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...
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...
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"...
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,...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
We hope you are having a great summer so far! At EFC, the children have been enjoying many fun learning activities based on our All-American Summer theme. See what they've been up to in our video!...
It is almost time for the short and sweet Minnesota summer! We all love to take advantage of the outdoors during these summer months, and many of us have developed summer routines centered around local parks, the cabin or just our own backyards. We wanted...
I recently came across this interesting post from the new Teaching Strategies blog. It discusses the importance of routines for children, especially during times of stress. The author writes:"Providing consistent routines, whenever possible, gives children certainty, something they can count on, and something they...
At Especially for Children, we love engaging in cooking activities with children. They can practice creativity and learn so many new skills. And it is always a fun time! Watch our video and check out the resources below to learn more. Find out more with...
We know from decades of research that too little stimulation early on is bad for brain development.But have we considered whether too much stimulation, or inappropriate stimulation, is bad for brain development as well?Watch this video of a presentation by Dimitri Christakis, a pediatrician, parent...
The physical learning environment is so important at Especially for Children. We arrange our classrooms according to the guidelines set out in The Creative Curriculum so that children have opportunities to learn through play in a safe, comfortable and challenging environment. See more in this...