Flip-Flops Impeding Outdoor Playtime?

Outdoor play at many early childhood education centers happens much less frequently than in the past. Sometimes the teachers just don't feel like going outside, but often children show up with inadequate or inappropriate clothing: no warm coat, or flip-flops instead of sneakers. These are findings from a new study of children's physical activity in child care center settings. To read more about this, go here .


Tips for Working with Children Affected by the Mortgage Crisis

Today's news often includes stories about the mortgage crisis in the U.S. , but few articles mention its effect on the American family, especially young children. It is important for the early child care provider to know what to expect with this group of children, because they are already appearing in child care centers. Since January, school systems across the country are reporting a rapid increase in homeless children. To read more about this, go here .

225,000 CDAs Awarded (1975–2008)

Tips from Essentials

You can foster children's friendships everyday. Here are some suggestions for encouraging cooperation:

  • Setup the environment to invite children to cooperate, play and work together.
  • Provide toys that are more fun with two or more children.
  • Play games that support doing things together.
  • Always be friendly and cooperative with children and other adults.
  • Notice when children are friendly and cooperative.
  • Intervene on behalf of unpopular children.
  • Encourage children to use words ( rather than violence ) to find solutions to their disagreements.
From Essentials for Children Development Associates Working with Young Children, 2nd Edition, Unit 4, Page 228.  Order a copy online .

Teachers who work with young children know that there is ongoing need for high quality early childhood programs. To achieve this goal, we must interest the general public and policymakers in supporting increased funding and better regulations for educational services for children and families. Working to promote expanded programs and funding is called advocacy and the Internet abounds with excellent information to help us improve our effectiveness as advocates. Each issue of CounciLINK will feature a resource for advocacy to help readers build their links to helpful information and tools. This issue's Advocacy Link is to NAEYC. To read more about this, go here .
There is scholarship money that can be used for CDA. Find out at www.cdacouncil.org/ res_scholar.htm

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