Best Practices Archives - Page 3 of 11

Kids with dirt smudges on their faces, laughing and eating outdoors

The Mind-Building Magic of a Muddy Childhood

K.C. Compton·Aug 30, 2019·7 min read

Throughout most of human history and in most of the world, that paradigm of children playing outdoors as a part of childhood has been so integral as to be transparent. Not so in the U.S., where, according to the Child Mind Institute, the average American child spends four to seven minutes a day in unstructured play outdoors and more than seven hours a day in front of a screen. Washington State is changing that.

For Preschool Educator, Kids’ Paintings Give Them a Deep Brush With Themselves

Karen D'Souza, EdSource·Oct 3, 2024·5 min read

Daniel Mendoza makes his own paintbrushes. It may have started out as a way to save money, but it also...

What a Difference Extended-Hours Childcare Makes

17-Hour Childcare in Rochester Is a Gamechanger for Working Parents

K.C. Compton·Mar 3, 2020·6 min read

When many daycare centers are closing shop for the day, Rosa Marie at Rochester’s Marvelous Mind Academy is just getting...

A woman reads a book outdoors with a small boy who has paint and dirt on his face.

Tiny Trees Preschoolers Get to Know Their World, Rain or Shine

K.C. Compton·Aug 30, 2019·3 min read

The children attending Tiny Trees Preschool classrooms in Seattle and King County parks may look like they’re “just playing,” but those little boots are actually marching, climbing, stomping and squishing their way to a well-rounded preschool education.

Geetha Ramani: You Want to Teach Math? Play Games!

The Editors·Apr 18, 2019·4 min read

When University of Maryland Associate Professor Geetha Ramani and her colleagues visit early learning classrooms, they’re known as the “game people.” Ramani’s research shows not only the importance of teaching math skills, but also the effectiveness of what might seem like an obvious tactic: Make it fun.

Five Takeaways from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Early Ed Summit

The Editors·Mar 5, 2020·2 min read

On February 28, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce held a summit for early education advocates and professionals, highlighting the work...

Round up: Spring Fever Edition with Deans for Impact, ZERO TO THREE, National League of Cities, and more

The Editors·Mar 20, 2019·1 min read

Happy Spring! Your spring fever is kicking in, you’ve got a ton on your plate and pollen is already making...

WHO’s First-Ever Guidelines Reinforce Need to Reduce Screen Time for Youngest Children

Tom Kertscher·Aug 20, 2019·3 min read

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its first-ever guidelines on screen time for children younger than 5, recommending no...

7 Reasons to Be Encouraged about the Planet Our Children Are Inheriting

Finding Hope in the U.S. Early Years Climate Action Plan

Mark Swartz·Dec 26, 2023·6 min read

While climate change is all around us, and the projections are uniformly grim, there have never been so many local,...

Resetting Expectations: 5 Takeaways from a Webinar on Screen Time in the Age of COVID-19

Mark Swartz·Apr 7, 2020·2 min read

Hiding in the basement from my wife and kids, I tuned into a recent webinar on screen time, part of...

Brain Matters Documentary Attracts Global Interest

Behind the Scenes with Director Carlota Nelson

Mark Swartz·Feb 25, 2020·3 min read

Prioritizing early childhood development, says documentary filmmaker Carlota Nelson, “Is a no-brainer,” before adding, “No pun intended.” Born in Tokyo...