Resource Books

When teachers implement the project approach to learning, young children can follow their own real-world interests to gain deeper understanding. Children wonder about a topic, formulate their questions, and then figure out the answers for themselves in their own way. The project approach helps children dig deeply into intellectual and social experiences that can help them see meaningful benefits of the skills they are acquiring. "Picturing the Project Approach" will lead teachers every… More »

This block play guide enhances the classroom block corner with over 50 great activities. Clear description of what children learn by playing with blocks accompany the activities. Each suggestion encourages problem solving, fine-and-gross motor development, the development of math, science, language, and social skills.

4 years & up. Start an open discussion about feelings and emotions with these Exploring Different Emotions Learning Cards for the Classroom and More. Children will love exploring different emotions and vocabulary as they view the cards. Have children describe the emotion they are viewing and how to handle each emotion. These cards support social emotional development with 22 different emotions. Each set includes 22 cards measuring 8.5"L x 5.5"W with photographs and a bilingual resource guide.

The highly anticipated toddler version of the CLASS® tool is here -- providing early childhood programs with an accurate, reliable way to assess effective classrooms. For use with children from 15 - 36 months, this standardized observation tool measures the effectiveness of interactions between teachers and children, a primary ingredient of early educational experiences that prepare children for future school success. Spiral-bound, 80 pages.

Seventy-nine interactive activities based on positive messages help children increase their attention spans, reduce hyperactivity, build self esteem, and facilitate language development. The interactions teach children how to be kind and caring using gentle touches. 208 pages.

This resource supplies 25 two-week themes, with a total of over 2,000 activities and ideas. Paperback, 463 pages.

"Lead the Way" provides short, self-guided overviews that both aspiring and practicing after school professionals need to thrive in their roles. The 24 fundamental insights and strategies can be used as professional development topics with after school program staff, laying the foundation for the program to recruit, retain, and grown effective leaders. Paperback. 120 pages.

The movement to connect young children with nature continues to grow, as more parents and educators become passionate about bringing learning outdoors and letting children explore outside the bounds of traditional lessons. In the full-color Learning Is in Bloom, teachers and caregivers will find 40 hands-on activities effective in engaging young children in investigating nature, both indoors and outdoors, on the school grounds, and on excursions around the neighborhood. Through fostering a love… More »

Children are natural scientists, drawn to wonder, exploration, discovery, and analysis. This book gives you simple ideas to open up the world of discovery to young children. Through open-ended explorations, you will discover how to cultivate children's natural curiosity by asking simple questions: How? When? Where? And the most famous of all children's questions: Why? The hands-on activities will empower children to question, experiment, and develop abstract reasoning skills. Children will explore… More »

Each booklet contains 6 observation sheets, 1 scoring summary sheet, and 8 note-taking pages, these are the forms needed to conduct the Classroom Assessment Scoring System® (CLASS) Infant observation. These forms are part the infant version of the trusted, widely used CLASS® tool, the bestselling classroom observation tool that CLASS® Infant tool was developed for use with children from birth to 18 months and assesses 4 dimensions of teacher-child interactions: relational climate, teacher… More »

"Around the Family Table" contains 365 intriguing questions guaranteed to spark lively discussions between parents and children. Families can establish a valuable, enriching tradition of spirited mealtime conversation that will bring them closer with every question. Paperback. 160 pages.

From 'The Wheels on the Bus' to 'A Bicycle Built for Two', children will sing and learn about different types of transportation. The enclosed CD features 25 songs, old favorites and originals, and the book offers more than 300 activities that creatively expand on the transportation theme. All children love to sing and learn, so the book includes both English language learner strategies and special needs adaptations.

A fun, accessible approach to the maker movement! With 25 classroom-ready engineering design challenges inspired by children's favorite books, educators can seamlessly integrate making and tinkering and STEM concepts (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in preschool through third grade classrooms. Paperback. 144 pages.

This full-color illustrated poster addresses parents' and teachers' concerns about children's reading readiness and progress. Includes milestones and warning signs indicating that children might be at risk for reading challenges from birth through age six. By tracking children with this simple map, parents can be sure their children are keeping up with their peers, and intercede if they begin to notice warning signs. Available in English and Spanish. Set of 20 maps.

You may know classroom environments are a complex interaction of physical elements, including sensory components, design and organization, aesthetics, nurturing attributes, and pedagogical resources. Did you know these elements are proven to work together to improve early learning, self-efficacy and higher order thinking skills, and ultimately to achieve better child outcomes? "Room to Learn" presents the Assessing the Pillars of the Physical Environment for Academic Learning (APPEAL)… More »

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.

Discover the natural curiosity and enthusiasm of toddlers and twos as they explore creative art experiences designed just for them. In this updated, color edition of First Art for Toddlers and Twos, you will find more than seventy-five art experiences, with lots of variations that add to the fun and tips for making the activities run smoothly. There's even a chapter of special adult-made props, such as an Art Baggie Book to display a child's artwork and a Tabletop Easel made from a pizza box to… More »

Preschoolers have a sense of wonder about so many aspects of their world. They enjoy demonstrating their knowledge to others, and they are challenged to use their brains in fascinating new ways every day. Whether they are making clay figures, rolling cars down ramps, experimenting with writing, or exploring nature, they are expanding their mental horizons constantly. This book will help you understand typical milestones children tend to reach during the preschool years as they develop their ability… More »

This fresh, practical, and realistic guide explains to parents how they can avoid mealtime battles with kids aged one to six years, using sensible strategies that will establish a lifetime of healthful eating habits. With cases ranging from the toddler who eats only peanut butter and jelly on white bread to the six-year-old who insists on scrambled eggs and cheese at every meal, pediatrician William G. Wilkoff, M.D., has been counseling picky eaters and their concerned parents for more than twenty… More »

3 - 6 years. In every classroom, there is a person who cares about the way children learn, grow, and feel--you, the teacher! The affirming verses and fanciful illustrations in A Teacher's Promise express what all teachers wish for the children they teach--that they develop self-confidence, perseverance, curiosity, and an enjoyment of learning. A Teacher's Promise can help ease fears children might have about joining a new classroom or child care setting. The book can help reassure children about… More »

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

Time and money are challenging, abstract concepts with concrete everyday importance. Using role-playing, games, songs, and dramatic play, 30 Fun Ways to Learn About Time and Money explores these difficult concepts through props, real-life scenarios, and imaginative play. 80 pages. Paperback.

An activity can pass the time. an experience can change a life! This book turns activities into experiences and celebrates each child's development while taking into account the relationships between the caregiver and the child. Paperback. 176 pages. 192 pages.

Sure, you know that children learn best through hands-on explorations. How does that work in a real classroom? With jam-packed days and mounting expectations, you're pressed for time and pushed to follow standards-based curricula. It's no wonder you struggle to incorporate STEAM activites each day. Provoking Curiosity brings new and easy-to-execute STEAM learning experiences that encourage children to think, explore, and wonder. Each exploration builds on core ideas in the STEAM disciplines, develops… More »