Resource Books

While most activity books encourage indoor explorations, countless adventures and learning opportunities await outside! Going for a walk or exploring the local community can bring about much more than just exercise. Little Walks, Big Adventures helps you teach your toddler about his/her surroundings through fun and adventurous local explorations, outdoor games and activities that promote and enhance learning. Parents and caregivers will help their toddlers enhance their vocabulary, language skills, cognitive skills, motor skills, and more! 160 pages.

Many Languages, One Classroom applies the latest information about best practices to all aspects of a preschool program. Designed to fit any preschool curriculum, this book addresses state standards and benchmarks of standard quality programming. Organized by interest areas and times of the day, you'll find everything you need to help English language learners during dramatic play, outdoor play, reading, science, blocks, and circle time. Each chapter is broken down into several sections: the environment, activities, links to standards, family connections, technology tips, and reflections. Paperback. 96 pages.

Storms, flooding, earthquakes, epidemics, tornadoes, fire. You hope it never happens, but you know you need to be ready. "Preschool Preparedness for an Emergency," the second book in the Preparing for the Unexpected Series, will train you for a worst-case scenario. While this may seem like a daunting task, it's easier when you break it down. Emergency-preparedness expert Andrew Roszak will teach you how to: reduce potential harm or damage; develop and test emergency action plans; empower staff to respond effectively; satisfy licensing and other regulatory requirements; act quickly to protect lives and property; make families more prepared; develop relationships with local emergency-response organizations; limit the amount of time your business is closed; and pick up the pieces and return to normal. Paperback. 108 pages.

A helpful, informative companion to the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2) screening system, this DVD gives an overview of emotional and social development and provides a thorough introduction to ASQ:SE-2®:. Viewers get an inside look at the screening system in practice as they watch a home visitor using ASQ:SE-2®: with the family of a 4-year-old boy. They'll see how parents complete the questionnaires, with close-ups of sample questions. With this instructive DVD, early interventionists, home visitors, pediatricians, teachers, and other professionals will be fully prepared to administer and score ASQ:SE-2®:.

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.

PreK & up. Self-directed, open-ended activities incorporating daily events and ordinary materials help children easily learn science and math. 246 pages.

The child-care industry--essential to American families and to the American economy--is on the verge of collapse. Before COVID-19 struck, the child-care industry faced funding issues and staffing dilemmas, while families struggled to find--or simply afford--quality child care. The reality is that COVID-19 has only exacerbated the challenges of the already-fragile child-care ecosystem. America's Child-Care Crisis takes a hard look at the current state of the industry and explores how to save this critical service by: identifying the systemic changes needed, altering public opinion of the field, securing state and federal dollars for the private sector, prioritizing the growth of family child-care homes, educating parents on quality care and helping them access it, and obtaining business support. Paperback. 160 pages.

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.

No education professional wants to think about an active shooter on campus. Recent tragic events illustrate a clear and imminent need to prepare educators for these threats. Public institutions are required by law to follow rules and regulations to train for emergency responses, and several states have enacted or are considering enacting regulations specific to early childhood programs. "Preschool Preparedness for an Active Shooter," the first book in the new Preparing for the Unexpected series, acknowledges and balances the harsh realities and challenges of emergency preparedness. Learn how to: develop situational awareness, create rings of security in your facility, promote a culture of safety, respond in an emergency, conduct drills, and instill emergency practices in children that will last a lifetime. Paperback. 88 pages.

Children are spending less time being outside in nature, playing, imagining, and learning about their surroundings. Instead, they're spending more time with tablets, televisions, and overly structured routines. This book shows practical and strategic ways educators can create rich, explorative, and interdisciplinary learning through extensive outdoor experiences. Learn how to develop and implement a nature-based curriculum to support children's optimal learning, from start to finish. Age focus: 3 - 6 years. Paperback. 128 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"Teaching Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder" is a straightforward, easy-to-understand guide to working with children who have autism. It explains the major characteristics associated with autism and helps teachers understand the ways children with autism relate to the world. Each chapter offers specific strategies for teachers to use, including setting up a proactive preschool environment, helping children learn life skills, managing behavior, helping children with autism communicate, encouraging children with autism to play, helping them to get along with others, and working with families. Paperback. 224 pages.

You can't stop a disaster from happening, especially when Mother Nature is the force behind it. But, you can limit the amount of time your early childhood program is closed, pick up the pieces, and return to normal as quickly as possible. The key to serving children and their families again quickly is advanced planning. Preschool Preparedness for After a Disaster, the third book in the Preparing for the Unexpected Series, will help your center get up and running after the worst has happened. In very approachable, bite-sized pieces, emergency-preparedness expert Andrew Roszak, JD, MPA, EMT-P, shares advice from his more than 20 years of experience in disaster recovery to help you prepare, respond, and get back on your feet quickly. Paperback. 88 pages.

More than 300 theme activities written by teachers for teachers! Actively engage children's imaginations with more than 300 activities for young children organized into a variety of popular themes -- from the alphabet to the weather. The result of a nationwide contest among teachers, the classroom-tested activities in Another Encyclopedia of Theme Activities for Young Children provide many months of learning fun! Each activity is complete with learning objectives, materials list, related children's book suggestions, step-by-step instructions of what to do, teacher-to-teacher tips to expand on children's learning, assessment strategies, and related songs, poems, and fingerplays. 448 pages. Paperback.

Ideal for sharing with pre-K educators new to the CLASS®! Provides an overview of the teacher-child interactions that form the popular classroom observation tool. Describes each of the 10 teacher-child interactions (or "dimensions") that make up the CLASS® assessment, explaining it's importance for children's social-emotional and academic growth. Provides practical strategies and tips to help teachers improve the effectiveness of their teaching across each of the CLASS® dimensions. Available in English or Spanish.

Communities of practice are an age-old phenomenon representing teamwork. Whether its researchers developing treatments for a disease or educators sharing best practices to enhance early childhood learning, communities of practice are about connection and shared purpose. "Growing Together" will help you define, create, and promote a community of practice to foster collaborative problem solving and enhance professional learning experiences. You will learn key strategies and techniques to help you: develop a shared vision and structure, leverage tools to invite members and build a community, build member engagement and investment, and master facilitation and evaluation strategies for ongoing professional learning. Paperback. 136 pages.

From 'Ten Little Monkeys' to 'The Bear Went Over the Mountain', children will sing and learn about the animals they love. The enclosed CD features 27 songs, old favorites and originals, the book offers more than 300 activities that teach children about zoo animals, farm animals, and pets. All children love to sing and learn, so the book includes both English language learner strategies and special needs adaptations.

Nature-based early childhood education is a rapidly growing trend! Although many schools and programs have incorporated nature-based learning, educators can feel at a loss when trying to evaluate quality in this learning approach. But don't worry - Evaluating Natureness: Measuring the Quality of Nature-Based Classrooms in Pre-K through 3rd Grade is here to help! Designed with early education practitioners, researchers, and policy makers in mind, the NAture-Based Education Rating Scales (NABERS) for Pre-K and K-3 let professionals easily collect standardized information to measure the quality of education settings in the areas of: Program goals and curriculum practices, Staffing, Environment, Community partnerships, and Family engagement. Whether you want to evaluate an existing nature-based program or discover how to shift your program toward a nature focus, this book is for you!