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a child observing a spider web
Article
Teaching Young Children
April 1, 2024

Beyond Itsy Bitsy: Spiders in the Early Childhood Classroom

Suggestions for spider-related activities that early childhood educators can integrate into a cross-curricular project or unit of study.

Authored by

Authored by: 
William Straits
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a group of children dancing
Article
Young Children
March 1, 2024

Integrating the Arts into Preschool Literacy Practices

Teachers can use the Stories Make Readers model to create arts activities that increase children’s literacy engagement.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Juli-Anna Aerila, Merja Kauppinen, Johanna Lähteelä, Mari Siipola
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The cover of the publication Teaching Young Children, volume 16 number 2.
Issue
Teaching Young Children
Vol. 16, No. 2
January 3, 2023

Winter 2023

Playful and Engaging Arts Integration
No matter your own skills in the arts, this issue of Teaching Young Children has ideas for you. You’ll learn about “process art”, ways to integrate art into other content areas, using music in your setting, and more!
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A child draws on a piece of paper.
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

A Scribble Is Never Just a Scribble: Art, Story, and Process

The following DAP snapshot and reflection touches on how one teacher responded to children’s marks on paper, encouraging creativity and integrated learning, particularly around drawing, writing, and storytelling.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Ron Grady
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a make believe veterinarian playset with stuffed animals
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

Beyond the Art Center: How Prop Making Merges Art and Make-Believe Play

In make-believe play, young children are actively engaged with peers and are in control: it is the children—not an adult—who make decisions during play.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Barbara Wilder-Smith,  Deborah J. Leong, Elena Bodrova
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a group of children being read to
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

What Do You See? Including Art Appreciation in Early Childhood

Art is important to the development of young children’s physical and cognitive skills and their aesthetic awareness. Examples of children’s creative expressions often fill early childhood settings. But what about appreciating visual art?

Authored by

Authored by: 
Mary Ellen Bardsley, Tracy Galuski
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A group of children dancing.
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

Penguins, Chicks, and Caves: Journal Notes on Moving from STEM to STEAM

In this article, Mimi Brodsky Chenfield shares reflections from her experiences and conversations with children across the early childhood years—each of which builds to a major shift, moving from STEM to STEAM.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld
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A group of children sing and move together.
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

8X. Using Music in Your Setting: Tips for the Nonmusician

You don’t need to be a musician to use music comfortably, confidently, and creatively with children. Here are eight ways to make it an integral part of your classroom.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Karen E. Goulandris
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A child holds a sail car created from open-ended materials.
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

I Need to Make It Taller: Engineering to Solve Wind Challenges in Preschool

Here we describe how a set of engineering-focused learning activities in a preschool classroom promoted STEM thinking, talking, and doing.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Alissa A. Lange, Emma Atkins, Qiuju “Daisy” Tian, Kathy Bullen, Lynn Lodien
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A craft tree made from recycled materials.
Blog
January 5, 2023

Cardboard Challenge: Introducing New Skills in Authentic Ways

To create a community building event with family involvement, we decided to engage in a Cardboard Challenge focused on trees: How could children build a tree with cardboard-like materials and make it interactive?

Authored by

Authored by: 
Kelly Bird
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a teacher having fun with young students
Article
Teaching Young Children
July 1, 2022

Learning Together: Collaborative, Play-Based STEAM Practices in the COVID Era

In this article, we focus on communication and collaboration—qualities that are important in achieving the critical thinking, creativity, and content knowledge involved across STEAM areas.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Sandra M. Linder, Angela Eckhoff
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A group of young children dresses up for their stage production.
Article
Teaching Young Children
September 1, 2021

Rethinking Field Trips: Venturing Out to Foster Meaningful Learning

Knowing that local field trips are a source of curriculum in early childhood education, two teachers venture to a theater with their class, then engage in a project about storytelling, performance, and stages.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Lynette Bagwell, Betsy Cahill
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a collage of images of children drawing
Article
Teaching Young Children
September 1, 2021

Exploring Nature Indoors with Observational Drawing and Scientific Thinking

One valuable way we can support children’s exploration of nature is by teaching them how to observe carefully and create observational drawings, which encourage children to understand and question their world.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Kendra Nenia, Melissa Clucas Walter
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