News
Archive
News from the week of June 20, 2011
- The Early Childhood Advocacy Toolkit from the Ounce of Prevention Fund can help you communicate with elected officials, the media, the business community, and the general public about the importance of early childhood. More… (PDF)
- Young children don’t understand that waiting is an inevitable part of life. Here are some things you can do to help your child become more patient. More…
- Children in military families are like all children in their need for love, safety, and consistent routines. However, children in military families may go through more frequent transitions than other children and may require extra support from a teacher or care provider. More…
News from the week of June 13, 2011
- Researcher Alison Gopnik suggests that direct teaching of young children may stifle their curiosity and creativity. More…
- Check out related IEL Tip Sheets: Young Children Need to Play and Time to Play, Time to Dream: Unscheduling Your Child
- Explore the outdoors with your nose as your guide. Collect objects with different smells in a stinky, but fun, outdoor outing. More…
News from the week of June 6, 2011
- At the end of the school year, parents often wonder which of their children’s paintings, sculptures, papers, and concert programs to save. Here are suggestions that parents may find helpful. More…
- Linda Saterfield, Chief, IDHS Bureau of Child Care & Development, will be guest speaker at the Public Policy Caucus taking place on June 16, 2011, in Bloomington, Illinois. Come learn more about the FY12 budget and other state agency news. More...
News from the week of May 30, 2011
- Teachers are invited to two workshops on helping children learn about gardening and food production. “Learning on the Farm” is offered on June 4 and June 11, 2011, through the Chicago Botanic Garden. More...
- Remember to check out the Get Growing series of Tip Sheets on gardening with children from IEL!
- Create a collection of exciting activities to try with your children over the summer. Brainstorm, record suggestions, then list the activities. More…
News from the week of May 23, 2011
- A new education Web site on bullying prevention was unveiled at the first-ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention. More…
- A related IEL Tip Sheet, Bullying Hurts Everyone, provides tips for parents and teachers of young children. More…
- A new report from the National Wildlife Federation—Whole Child: Developing Mind, Body and Spirit through Outdoor Play—examines the ways in which nature, specifically unstructured daily outdoor time, benefits children. More… (PDF)
News from the week of May 16, 2011
- Read about the Gateways Registry, Lilian Katz’s Reflections on Parent-Teacher/Staff Relationships, and an interview with Kay Henderson, ISBE Early Childhood Division Administrator, in the Spring Issue of Inside Gateways. More…
- Beginning June 28, 2011, all cribs manufactured and sold (including resale) must comply with new and improved federal safety standards. By December 28, 2012, child care centers must use only cribs that meet the new federal safety standards. More… (PDF)
News from the week of May 9, 2011
- Illinois is one of the “promising practices” states recognized by the Early Childhood Data Collaborative. More…
- Warm May days are welcome, but we need to remember how dangerous hot cars can be for children. In 2010, almost 50 children died while alone in a vehicle. Never leave a child alone in a car—not even for a minute! More…(PDF)
News from the week of May 2, 2011
- Early childhood educators, family members, and service providers are invited to learn about what constitutes a healthy, active day in the life of a young child at this year's "Day Camp for Early Childhood Educators" taking place on June 9, 2011, in Peoria, Illinois. More...
- Parents and caregivers can help preschoolers become eager readers and writers through simple conversations and reading together. More…
News from the week of April 25, 2011
- “Head to Toe: The Midwest Interactive Infant-Toddler Conference” will take place in Chicago on May 21, 2011. Topics include challenging behavior, continuity of care, and the importance of play. More…
- Dandelion and goat's beard seed heads are fragile and beautiful. Spend a few minutes outside with your child on an afternoon, collecting the seeds, blowing them around, and imitating their movement. More…
News from the week of April 18, 2011
- Plan to attend “Leadership Connections,” a conference for early childhood administrators, lead teachers and supervisors, trainers and consultants, technical assistance specialists, and family child care providers, on May 12-14, 2011, in Wheeling, Illinois. More…
- April showers bring learning opportunities! Pick a day with gentle rain to put on raingear and head outside. How does rain feel and sound? What happens when it hits the ground? More…
News from the week of April 11, 2011
- Interactive workshop sessions for teachers and administrators in programs serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers will be offered at the Teaching Strategies National Conference in Chicago on April 12-15, 2011. More…
- Parents can promote early literacy through everyday practices and experiences with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers at home or in the community. CELL provides practice guides in print, audio, and podcast formats. More…
News from the week of April 4, 2011
- Looking for educational resources, professional development opportunities, and mini-grants to support environmental education for children? Check out the Environmental Education Association of Illinois. More…
- Don’t forget IEL’s “Natural Illinois” Tip Sheets.
- The Week of the Young Child is April 10-16, 2011. It is held each year to celebrate young children and to thank all those who make a difference in their lives. Find activities and download an event planning handbook. More…
News from the week of March 28, 2011
- The Illinois Director Credential (IDC) celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Read about the IDC in the winter issue of Inside Gateways, the Gateways to Opportunity quarterly newsletter. More…
- Experimenting with soap bubbles lets children explore light and color, surface tension, and chemical composition…and it’s good clean fun! More… (PDF)
News from the week of March 21, 2011
- Find out how to make your child care setting a positive one for children with autism at an all-day workshop in Urbana, Illinois, on April 9, 2011. More…
- Storytelling with children is fun and encourages literacy skills, whether you are at home or on the go. Here are some ideas to get the stories started. More…
News from the week of March 14, 2011
- Marketing materials as well as activity ideas for parents and children are available to help you promote April 2011 as Child Abuse Prevention Month. More… (PDF)
- Our words have an important effect on our children. Do our words support child development and hold children’s interest? More… (PDF)
- Do you ever wonder what infants or toddlers might be thinking as they interact with the objects and people around them? In this ECRP article, Dr. George Forman analyzes videos of little ones in action. More…
News from the week of March 7, 2011
- A celebration of Kay Henderson, ISBE Early Childhood Division Administrator, and keynote address by Barbara Fiese, Director of the Family Resiliency Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, are among the highlights of the Spring into Action Policy Conference on March 29, 2011, in Springfield. More…
- March is Illinois Poison Prevention Month. Visit the Illinois Poison Center Web site for free poison prevention education resources. You can request a free packet including a sticker, magnet, and a brochure on first aid for poisonings. More…
- Can toddlers and preschoolers “think like scientists”? In this ECRP article, Dr. George Forman uses videos and other examples to show how children naturally make science part of their play. More…
- Child care data for FY 2010 on licensed and license-exempt child care centers, licensed family child care homes, and child care program accreditation are available on the Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (IECAM) Web site. More...
- Do you consider your child a picky eater? Picky eating is a typical behavior for many preschoolers. Here are some tips on how to get your preschooler to try new foods. More…
- Information on bullying, ADHD, parenting during and after divorce, and helping babies develop language are among the parenting resources available through the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service. More…
- Try using tops to provide lessons in elementary physics. Experimenting with tops provides children an informal introduction to rotational motion, inertia, and friction. More… (PDF)
- The Sunshine Project, an initiative of the Governor’s Office, sheds light on a range of government activities, including child care facility inspections. More…
- Write a story with your child about events in her life. Help her turn her stories into books that will be treasured for years to come. More…
- "Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: The Importance of Play in Early Childhood and the Transition to School" is the title of this year's Family Impact Seminar taking place in Aurora, Illinois, on February 19, 2011. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek will provide the keynote address. Kay Henderson, Sue Sokolinski, and Pat Chamberlain will lead a panel discussion. Advanced registration is encouraged for this free seminar. More...
- “Piecing It All Together: How Children’s Mental Health and Mental Illness Affect Family, School, and Community” is the title of this year’s NAMI conference in Edwardsville, Illinois, on March 4-5, 2011. More…
- Children often are curious about their own bodies. The Sid the Science Kid Web site provides a lung exploration activity for preschoolers that helps them identify their lungs and learn about their function. More…
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The opinions, resources, and referrals provided on the IEL Web site are intended for informational purposes only and are not intended to take the place of medical or legal advice, or of other appropriate services. We encourage you to seek direct local assistance from a qualified professional if necessary before taking action.
The content of the IEL Web site does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Illinois Early Learning Project, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or the Illinois State Board of Education; nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the Illinois Early Learning Project, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or the Illinois State Board of Education.