Although some people may believe that frequent opportunities for playful learning outdoors, including explorations of nature, are merely niceties, we believe they are critical for healthy whole child development.
As an early childhood educator, I have thought of myself as an emergent teacher who follows my students’ lead and supports their explorations. The children's interest in building a command center challenged me to follow their lead.
Of all that brain science has taught us over the last 30 years, one of the clearest findings is that early brain development is directly influenced by babies’ day-to-day interactions with their caregivers.
Free play and guided play—together known as playful learning—are pedagogical tools through which children can learn in joyful and conceptually rich ways.
Authored by
Authored by:
Brenna Hassinger-Das, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
Free play and guided play—together known as playful learning—are pedagogical tools through which children can learn in joyful and conceptually rich ways.
Authored by
Authored by:
Brenna Hassinger-Das, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
Something special is happening in Head Start of Lane County, in Springfield, Oregon.
Authored by
Authored by:
Eric Pakulak, Melissa Gomsrud, Mary Margaret Reynolds, Theodore A. Bell, Ryan J. Giuliano, Christina M. Karns, Scott Klein, Zayra N. Longoria, Lauren Vega O'Neil, Jimena Santillán, Helen Neville
In her article, Ardalan explains how, by using documentation to listen closely to children, she facilitates a long-term project that expands their literacy skills and their ability to discuss, debate, and think critically.
The scenarios in this article show skilled teachers setting up environments and facilitating infants’ and toddlers’ development and learning. Their process is called scaffolding.
If you’ve visited NAEYC.org lately, you’ve seen our tagline: Promoting high-quality early learning by connecting practice, policy, and research It’s not just a slogan, it’s our guiding principle—and it’s exemplified by the May issue of Young Children.
Many behaviors have cultural roots that teachers can capitalize on to foster each child’s developing identity, share cultural lessons with the whole class, and help children cultivate shared norms for their behavior as students.
The most powerful learning I have gleaned from my work with the project approach is that when children learn to inquire, they are learning how to learn. They are empowered to ask questions and seek answers.
The STEM experiences teachers provide for young children can involve a variety of learning materials, including children’s literature, consumables and manipulatives, and web-based resources.
