to assist in turning learning spaces into inspirational environments in which children can grow and learn.