When I started my new role as a director at a licensed child care center I was overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork that was required. Coming from a different state, the rules and regulations were quite different and I wanted to ensure that I had everything needed to be 100% in compliance with the state regulations. I called 4-C and asked them if they knew of any checklist of required information and I was told about a binder system they developed called "From Surviving to Thriving". This system is a binder system that has tabs for all the required paperwork as well as forms and checklists for staff and children files. We immediately bought the system and got busy locating all the necessary paperwork. I now have all the state required paperwork in a series of binders and when we had our licensing inspection, I simply gave them my box of binders and let them look through them. They did not have to ask me for anything during their time here, which made it a lot less stressful on me because I didn't have to scramble to try to find anything. The licensing inspector was very impressed with the binder system and how organized it is. We had a very successful licensing visit and I felt a sense of ease knowing that I was well informed on what they would be looking for.
If given half a chance kids take care of their need to move their bodies and develop those gross motor skills needed to walk, run, jump, etc. But the fine motor skills are often lacking when kids get to school. As a result, holding a pencil, buttoning their coat, tying shoes can be difficult for them.
That’s why I was happy to see the terrific list of fine motor skill builders at www.handsonaswegrow.com . All of the activities use common household items to encourage little ones to use those fingers, hands, and eyes in a coordinated manner. Check it out.
Earthworms don’t have eyes, ears or noses, and instead of lungs, they breathe through their skin. But more than just learning some fascinating facts, bringing live earthworms into the classroom gives children an up close encounter with a gentle, harmless animal.
I recently brought earthworms to Yvonne Fisher’s classroom at Dawson Orman Education Center. After reading a story and practicing moving like earthworms during circle time, we spread out some newspaper and let them crawl across the table. The children squealed with delight as they watched the earthworms stretch and squeeze their bodies. Almost every child was willing to pet an earthworm, and most also picked one up and laughed as it tickled their hands.
Earthworms are everywhere and are very beneficial to plants. In one yard of earth, there can be thousands of earthworms! Go for a walk and hunt for them. Try digging in the dirt or lifting up rocks and leaf litter. Look on the sidewalk after a heavy rain and model good stewardship by returning them to some dirt where they can dig back underground. Most of all, let children know that they don’t have to be afraid of something just because it moves!
A word about earthworm care:
Remember that they breathe through their skin and need a damp environment; so keep a spray bottle handy, but avoid letting them “swim” in water. They can drown too! They eat dirt and decaying leaves, so if you plan on keeping them a few days, be sure to provide them with food.
I don’t know about your life, but mine seems to get busier and busier every day juggling work, home, family and friends. There always seems to be reasons to do things faster, just to get them done, to have time to do more things in the limited hours of the day. But the issue with faster and more is that there is little time to appreciate the details in life. Noticing details is a hallmark of a good scientist. Up close is where the discoveries are waiting, the ones that spark curiosity, make you wonder why or how or what and invite you to take another look, examine closer, or read more.
Life can be full of these moments of wonder, but you have to slow down to find them. Have you ever noticed that drops of water cling to your fingers before falling off or examined salt to that see each individual crystal is a cube? Have you ever wondered why little rays of light seem to dance on the table when shining through a glass of water or why cream swirls in a cup of coffee? These are the types of observations that invite your mind to question and ponder how the world works, which is exactly what we want our children to be doing. What do you notice? How does it feel? How does it smell? Does it remind you of anything? What do you think would happen if…? The right question at the right time can help children focus on details, make connections and lead them to deeper learning.
One thing you should know about me is that I carry a pocket microscope in my purse, and I use it all the time. Just today I was showing my coworker, Brenda, an insect I found outside our door. It was some type of beetle I had never seen before, but the colors were amazing; lines of emerald green running down its wing edged with magenta, iridescent blues, purples and copper on its back, silver eyes made of hundreds of tiny lenses. Noticing these things myself makes me a curious person, but sharing what I am curious about with others is when the magic happens; when Brenda gets curious and calls to another coworker inviting her to look closer. We wondered together what kind of insect it might be, why its eyes have so many lenses and what the world must look like through them. You don’t have to wait for rainbows to feel the wonder of living, and the more you can model wonder for children, the more children will appreciate the world around them and want to know more about it.
5. It’s hard to improve quality if child care programs can’t afford to stay open. 
