Halloween Crafts

Photo Credit The month of October often brings to mind one thing for children: Halloween! One of the best ways to prepare children for the holiday is by making fun, age-appropriate crafts. As they grow, children are constantly developing many important skills including fine and gross motor skills, language development and even cognition. We have …

7 Oct · Lauren Till · No Comments

Hug Your Baby Today!

Mary Mackrain from the Devereux Center for Resilient Children, recently spoke at the 3rd Annual Alabama First Teacher Home Visiting Conference and 2nd Annual Infant/Toddler Academy on the importance of promoting resilience in young children and the adults who care for them by offering tips and resources that could be useful in many different settings. …

30 Sep · Lauren Till · No Comments

Discipline – An Opportunity for Learning

Spanking, removing privileges and verbal reprimand are possible forms of punishment, but are they the best way to discipline your child? According to “How to To Discipline Your Child” from Positive Parenting Solutions, we often misinterpret the term “discipline” with punishment, but the word “discipline” comes from the Latin word “disciplina,” which means “teaching, learning.” …

9 Sep · Lauren Till · No Comments

Bilingual Benefits

Photo Credit “Learning more than one language is an asset to individuals, families, and our entire society. Early childhood teachers can share the benefits of bilingualism with families and their communities, find ways to support children’s home languages, and encourage families to keep their language strong. Developing the child’s home language provides the foundation for …

26 Aug · Lauren Till · No Comments

Reading and School Success

Supporting and encouraging children to read is one of the most important things you can do to help them succeed in school. According to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), reading helps children in all school subjects and is the key to lifelong learning. The parent-child relationship can greatly effect a child’s attitude toward reading and …

10 Jun · Lauren Till · No Comments

Little Kids, Big Questions

Photo Credit The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families has developed a series of 12 podcasts titled Little Kids, Big Questions that addresses common and often challenging issues parents face when caring for their infant or toddler including picky eating, sleeping through the night, and problem behaviors. The series also highlights an infant’s amazing …

22 Apr · Lauren Till · No Comments

April is… National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Felicia Wilburn is the Early Childhood Resource Coordinator for the Alabama Partnership for Children (APC) and shares below on how the APC is helping prevent child abuse through resources and programs. Babies don’t come with instructions. Many times parents lack knowledge of child development and parenting skills to nurture their child’s development. Without this knowledge, parents …

13 Jan · Lauren Till · No Comments

Raising Food-Smart Kids

Like last week’s post, we’re still trying to help you keep your resolve to have a healthy family – hopefully a year-round goal! As you are leading in your family, “creating a nutritional home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your child. To start, make smart food …