Resource Books

Most preschool teachers have musical instruments in their classrooms, but may not realize they can use them for science explorations. In this book, discover 100 activities that let children ages 3-6 explore the science of music and sound using materials easy to find for a preschool classroom. Children will use their bodies to create sounds, explore the relationship between size and pitch, investigate how tempo affects the way we listen to sounds, create musical instruments, and much more. From the… More »

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

Create readers while creating art! Contains activities that reinforce letter recognition and pre-reading skills. 160 pages.

Play is learning! But play in the early years is endangered by the emphasis on push-down academics, mounting parental expectations, and pressures on early childhood teachers to prepare young children for the rigors of kindergarten and beyond. With all of that, gains made by play experiences, including readiness skills and social-emotional development, have fallen away. Young children learn best through play. This book helps educators understand the different types of play and the rich opportunities… More »

The engaging, exciting introduction to early math concepts will be a sure-fire hit with young children. They can go on geometric shape hunts, measure with pompoms, or find the missing numbers. Includes activities that relate to the National Standards in the back of the book. 208 pages.

Did you know that emotions boost our memory? Or that small muscle exercises help the brain develop? Early experiences contribute to the structure of the brain and its capacities. The quality, quantity, and consistency of stimulation will determine, to a large extent, the number of brain synapses that are formed and how those connections will function. This is true for both cognitive and emotional development, and the effect is lifelong. Start Smart offers simple, straightforward ways to boost brain… More »

Take your children beyond the ordinary and into the amazing world of art! Children will explore and create with activities such as hair dryer painting, lawn prints, and face and body paint recipes. Paperback. 132 pages.

50 great ways to create with lace, string, fabric, glue, and other simple materials. Encourage children to experience the joy of exploration and discovery with this view series by MaryAnn Kohl. Make art fun and accessible to children of all ages with these creative, easy-to-do activities! Paperback. 64 pages.

When was the last time you got down on your hands and knees to see your classroom from a child's height? Research shows that effective early childhood classroom design begins from the ground up. Classroom design is a crucial component of an effective learning environment. This book brings a new approach to classroom design that begins and ends with the child's viewpoint. Each chapter details how the classroom environment influences children's learning, and the authors provide specific examples of… More »

Children discover the magic of science as they learn about their bodies. Over 280 instantaneous activities and ideas promote skills such as observation, inference and prediction. A vital resource for developing a basic foundation in scientific concepts.

Featuring 100 well-loved children's books, Starting with Stories has more than 1500 activities to actively engage every learning style. First, choose one of the 100 popular children's books to read together. Then enhance the experience with ideas for learning centers, activities, and literacy experiences. Connect with children's eight multiple intelligences through creative and engaging math, art, dramatic play, writing, blocks, science, and discovery activities. It's all here--everything you need… More »

Start children on a path toward a lifetime of reading with more than 200 activities, games, and songs that introduce them to the alphabet. It all begins with 26 letters. The wiggles and squiggles that turn into words, stories, poems, and great literature are the tools for future readers. Children will love learning their letters as they play the Name Game, sew their own letters, create Puzzle Pairs, and more! Jean Feldman and Holly Karapetkova apply their signature creative style to teach literacy… More »

This book provides information, activities, and experiences that develop the seven skills children need in order to become successful learners. These include the ability to relate to and play with others, express feelings, and understand how others feel. Strengthen the foundation children need to become successful learners with the seven key components in this practical, easy-to-use book! Paperback. 128 pages.

Children can make 150 edible activities. 89 activities require no baking, 64 activities use 5 ingredients or less, and 25 activities require only 10-15 minutes to prepare. 13 different food categories are represented with icons. The 12 theme-related chapters include Shapes & Forms, Numbers & Letters, Transportation & Travel, Building & Construction and Animals & Creatures. Paperback, 192 pages

Children learn best through hands-on exploration, observation, and discovery. With more than 100 activities, this book gives them the opportunity to actively engage, experiment, create, and discover the exciting world of science. Children will have fun developing problem-solving skills while becoming comfortable with exploring their world.

With 52 weeks of fantastic art projects using easy-to-find, everyday materials, this resource provides a year of creativity, imagination, and fun for children ages 4-10! Organized alphabetically by material, each week features one everyday material and provides five days of unique activities, increasing in complexity with each day. Paperback.

This is the perfect book for teachers who have typically developing young children ages 3-6, as well as children with special needs in their classrooms. Each lesson plan features objectives, a materials list, a circle or group time activity, assessment strategies, accommodations/modifications, and curriculum connections. The curriculum connections expand the children's learning into many areas, such as social studies, art, literacy, science, and music. The modifications and accommodations make the… More »

Available in packages of 5 booklets, each with 6 observation sheets and 1 scoring summary sheet, these are the forms needed to conduct 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 (in English and Spanish), and K-3 classrooms,… More »

What do you get when you combine a large appliance box, a garbage bag, tape, a craft knife, and markers? A mini car wash for toddlers, of course! Find more creative ways to use a tube sock, milk carton, and other inexpensive items found around the house. Create unique, exciting toys and props to help children learn in appropriate ways.

Describes practical ways to adjust centers and classroom routines for children with special needs. Suggestions enable all children to learn by keeping them involved in developmentally appropriate routines and center based activities. Each chapter focuses on either a learning center, such as art or science, or a time of the day, such as snack time or dismissal, with particular attention to the needs of children who are developmentally delayed, orthopedically impaired, have autism/Pervasive Development… More »

This book supports young children's natural curiosity and encourages them to explore what happens around them. Hands-on investigations help children learn the skills, concepts, and standards of mathematics, science, language, and literacy -- all at the same time --using some of their favorite books. Themes include: Exploring Spaces (and Places!); What Comes Next?; Out and About; and Growing and Changing. 224 pages. Paperback.

It's never too early to read to a child, especially when you have Story S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s! The youngest children love the repetition of words and experiences that stories provide. Contains a resource of activities for 80 popular age-appropriate children's books and 240 ways to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the stories in new ways to enhance the learning process. (Books are not included). Children reap amazing benefits from being exposed to reading at an early age, and Story S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s makes reading with… More »

Explore and create with chalk, crayons, stencils, textures, and more! This book will introduce children of all ages to the joys of drawing through fun, hassle-free activities! Paperback. 64 pages.

An insightful resource which offers over 400 tips, ideas, and activities to help infants and toddlers move smoothly through the day. Includes book lists on different topics and great ideas to help parents and teachers deal with big transitions in the child's life, such as separation anxiety and more. Age focus: Birth - 24 months. 168 pages.