23 Dec What a Year!
As 2013 comes to a close, we want to thank you for choosing Especially for Children. We can't say often enough how privileged we are to partner with you in caring for your child. The year was a wonderful one - from field...
EFC Parent Blog
31 Oct Spanish at EFC
"Children can learn almost anything if they are dancing, tasting, touching, seeing, and feeling information." - Jean Houston, Educating the Possible HumanAs we announced earlier this week, Especially for Children is introducing a formalized Spanish program for preschoolers at each center. We thought it would...
30 Sep Classroom Boards Slide Show
For this month's blog we thought it would be fun to show off some of the classroom boards from September. It is amazing to see what the children have been learning! We know that pick up and drop off are busy times, and it is...
31 Aug Sharing ideas for helping children learn self-control
Every day our teachers are using techniques to help your children learn the important skill of self-control. We thought it would be fun to share some of our classroom techniques with you. We would also love to hear from you about ways you help your...
29 Jul Reminder! TC Family Events 2013
As we mentioned in our newsletter last month, we will be participating in the TC Family Events this October. We hope you will join us for this great community and family day. There are events for children and adults of all ages, and it is...
25 Jun Unplugging with Children
Guest Post by Angie Williams (daughter of EFC owners Steve and Priscilla and new mom to Abby, who attends EFC Edina/W 70th Street) Even though my daughter is only 10 months old, I imagine that there are times when she would like to launch...
21 May How Teachers Use Idea Webs
Posted at 14:00h in activities, child development, curriculum, education, especially for children 0 Comments
Our summer theme of Science + Nature offers a great variety of topics around which teachers will create lesson plans and age appropriate activities. Children will learn about plants, animals, bugs, weather, life cycles and more.One of the ways teachers at Especially for Children develop...
01 May Our Favorite Infant Toys and Songs (and theirs too!)
We asked our infant teachers about the children's favorite toys and songs. Here is the list (just in time for garage sale season :))!TOYSRain sticksBlocks (soft, picture, stacking, etc.) Pop up toys (where children push a button, twist a knob, or pull a lever to...
29 Mar Creative Thinkers
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.- Pablo PicassoCreative thinking and expression require free time to think and explore. In our busy lives as adults, it is difficult to keep up on our "To Do"...
26 Feb What is the Outdoor Classroom?
With spring on the horizon, we are all getting excited for more time outdoors. At Especially for Children, time spent outdoors is an important and meaningful part of our curriculum. Children have the opportunity to run and play in open spaces, develop new social interactions,...
29 Jan “BACK TO SLEEP” RENAMED “SAFE TO SLEEP”
The topic of safe sleep has been in the news a great deal lately. We decided to gather the most current information to pass on to our families. As child care providers it is critical that we are aware of the latest information on what...
31 Dec Learning Games
The authors of The Creative Curriculum, the curriculum used at Especially for Children, have developed a set of LearningGames for parents to use at home. Check out a sampling of these games here and learn more about this resource here....
29 Nov Tips on Toys for the Holidays
The holiday season is a special time for all of us, and especially for children as they experience family traditions, spend time with loved ones and, of course, receive gifts from family and friends. As parents we do not wish for the season to become...
31 Oct Star Wellness in Action
On Saturday, October 6th over 50 people entered races in the Medtronic Twin Cities Family Events with the Especially for Children team. This was the third year that EFC has participated and each year our numbers have grown. Although it was a chilly morning, people...
01 Aug TC Family Events
We are excited to begin promoting our participation in the TC Family Events, part of the TC Marathon weekend in October! We hope you will join us on Saturday, October 6 for a great morning of fitness and family fun. There are events for the...