Play and learn alongside your child. Our children are always watching us. When they see you making new discoveries, you are sharing a valuable lesson—that is, learning is a lifelong process.
As early childhood educators, we often have stories to tell about our own children as we play and learn with them at home. Here is a story from Julia Luckenbill about her family’s experiences with a rock hiding and finding activity.
Guided play is a powerful tool educators can use to help preschoolers and kindergartners learn essential knowledge and skills in the context of playful situations.
NAEYC hosted a webinar on the powerful impact of play-based learning. Watch the recorded presentation as our presenters, psychology expert Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and policy analyst Shayna Cook, dig into the latest research on why play is critical to children’s
NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.
These are ideas for open-ended indoor and outdoor activities that use inexpensive or free materials—bubbles, mud, chalk, playdough, and cardboard boxes. The activities are appropriate for preschoolers of all abilities.
This online version includes an additional reflection from the authors showing how the defining elements of PPR transform participatory research into a vehicle for shared learning for teachers and children alike.
Parents, educators, and other primary caregivers might not realize that a small patch of grass, a single tree, and a walk to the store are opportunities to observe nature, generate questions, and conduct experiments to find answers.
Not every preschool can implement a full nature-based approach. Small shifts in program practices can give children more meaningful experiences with the natural world.
Mr. Joe has set the stage for ongoing learning opportunities by creating a weekly routine that focuses on the children’s in-depth study of Todd, the adopted oak tree.
This article will help early childhood educators embed in their instructional plans outdoor learning opportunities that support the whole child. The accompanying examples are based on the authors’ experiences earlier in their careers.
It began with just the spark of an idea—to construct an outdoor classroom—and ultimately led to using photography as an instructional anchor to explore and capture nature’s beauty, and beyond.
