Research-to-practice articles

Biting is typical behavior for children up to about 3 years of age. The first step to eliminate biting is to discover why that child bites.

Approaches. Why and how children learn through movement activities. Research tells us that from birth to age six there is important learning happening. One important way children explore and learn about their world is through physical movement.

Activities. Ways to build movement into an early childhood program to support learning. Dancing is part of our work with young children – we sway with babies, twirl toddlers, and teach fancy footsteps to preschoolers. Studies suggest that movement and dance are not only artistic, athletic, and healthy, but a learning opportunity as well.

As early educators, we observe play often and see children making connections to a variety of learning skills and concepts. What we truly see is that play and learning are interwoven. To support and discover children’s learning through play, we need to “unweave” the threads of play and become familiar with what to look for.

A series of developmental charts with cognitive, social and emotional, and physical milestones. These handouts are available in English and Spanish.

While all children develop and grow at their own unique rate, some may experience developmental delays and need extra help and support. An awareness of early intervention (EI) is valuable for adults caring for children.

Children, including infants and toddlers, are not too young to have mental health problems. Adults who work with children recognize that emotional wellness lays the foundation for learning and positive well being.

There are simple, strategic choices that a teacher can make in the classroom to nurture a child’s executive function development. Some easy to implement ideas include enrich play, reinforce step-by-step routines, encourage storytelling, stop look and listen, time, and calming space.

What to expect from four-year-olds and fun, easy play ideas. Full of energy. Silly. Pretenders. These are all good ways to describe four-year-olds. They are imaginative. They have discovered humor and enjoy telling “jokes.” They love to talk and ask questions. Four-year-olds are building self-confidence and like trying new things. They may overestimate their abilities and “leap before they look.”

Have you ever had a friend move away? Have you had a pet die? Have you lost someone close to you? Sad times are part of life, just as much as happy times. This is true for both adults and children. Here are some ideas for working with children who are going through some sad times.

Strategies to help children learn how to work out and express anger in an appropriate manner. It’s normal for children and adults to have angry feelings at times. Karen may get angry at Lydia for coloring on her paper. Joel becomes angry when Kyle takes the blocks away.

It’s normal for children and adults to have angry feelings at times. Karen may get angry at Lydia for coloring on her paper. Joel becomes angry when Kyle takes the blocks away.

When a child goes to child care it may be the first time that child has been away from his parents. It can be hard for a child when a parent leaves, even if it’s only for a few hours. But each child is different. Some will come, tell their parents, “Good-bye,” and they’re ready to start playing. Others cry and hang on their parents when it’s time for them to leave.

Can one-year-olds truly be creative? If we step away from artistic expressions of creativity for a moment and just think about the essence of creativity, the answer is a loud “Yes!”

During the preschool years, young children blossom in their ability to experiment with new ideas, including new ways of creating with art materials.

The ages of three and four are busy times for language and literacy learning, including developing the ability to comprehend and tell narratives, becoming much more skilled at conversation, and beginning to understand the mechanics of written language.

When you think about art with two-year-olds, think about how to create meaningful art experiences that fit well in the busy world of twos.

Children learn new words when they talk with others and have time to practice what they hear.

The caregiver's face and a baby's own body parts—fingers, toes, belly—are some of the most intriguing play toys that an infant can explore. Help him learn about himself and others.

Once babies become mobile, they need safe, open spaces to practice crawling, rolling, pulling up, cruising, and walking. Combining physical movement and music builds powerful brain connections.

Play is the central activity of young children. Play is the main way that young children explore, interact with, and enjoy the world around them. It’s where their inborn curiosity and creativity shine and where they can practice problem-solving and persistence. Play is self-motivating and is the best context for young children to practice making decisions and overcoming barriers. Discover what play looks like in one-year-olds and how caregivers can support it.

School readiness includes the many skills that develop over time from a child’s birth through school entrance age. School readiness includes the areas of social-emotional, cognitive, language and literacy, and physical development. Another important part of school readiness includes a child’s ability to maintain focus on a task and show interest and curiosity in learning. The interactions children have with caring adults inside and outside of their families, each child’s developmental history and each child’s unique make up, all influence the development of school readiness skills.

Part 2 of a two part series on self regulation. Setting up the learning environment to support the development of self-regulation skills. Although most children acquire self regulation through positive early experiences, experts suggest that self regulation is a skill that needs guidance or to be taught.

Try a thoughtful, reflective approach to caring for children. Many exciting things happen in your day of caring for children.

Just like adults, children need to develop strategies for managing their emotions, so that they can build social-emotional skills. When children are more socially and emotionally aware and skilled, they can more effectively navigate relationships, calm down and problem solve when challenges arise.

Temperament is a child’s emotional and behavioral style of responding to the world, and researcher have found it is influenced by nine traits.

What to expect from three-year-olds and fun, easy play ideas. Three-year-olds are a lot of fun! They often spend a lot of time watching and exploring. They want to please you and to do things “right.”