The All-Day Kindergarten and Pre-K Curriculum: a Dynamic-Themes Approach. Doris Pronin Fromberg, $44.95

Grounded in theory and research, The All-Day Kindergarten and Pre-K Curriculum provides an activity-based curriculum for educators to consider as they plan and interact with preschool and kindergarten children. Allowing young children the opportunities to become independent, caring, critical thinkers who feel comfortable asking questions and exploring possible solutions, the curriculum offers children the skills they need for responsible citizenship and academic progress. This book describes a culturally-sensitive pre-k and kindergarten curriculum in the context of literacy, technology, mathematics, social studies, science, the arts, and play.

Another Encyclopedia of Theme Activities for Young Children: Over 300 Favorite Activities Created by Teachers. Edited by Kathy Charner, Stephanie Roselli & Brittany Roberts, $29.95

More than 300 theme activities written by teachers for teachers!

Actively engage children’s imaginations with more than 300 activities for young children organized into a variety of popular themes – from the alphabet to the weather. The classroom-tested activities in Another Encyclopedia of Theme Activities for Young Children provide many months of learning fun. Each activity is complete with learning objectives, materials list, related children’s book suggestions, step-by-step instructions of what to do, teacher-to-teacher tips to expand on children’s learning, assessment strategies, and related songs, poems, and finger-plays.

Becoming Young Thinkers: Deep Project Work in the Classroom. Judy Jarris Helm, $38.95

This book is designed for preschool through primary grade teachers who know how to do project work but are ready to move to the next level. Focusing on how children become young thinkers, the book begins with mind, brain, and education science and instructional guidelines for all learning experiences, and then connects these to the rich foundation of the project approach. Helm provides specific strategies for deepening project work, including how to select meaningful topics, plan for projects, integrate standards, support children's questioning, create provocations to promote engagement, and help children represent their ideas. This practical resource will extend practitioners’ knowledge about project-based learning so they can move beyond the basics to create project work that is more engaging, meaningful, and productive.

Beyond Early Literacy: a Balanced Approach to Developing the Whole Child. Janet Taylor, et al, $31.95

Beyond Early Literacy offers a literacy method that goes beyond simply developing language arts skills. Known as Shared Journal, this process promotes young children’s learning across content areas — including their communication and language abilities, writing skills, sense of community, grasp of diverse social and cultural worlds, and understanding of history, counting, numeracy, and time. Pairing interactive talk with individual writing in the classroom community, this rich method develops the whole child.

This two-part book is first framed by current theory and research about children’s cognitive, language, and literacy development, and an extensive body of research and case studies on the efficacy of the method. The second part features strategies from on-the-ground teachers who have used the process with their students and explores how Shared Journal can be used with new technologies, can meet standards, and can be appropriate for diverse populations of children. This is a fantastic resource for use in early childhood education courses in emergent literacy, language arts, and curriculum.

Blocks and Beyond: Strengthening Early Math and Science Skills through Spatial Learning. Mary Jo Pollman, $32.95

Spatial development should be part of every young child's education — it's linked with higher achievement not just in math and science, but across all academic areas. Focusing on areas key to academic success — math, science, art and literature, and social studies — early childhood expert Mary Jo Pollman gives teachers research-based insights and ready-to-use activities for promoting children's spatial development throughout the school day.

Body Care. Connie Jo Smith, Charlotte Hendricks & Becky Bennett, $17.95 (Ages 3-6)

Young children are aware of and naturally curious about their bodies. This health curriculum introduces positive body care habits that will help children learn ways to feel good about themselves and their bodies, prevent the spread of disease, and gain a measure of independence and control in their lives as they learn about body parts, the five senses, hand washing and hygiene, oral health, avoidance of germs, and taking medicine. 

Bountiful Earth: 25 Songs and Over 300 Activities for Young Children. Pam Schiller, $27.95 (Book and CD)

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs: 21 Songs and Over 250 Activities for Young Children. Pam Schiller, $27.95 (Book and CD)

Critters & Company: 27 Songs and Over 300 Activities for Young Children. Pam Schiller, $27.95 (Book and CD)

Fabulous Food: 25 Songs and Over 300 Activities for Young Children. Pam Schiller, $27.95 (Book and CD)

Honk, Honk, Rattle, Rattle: 25 Songs and Over 300 Activities for Young Children. Pam Schiller, $27.95 (Book and CD)

Me, My Family and Friends: 26 Songs and Over 300 Activities for Young Children. Pam Schiller, $27.95 (Book and CD)

School Days: 28 Songs and Over 300 Activities for Young Children. Pam Schiller, $27.95 (Book and CD)

Wild, Wild West: 26 Songs and Over 300 Activities for Young Children. Pam Schiller, $27.95 (Book and CD)

The enclosed CDs feature fun songs — old favorites and originals — and the books offer more than 300 activities. Every song has:

• Literacy Links to teach comprehension skills, letter knowledge, and phonemic awareness
• Curriculum Connections to integrate the content of the song with curriculum areas such as math, art, sand and water play, science, outdoor play, field trips, and discovery
• a “Did You Know?” section with fun and interesting facts related to the song
• a vocabulary list to enhance children’s language skills
• theme connections
• home activities to extend the learning
• related children’s books

Each of these delightful Pam Schiller books includes both English language learner strategies and special needs adaptations.

Bringing the Forest School Approach to Your Early Years Practice. Karen Constable, $37.50

Bringing the Forest School Approach to your Early Years Practice provides an accessible introduction to Forest School practice. It identifies the key issues involved in setting up, running and managing a Forest School environment and offers clear guidance on resources, staffing and space required for successful play and learning outdoors. Including links to the Early Years Foundation Stage and a wide range of case studies, the book covers:

• The beginnings of Forest School and how practice has developed
• Child centred play and learning that allows for risk taking and challenge
• Planning for children’s individual needs, learning styles and schemas
• The learning environment
• The role of the adult including health and safety and children’s welfare

Full of practical advice, this convenient guide will help practitioners to deliver new, exciting and inspiring opportunities for the children they care for.

The Building Blocks of Preschool Success. Katherine Beauchat, Katrin Blamey & Sharon Walpole, $27.50

Written expressly for preschool teachers, this engaging book shows how to target key areas of language and literacy development across the entire school day, including whole-group and small-group activities, center time, transitions, and outdoor play. Detailed examples in every chapter illustrate what effective instruction and assessment look like in three distinct settings: a school-based pre-kindergarten, a Head Start center with many English language learners, and a private suburban preschool. Helpful book lists, charts, and planning tools are featured, including reproducible materials.

The Complete Daily Curriculum for Early Childhood: Over 1200 Easy Activities to Support Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles, Revised. Pam Schiller & Pat Phipps, $46.95

This award-winning curriculum for 3 to 6 year-olds offers a complete plan for every learning style. Revised and updated, the new edition of this classic bestseller is full of new activities based on the latest research about how children learn. The comprehensive appendix has been updated and the patterns are now available exclusively online so teachers can easily print them onto any paper at any time!

Conversation Compass: a Teacher's Guide to High-Quality Language Learning in Young Children. Stephanie Curenton, $26.95

Classroom conversation plays an important role in the development of children's language and reasoning. However, studies show that classroom talk relies too much on directives and close-ended questions. Conversation Compass provides the tools to strengthen your language-learning environment:

• The Compass: guide high-quality classroom conversations with this visual prompt
• The Question Trail: choose the open-ended questions that will drive children's deeper thinking
• The Map: record your learning objectives and plan for the conversations
• The peer conversation tracking sheet: observe and assess children's progress
• A family survey: expand your awareness of the skills of children from diverse backgrounds and engage families

Learn to adapt your classroom conversations to meet the diverse needs of all the children you teach and set them up for academic success. Age focus: 2–8.

Cooking Is Cool: Heat-Free Recipes for Kids to Cook. Marianne Dambra, $23.95

Cooking can be a delicious learning experience for children. As children read recipes, measure ingredients, and taste each dish, they build math and literacy skills, practice science process skills, and explore different food groups. Cooking Is Cool makes all of this hands-on learning possible without stepping foot in the kitchen. These classroom-friendly recipes are all heat-free, meaning they can be made without an oven, stove, microwave, or hot plate. With your guidance, budding chefs can follow the easy instructions to transform fresh, simple ingredients into tasty snacks, beverages, entrees, and treats.

Creating a Beautiful Mess: Ten Essential Play Experiences for a Joyous Childhood. Ann Gadzikowski, $21.50

When children play, it can often create a mess, but what a beautiful mess it is! Creating a Beautiful Mess provides adults with the ten most important play experiences children need and show how they represent a balance that support learning, provide physical activity, encourage creative expression, and promote social and family connections. These broad categories, include building with blocks, pretending and make believe, running around like crazy, playing turn-taking games, finding and collecting things, and more. This is a book that can be enjoyed by early childhood professionals and families alike.

Creative Activities for Young Children, 10th Edition. Mary Mayesky, $158.95

Creative Activities for Young Children is a terrific book filled with fun, creative, and easy-to implement activities for young children. You’ll be encouraged to exercise your own creativity, as well as learn how to help young children do the same. Hundreds of activities and up-to-date research make this book an invaluable resource for you and others planning to work creatively with children across the curriculum, and one you’ll want to keep for use throughout your professional career.

Creative Block Play: a Comprehensive Guide to Learning through Building. Rosanne Regan Hansel, $55.50

Blocks are a classic toy that never stop challenging, stimulating, and engaging young children's learning. This book provides the guidance and inspiration to use blocks to teach 21st century skills and encourage development in a variety of domains. Learn how to:

• Set-up an inviting place to learn and create with blocks
• Inspire and extend construction with unexpected materials
• Support and encourage children during exploration with blocks
• Guide deeper engagement

Creative Resources for the Early Childhood Classroom, 6th Edition. Judy Herr, $107.95

From apples to zoo animals, this indispensible curriculum planner has every resource an early childhood educator could ever need!

Cultivating Outdoor Classrooms: Designing and Implementing Child-Centered Learning Environments. Eric Nelson, $66.95

Transform outdoor spaces into learning environments where children can enjoy a full range of activities as they spend quality time in nature. This book is filled with guidance to help you plan, design, and create an outdoor learning program that is a rich, thoughtfully equipped, natural extension of your indoor curriculum. Loaded with practical and creative ideas, Cultivating Outdoor Classrooms promotes the idea that if you can do it indoors, you can probably do it outside as well.

Dance, Turn, Hop, Learn includes classroom management tools; an introduction to teaching movement; directions for music and props; and help in evaluating and customizing each lesson. Children will build their large and fine motor skills while growing in other learning domains—physical, social, kindergarten readiness, and cognitive skills. The exercises can be implemented as a self-contained movement curriculum or as a supplement to an existing one.

Digital Decisions: Choosing the Right Technology Tools for Early Childhood Education. Fran Simon & Karen Nemeth, $41.95

Digital Decisions provides everything you need to make your own technology plan based on your experiences and beliefs, the needs of the children, the context of your curriculum and the resources available to you.  This no-nonsense, jargon-free guide will help you evaluate the tools and opportunities technology has to offer and integrate them into your early childhood classroom so you can offer real-life, hands-on, interactive activities to children. 

Digital Decisions is brimming with charts, resources, and an array of activities that maximize technology as an interactive learning tool. Each chapter provides supporting guidance to make technology most effective for those working with children who are dual language learners or may have special needs.

Learning through play is as natural, important, and easy for young children as breathing. With Do-It-Yourself Early Learning, you can create toys that help children become more confident, stretch their intellect, and encourage play and exploration — all with materials easily found at your local hardware store or home center.

Drama 3-5: a Practical Guide to Teaching Drama to Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, 2nd Edition. Debbie Chalmers, $42.50

The importance of using drama to promote active and creative learning in the early years is widely recognized. Young children participating in well planned drama activities learn to express themselves clearly and develop strong social skills, more self-confidence and a greater understanding of co-operation and team-work.

Drama 3-5 contains a wide range of accessible activities and sample session plans, drawn from the author’s many years of extensive experience, which have all been fully and successfully tried and tested with children from 3-5 years. The book also explains the theory and value of all of the activities, as well as possible extensions, making it an ideal companion to support every practitioner who wants to explore, develop and enjoy drama and have fun with their children.

Dribble Drabble: Process Art Experiences for Young Children. Deya Brashears Hill, $22.50

Creative art should offer children the opportunities for originality, creativity, fluency, flexibility, and sensitivity. Covering a wide range of media including Painting, Crayons, Collage, Sculpture, Chalk, and Printing, this book will provide plenty of opportunities. All activities are adaptable for children from age two to eight and easy to prepare and set-up. These hands-on projects have been classroom-tested to ensure they keep learning fun and engaging.

Early Childhood Activities for a Greener Earth. Patty Born Selly, $35.95

Help children explore the environment and develop a sense of wonder, curiosity, and joy for nature. Each chapter focuses on a common and important environmental topic, such as waste reduction and recycling, air quality, weather and climate change, and energy reduction, as well as activities that provide a foundation to educate children about our world through experience and play. Early Childhood Activities for a Greener Earth is filled with information to excite children, engage families, and encourage your community to be green. 

Early Literacy in Action: the Language Focused-Curriculum for Preschool. Betty Bunce, $63.50

This highly adaptable program provides a year’s worth of fun and flexible lessons, complete with themes, art and dramatic play activities, story and song selections and group lesson plans laid out in both a monthly and a week-by-week format.

Early Years ART: Activities to Promote Children’s Creative Development. Rhona Whiteford, $29.99 (ages 3-5)

ART promotes activities which not only develop physical and social skills but a sense of wonder and linguistic abilities. The material is arranged under six key categories: Colour, Texture, Line, Shape, Space, and Form.

Children go through 16 to 20 transitions every day. Easy Songs for Smooth Transitions in the Classroom can help a room full of pre-school children settle down, clean up, and move from room to room without protest.

Using the accompanying CD to teach you the songs, you can tackle transitions such as greetings and good-byes, calling attention, cleaning up, moving, waiting, and slowing down with the simple songs in this book.

Educating Young Children through Natural Water: How to Use Coastlines, Rivers and Lakes to Promote Learning and Development. Judit Horvath, $49.95

The natural environment and its almost daunting size touches something deep within the children and — surprisingly — the large space brings them closer together. This book provides a comprehensive guide to Natural Water School provision by exploring its special pedagogy, the organisation and management of the Water School session and discussing the learning environment and its implications for children’s wellbeing and development. It clearly explains the key principles of this recently developed, contemporary approach and sets out a framework for setting up and leading a Natural Water School programme. The book shows how the aims and outcomes of early years education, including the Early Years Foundation Stage can all be achieved within the Natural Water School environment and is supported by examples and case studies throughout. Full of practical suggestions and activities, it includes:

• Activity ideas covering topics such as wildlife, sensory activities, crafts, social development, physical play and construction in different seasons
• Unique teaching tools to observe and develop the children
• Ideas for working with children of different ages and learning styles
• Detailed guidance on health and safety including risk assessments

Encouraging Physical Activity in Preschoolers. Steve Sanders, $28.95

Preschoolers are constantly using their bodies to play and learn, whether you encourage activity or not. You can help them stay active as they grow by providing instruction in physical skills, motivating them to develop strength and fluid movements, and challenging them to improve their skill levels.

Not every child will become an athlete, but all children use motor skills to move around their environment, interact with others, play games, and learn. You can help preschoolers understand the best ways to do the following movements:

• Skip, gallop, and run
• Balance
• Jump and land
• Kick accurately
• Throw and catch a ball
• Strike large balls with their hands
• Hit small balls with paddles, sticks, and bats
• Jump rope
• Ride a bike

Your guidance can mean the difference between playing confidently and giving up in embarrassment. As in all types of learning, practice helps solidify the lessons learned during physical movement instruction.

Motivated by the knowledge and experience you provide, the preschoolers in your care can grow strong bodies, enjoy physical activity, and move with assurance toward a healthy lifestyle.

Even More Fizzle, Bubble, Pop & WOW! Simple Science Experiments for Young Children. Lisa Murphy, $23.95 (ages 3-12)

Excite young learners with this collection of more than 80 simple science experiments that promote learning and call for materials that are likely already in your classroom or kitchen. Each fun activity includes simple instructions and a clear explanation of the experiment — and many include variations and helpful hints. 

The Everything Book for Child Care & Preschool. Kelly Gunzenhauser & Melissa Fisch, $19.50

Over 100 time saving forms including reproducible checklists, documentation and assessment forms, newsletters, planners, schedules and decorative borders.

Exploring Math & Science in Preschool. National Association for the Education of Young Children (naeyc), $22.99

What every preschool teacher needs! Filled with practical strategies and useful information on math and science, this book offers:

• Learning center ideas
• Engaging activities 
• Practical suggestions that are easy to implement
• Ideas that support the development and learning of every preschooler 
• Children’s book recommendations 

Exploring Mathematics through Play in the Early Childhood Classroom. Amy Noelle Parks, $45.95

This practical book provides teachers with an understanding of how math can be learned through play. The author helps teachers to recognize the mathematical learning that occurs during play, to develop strategies for mathematizing that play, and to design formal lessons that make connections between mathematics and play. Classroom examples illustrate that, unlike most formal tasks, play offers children opportunities to solve non-routine problems and to demonstrate a variety of mathematical ways of thinking — such as perseverance and attention to precision. This book will help put play back into the early childhood classroom where it belongs.

Expressing Creativity in Preschool. From the editors of Teaching Young Children, $22.99

What every preschool teacher needs! Filled with practical strategies and useful information on art, music and movement, and dramatic play, this book offers:

• Learning center ideas
• Engaging activities 
• Practical suggestions that are easy to implement
• Ideas that support the development and learning of every preschooler 
• Children’s book recommendations 

Focused Observations, 2nd Edition: How to Observe Young Children for Assessment and Curriculum Planning. Gaye Gronlund & Marlyn James, $96.50 (ages 2-6)

Intentional teaching begins with focused observations and systematic documentation of children's learning and development. FOCUSED OBSERVATIONS explains why observation is one of the best methods to get to know each child well, track progress, and plan individualized curriculum. It also provides tools and techniques to help you strengthen your observations, create portfolios with rich documentation, and support each child. You will also learn how to share your findings with families and grow as an observer through review and reflection activities. An interactive CD-ROM with nineteen vignettes of children in action provide opportunities to practice observing children and capturing what you see. 

Helping Preschool-Age Children Learn Self-Regulation: Lessons, Activities, Songs, and Games Designed To Give Children the Skills They Need to Succeed for the Rest of Their Lives.Brad Chapin, $57.95 (includes a CD-ROM of reproducible material)

This highly anticipated resource focuses on skill-training for preschool-age children. Self-regulation is a universal skill necessary for academic success, emotional control and healthy social interaction. With this one resource, you will be able to address School Readiness, Anger Problems, Anxiety, School Safety, Self-esteem, Social Skills and much more. The authors have developed this guide with a focus on how to help you "Do More with Less." The strategies are creative and designed to engage young children in the process to create change quickly. Includes a CD with reproducibles worksheets.

I Can Play It: Music Games and Activities to Help Your Child Learn. Patricia Shehan Campbell & Maja Pitamic, $21.50

Let the music play and watch the fun begin! Written by a college music professor and an author/teacher with over 18 years of experience teaching the Montessori Method, I Can Play It helps children explore their natural ability to interact with their environments as they make sweet musical sounds. Current scientific research has proven the importance of the musical experience in children’s neuromuscular growth, cognitive-intellectual grasp, and social-emotional development. Plus, it’s just so much fun! Each of the activities in this book are designed to inspire expressiveness, curiosity, imagination, and musicality. Based on sound principles of early childhood development and focused on preschoolers and kindergarteners, I Can Play It will help introduce three- to five-year-olds to music in a joyful, hands-on way.

This enjoyable guide to musical exploration is packed with kid-pleasing, skill-building activities that will keep them laughing, singing, and moving all day long. Open up the world of music to children and watch them learn how to express themselves in entertaining, educational, and enriching ways. 

How Many Ways Can You Make Five? A Parent’s Guide to Exploring Math with Children’s Books. Sally Anderson, $17.95

In a world filled with patterns, shapes, sequences, and numbers — math is all around us. From an early age, children begin to notice and make connections between math concepts and everyday life, asking: How many? How high? How long? How much?

Children’s books can bring math concepts to life. With the help of the stories and activities in How Many ways Can You Make Five young children will have a blast exploring the world of math. Use favorite children’s books to investigate patterns and puzzles, learn how to subtract, and make maps.

I'm Busy: a Feelings Story. Clare Hibbert & Simona Dimitri, $13.99

I'm Happy and Other Fun Feelings. Clare Hibbert & Simona Dimitri, $13.99

I'm Sad and Other Tricky Feelings. Clare Hibbert & Simona Dimitri, $13.99

I'm Tired and Other Body Feelings. Clare Hibbert & Simona Dimitri, $13.99

The Feelings series is designed to help young children understand, express and manage their feelings. Each spread tells a story in pictures, highlighting a different emotion against a familiar backdrop. Simple and engaging text is just right for early reading. Each page includes the British Sign Language sign for each emotion.

I'm OK! Building Resilience through Physical Play, Ages 2-8. Jarrod Green, $34.50

Children must learn to pick themselves up, brush themselves off, and bounce back. But how do you allow for the physicality required to build resilience when you are tasked with children's safety? This guide provides the tools and strategies for creating a culture of resilience, including families in the process, and keeping safety front-of-mind.

• Examine common safety concerns and how to address and prepare for them
• Learn how to work with families and build a trusting relationship around children's physical development
• Consider legal concerns regarding licensing and liability

The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Needs from Grownups. Erika Christakis, $36.00

To a four-year-old watching bulldozers at a construction site or chasing butterflies in flight, the world is awash with promise. Little children come into the world hardwired to learn in virtually any setting and about any matter. Yet in today’s preschool and kindergarten classrooms, learning has been reduced to scripted lessons and suspect metrics that too often undervalue a child’s intelligence while overtaxing the child’s growing brain. These mismatched expectations wreak havoc on the family: parents fear that if they choose the “wrong” program, their child won’t get into the “right” college. But Yale early childhood expert Erika Christakis says our fears are wildly misplaced. Our anxiety about preparing and safeguarding our children’s future seems to have reached a fever pitch at a time when, ironically, science gives us more certainty than ever before that young children are exceptionally strong thinkers. 

Christakis’s message is energizing and reassuring: young children are inherently powerful, and they (and their parents) will flourish when we learn new ways of restoring the vital early learning environment to one that is best suited to the littlest learners. This bold and pragmatic challenge to the conventional wisdom peels back the mystery of childhood, revealing a place that’s rich with possibility.

An Integrated Play-based Curriculum for Young Children. Olivia Saracho, $80.50

Play provides young children with the opportunity to express their ideas, symbolize, and test their knowledge of the world. It provides the basis for inquiry in literacy, science, social studies, mathematics, art, music, and movement. Through play, young children become active learners engaged in explorations about themselves, their community, and their personal-social world.

An Integrated Play-Based Curriculum for Young Children offers the theoretical framework for understanding the origins of an early childhood play-based curriculum and how young children learn and understand concepts in a social and physical environment. Distinguished author Olivia N. Saracho then explores how play fits into various curriculum areas in order to help teachers develop their early childhood curriculum using developmentally and culturally appropriate practice. Through this integrated approach, young children are able to actively engage in meaningful and functional experiences in their natural context.

The Intentional Teacher: Choosing the Best Strategies for Young Children’s Learning, Revised Edition. Ann Epstein, $47.50

How do preschoolers learn and develop? What are the best ways to support learning in the early years? The Intentional Teacher guides teachers to balance both child-guided and adult-guided learning experiences that respond to children’s interests and focus on what they need to learn to be successful in school and life. This book will help teachers apply their knowledge of children and of content to make thoughtful, intentional use of experiential strategies.

Jump into Literacy combines children’s love of active games with over 100 lively literacy activities. Written by a well-known children’s movement specialist, these joyful games will engage the whole child in moving and playing as a way to develop the literacy skills needed for reading and writing. From “The Alphabet in Action” to “Floorwriting” and “Follow That Letter,” the activities in Jump into Literacy bring active learning to the classroom!

Learn Every Day about Colors: 100 Best Ideas from Teachers. Kathy Charmer, Editor, $18.50

Learn Every Day about Numbers: 100 Best Ideas from Teachers. Kathy Charmer, Editor, $18.50

Learn Every Day about Shapes: 100 Best Ideas from Teachers. Kathy Charmer, Editor, $18.50

Learning has never been so much fun!  The result of an innovative contest, teachers from around the globe have contributed their favorite classroom activities, all focused on topics that teachers use every day. Organized by curriculum area, the activities in each chapter begin with those that are appropriate for the youngest preschooler and end with activities that six-year-olds will enjoy. The Learn Every Day books have activities for children ages 3-6, providing teachers with innovative and fun ways to introduce and reinforce learning.

Learning about Language & Literacy in Preschool. National Association for the Education of Young Children (naeyc), $22.99

What every preschool teacher needs! Filled with practical strategies and useful information on language and literacy, this book offers:

• Learning center ideas 
• Engaging activities 
• Practical suggestions that are easy to implement
• Ideas that support the development and learning of every preschooler 
• Children’s book recommendations 

Learning Language and Loving It DVD: Promoting Children's Social, Language, and Literacy Development in Early Childhood Settings. The Hanen Centre, $65.00 DVD format

This easy to use DVD demonstrates the vital role of preschool teachers in facilitating children’s social, language and literacy development. As a companion to the Learning Language and Loving It guidebook and program, this DVD provides real life examples of teachers using strategies in play and daily activities to create enriched, interactive language-learning environments that include children who have special needs and language delays, who are second language learners, as well as those who are typically developing. User friendly menus provide quick access to everyday examples.

Let's All Play: a Group Learning (Un)Curriculum. Jeff Johnson & Denita Dinger, $22.95

Young children learn best when they are allowed to lead their own play. The 40 all-new adventures in this book support children's social learning and skill development through open-ended group play. These play experiences help children engage with each other and the world around them, and they stimulate and support children's group interactions and conversations — all of which leads to rich learning.

This book also encourages you to reflect on the value of children's play and your practices and policies through deep thinking activities. Let's All Play builds on the early learning principles presented in Jeff A. Johnson and Denita Dinger's first book together, Let Them Play, and the open-ended learning adventures in their second book, Let's Play.

Let's Build: Strong Foundations in Language, Math, and Social Skills. Pamela Phelps, $29.95

Blocks are a key teaching tool in any early childhood program. Through well-planned, teacher-supported block play experiences, young children can develop build math, language, and social skills while using their imaginations and boosting their creativity. LET'S BUILD provides educators of young children with guidance in how to create early childhood environments that support children’s natural need to play.

Let's Play: (Un)Curriculum Early Learning Adventures. Jeff Johnson & Denita Dinger, $21.95 (ages 3-5)

Children's play is focused, purposeful, and full of learning. As children play, they master motor development, learn language and social skills, think creatively, and make cognitive leaps. Let's Play provides a variety of budget-friendly, child-centered experiences that lead to countless learning opportunities. Each chapter outlines an open-ended play adventure with instructions, photographs, and fresh ideas for children to explore everything from worms to magnets.

Let’s Take It Outside! Teacher-Created Activities for Outdoor Learning. Edited by Kathy Charner, Mary Rein & Brittany Roberts, $28.95 (ages 3 to 6)

Children love outdoor play.  Now teachers can combine the magic and excitement of the outdoors with activities that encourage and support learning. With more than 100 new teacher-created, classroom-tested outdoor activities, LET’S TAKE IT OUTSIDE engages children’s minds and bodies as they explore the limitless bounds of the outdoors while also building key skills in areas like math, literacy and language, science, art, and music.

Literacy for All Young Learners. Mary Renck Jalongo, $33.95

Early childhood classrooms are becoming more and more diverse. One in nine students in the United States currently does not speak English as his first language. Soon, one in four students will be an English language learner (ELL). Dual languages and a wide range of reading abilities require that teachers have the resources to reach all learners in their classrooms.

In Literacy for All Young Learners, Mary Jalongo, PhD, offers 65 strategies to support literacy learning with children from preschool through the third grade. With specific suggestions for ELL students, Jalongo includes recommendations for hundreds of great children’s books, websites, and apps to make teaching easier. Each strategy is designed to be simple to use with all of the children in your classroom — from the not-yet-readers to the fluent readers — and each strategy is tied to the Common Core State Standards for kindergarten through third grade. Downloadable digital content includes sample parent letters in English and Spanish, extra book-based activities, and technology supports.

Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children. Lisa Daly & Miriam Beloglovsky, photographs by Jenna Daly, $41.50; Loose Parts 2: Inspiring Play with Infants and Toddlers. Lisa Daly & Miriam Beloglovsky, $45.50

Loose parts are natural or synthetic found, bought, or upcycled materials — acorns, hardware, stones, aluminum foil, fabric scraps, for example — that children can move, manipulate, control, and change within their play. Loose parts are alluring and beautiful. They capture children's curiosity, give free reign to their imagination, and encourage creativity. With color photographs of many kinds of loose parts in real early childhood settings, classroom stories, and a dynamic overview, these books provide inspiration and information about the ways loose parts support open-ended learning, enhance play, and empower children. With loose parts, the possibilities are endless. 

Making Makers: Kids, Tools, and the Future of Innovation. AnnMarie Thomas, $27.95

This is a book for parents and educators — both formal and informal, who are curious about the intersections of learning and making. Through stories, research, and data, it builds the case for why it is crucial to encourage today’s youth to be makers — to see the world as something they are actively helping to create. For those who are new to the Maker Movement, some history and introduction is given as well as practical advice for getting kids started in making. For those who are already familiar with the Maker Movement, this book provides biographical information about many of the “big names” and unsung heroes of the Maker Movement while also highlighting many of the attributes that make this a movement that so many people are passionate about.

Math Experiences for Young Learners. Marilee Woodfield, $11.95 (PK to K)

Developmental activities on numbers and counting, shapes, order and position of objects, patterns and measurement.

Mathematizing: an Emergent Math Curriculum Approach for Young Children. Allen Rosales, $42.95 (ages 3-6)

Based on years of research with early childhood teachers, author Allen Rosales provides an approach to create an emergent math curriculum that integrates children's interests with math concepts. The mathematizing approach is different from traditional math curriculums, as it immerses children in a process that is designed to develop their understanding of math concepts in real life contexts. This approach has helped hundreds of teachers engage children in meaningful and purposeful interactions that have led to increased math, language, and inquiry skills. Mathematizing makes learning math seem like child's play... and it is! 

Mighty Fine Motor Fun: Fine Motor Activities for Young Children. Christy Isbell, $17.95

Fun activities to develop the fine motor skills preschoolers need for school success.

My Singing Arboretum/Mon arboretum chanté/Mi arboretum cantado: Three Trees of North America. Mélanie-Rose Cantin, $28.00

Did you know that every tree has a story that we can sing? In a musical garden, discover the trees of the world. let yourself be carried away by the music, words, and images with this beautiful book/CD set. Ideal for use in a preschool setting, this is the first volume in a series of five that will explore trees from each continent.

Nature Education with Young Children: Integrating Inquiry and Practice. Daniel Meier & Stephanie Sisk-Hilton, Editors, $59.50

Nature Education with Young Children is a thoughtful, sophisticated teacher resource that blends theory and practice on nature education, children's inquiry-based learning, and reflective teaching. The book’s guiding conceptual framework is founded upon the integration of four key ideas for effective and transformative nature education. Implementing nature study is one critical way that educators can integrate more science learning across the ECE curriculum and do so in an active, discovery-based manner. Nature Education with Young Children strives for an American version of what the Reggio Emilia educators do so well: creating a seamless integration of science concepts into the daily intellectual investigations that occur in classrooms everywhere.

Nature and Young Children: Encouraging Creative Play and Learning in Natural Environments, 2nd Edition. Ruth Wilson, $66.95

Now in its second edition, Nature and Young Children promotes the holistic development of children by connecting them with nature. It offers advice and guidance on how to set up indoor and outdoor nature play spaces as well as encouraging environmentally responsible attitudes, values and behaviour in your early childhood setting.

Covering topics as diverse as gardening with young children, creating an accessible nature program for children with special needs and addressing cultural differences in connecting children with nature, this book reveals how important nature play can be in the development of young children.

Once Upon a Touch: Story Massage for Children. Mary Atkinson & Sandra Hooper, $22.95

A fun and creative way to increase general well-being, improve concentration and self-awareness, and encourage relaxation in children aged 3-11, this book offers a hands-on guide to story massage. Central to the book are step-by-step, illustrated instructions for ten easy-to-learn basic strokes which are given through clothes on the back, head, shoulders and arms. These basic strokes have then been used to create over 25 story massages which vary in length and complexity. The stories range from traditional tales such as 'Humpty Dumpty' to hands-on learning stories such as 'Deep in the Rainforest.' The massages can be carried out by adults in one-to-one or group sessions, or taught to children to practice on each other. An enjoyable and interactive way of sharing the benefits and safe and appropriate use of positive touch with all children.

150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids. Asia Citro, $28.99

Remember the days when a cardboard box and an active imagination were all kids needed to have fun? With this book, bring back the good ol' days while developing your child's creativity, skills, and sense of adventure. Featuring step-by-step instructions and 4-color photographs, each budget-friendly game and activity will keep children giggling and learning all day long. Best of all, no one will complain about turning off the TV or computer with entertaining activities, like:

• Edible Natural Dye Fingerpaint
• Rainbow Noodles
• Fizzing Ocean World
• Pumpkin Play Clay
• Mix and Match Robots

Complete with dozens of indoor and outdoor exercises, 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids will help parents and children alike step away from their devices and step into endless afternoons of family fun!

One, Two What Can I Do? Dance and Music for the Whole Day. Connie Bergstein Dow, $46.95 (ages 3-6; includes 2 CDs with music by Debbie Clement)

One, Two What Can I Do is a great way to stimulate children’s minds and muscles. With more than 100 activities and two accompanying CDs of music, this is an easy and fun way to incorporate lively movement into the day.

The Ooey Gooey® Handbook: Identifying and Creating Child-centered Environments. Lisa Murphy, $28.50 (ages 3-8)

Find more than 65 hands-on art, science, and outside play activity ideas for creating engaging environments both at home and at school. If you are just beginning your Ooey Gooey® journey, this is a great book to read. It includes an informational overview of how it all started and has lots of activities to get your gooey juices flowing. The Ooey Gooey® Handbook is a must read for anyone who spends time with children. 

Ooey Gooey® Tooey : 140 Exciting Hands-on Activity Ideas for Young Children. Lisa Murphy, $35.50 (ages 3-8)

No matter what age group you work with, this book will be a valuable addition to your resource shelf. With 140 activities for you to do with children, Ooey Gooey® Tooey is chock full of art ideas and sensory tub concoctions, and sure to become an early childhood classic!

Oral Language and Comprehension in Preschool: Teaching the Essentials. Lesley Mandel Morrow, Kathleen Roskos & Linda Gambrell, $35.95

Before children are readers and writers, they are speakers and listeners. This book provides creative, hands-on strategies for developing preschoolers' speaking, listening, and oral comprehension skills, within a literacy-rich classroom environment. Each chapter features helpful classroom vignettes; a section called Preschool in Practice, with step-by-step lesson ideas; and Ideas for Discussion, Reflection, and Action. The book addresses the needs of English language learners and describes ways to support students' literacy development at home. The final chapter pulls it all together through a portrait of an exemplary day of preschool teaching and learning. 

The Parenting 5: Sensory Motor Play for Little People. Ruth Barker, $28.95

This simple guide to activities that enhance sensory motor play offers practical ideas, captured in clear text and colourful photos. The perfect book for parents and caregivers of young children, it gives you the knowledge you need for their best start in life. The early years lay the foundation for a child's neurological and physical wellbeing. The Parenting 5: Sensory Motor Play for Little People assists parents and caregivers in in creating a fun learning environment for preschoolers - at home or in childcare settings.

Play Today: Building the Young Brain through Creative Expression. Ann Barbour, $22.25

When young children are engaged in imaginative play, they are not just having fun; they are developing skills and concepts that are foundational to their learning. Teachers can get the most out of this critical development time with thoughtful preparations that allow the children to freely explore their creativity and learn from each other. Using simple props and donated items, the book shows how centers can be transformed into rich and rewarding learning spaces for children. Play Today offers dozens of easy-to-do scenarios that will spark open-ended play explorations. Play strategies discussed boost brain development in many ways, including:

• Memory and flexible thinking
• Communication
• Social-emotional skills
• Mathematics
• Science
• Literacy

Playing to Learn: the Role of Play in the Early Years. Sandra Smidt, $42.95

Sandra Smidt explores what play is and why it is so important as one of the key ways of learning, particularly — but not solely — for young children. She argues that all play is purposeful, and can only truly be deemed 'play' when the child has chosen what to do, where and how to do it.

Attention is paid to the close links that play has with creativity, and the author also highlights the importance of being able to explain to colleagues, parents and even those in government, why play matters so much in terms of learning and development.

Playing Outside: Activities, Ideas and Inspiration for the Early Years, 2nd Edition. Helen Bilton, $53.95

Making outdoor teaching and learning work in practice is now a key priority for all early years practitioners. Playing Outside provides clear and detailed guidance on all aspects of outdoor play. Illustrated with over 100 colour photographs, this bestselling book has been fully updated throughout to incorporate the Early Years Foundation Stage and includes completely new photographs, case studies and ideas for resources. To help promote physical activity, healthy and well educated children this book provides:

• practical activities that cover all aspects of learning;
• photographs illustrating good practice and imaginative use of equipment;
• examples of work from a range of settings;
• help and advice on suppliers of equipment.

Written for all practitioners working in schools, nurseries and pre-school settings, this book is essential reading for those who wish to provide inspiring outdoor play opportunities for the children in their care.

The Play's the Thing: Teacher's Roles in Children's Play, 2nd Edition. Elizabeth Jones & Gretchen Reynolds, $30.95

Responding to current debates on the place of play in schools, the authors explain how and why play is a critical part of children's development, as well as the central role adults have to promote it. This classic textbook and popular practitioner resource offers systematic descriptions and analyses of the different roles a teacher adopts to support play, including those of stage manager, mediator, player, scribe, assessor, communicator, and planner. This new edition has been expanded to include significant developments in the broadening landscape of early learning and care, such as assessment, diversity and culture, intentional teaching, inquiry, and the construction of knowledge. New for the 2nd edition:

• Additional theories on the relationship of teachers and children's play, e.g., Vygotsky and the role of imaginary play and Reggio Emilia's image of the competent child.

• Current issues from media content, consumer culture, and environmental concerns.
• Standards and testing in preschool and kindergarten.
• Bridging the cultural gap between home and school.
• Using digital technology to make children's play visible.
• Recent brain development research.

Preparing Early Childhood Educators to Teach Math: Professional Development that Works. Herbert Ginsburg, Marylou Hyson & Taniesha Woods, $47.50

If you're preparing early childhood educators for the critical task of teaching math, this groundbreaking resource is just what you need to plan and implement effective professional development. This text is your key to improving the way educators teach math to children ages 3–6. You'll get an in-depth guide to what math teachers need to teach; a research-based framework for strengthening professional development; and web-based video clips to enhance training sessions and show teachers the "how" of high-quality math instruction. Use this accessible text to guide both pre- and in-service teacher preparation — and ensure better math teaching and higher student achievement.

Preschool EnglishSmart Activities. $12.95

Preschool FrenchSmart Activities. $12.95

Preschool MathSmart Activities. $12.95

The Preschool Activities series comprises three systemically-developed collections of educational games and fun activities on Math, English, and French to help children develop the basic skills and concepts, as well as stimulate their interest in learning. One board game and three sheets of colourful stickers are included in each Preschool Activities title.

Preschool Pathways to Science (PrePS™): Facilitating Scientific Ways of Thinking, Talking, Doing, and Understanding. Rochel Gelman, Kimberly Brenneman, Gay Macdonald & Moisés Román, $34.50

A fun and engaging way to introduce science to young children, this innovative teaching resource helps children ages 3–5 investigate their everyday world and develop the basics of scientific thinking — skills they'll apply across subject areas when they enter school.

Preschoolers and Kindergartners Moving and Learning: a Physical Education Curriculum. Rae Pica, $29.95 (ages 3-6) 80 movement activities, includes CD

Physical education is a critical part of every early childhood curriculum. Children need to move to channel their energies in creative, beneficial ways and to learn habits for lifelong health and fitness. Preschoolers and Kindergartners Moving & Learning provides 80 developmentally appropriate activities that contribute to a well-rounded curriculum in any classroom or program. The book contains:

• An updated introduction reflecting new research and trends in early childhood health and fitness and information on how movement benefits children's learning and development
• 20 lesson plans, each with one body parts activity, one non-locomotor activity, one locomotor skill experience, and one activity exploring an element of movement, for a total of 80 activities
• Extension ideas and adaptations to use with children who have special needs
• Curriculum connections for each activity and explanations about how activities are aligned with and meet early learning standards from NAEYC and AAHPERD
• A CD with original music to add joy and energy to the activities

Rapunzel's Supermarket: All about Young Children and Their Art. Ursula Kolbe, $53.95

Rapunzel’s Supermarket is an inspirational book filled with ideas for helping children realise their potential as image-makers. Building on children’s curiosity about their world, it offers many suggestions for drawing, painting, collage, clay work, puppet making and much more. A wonderful resource for all who live and work with young children. The book:

• Invites readers to look at how children find magic in everyday things and how they delight in discovering colours, shapes, textures and patterns
• Offers new insights into the complexities of children’s image-making
• Looks at types of image-making of greatest use to young children — drawing, painting, claywork, collage, construction and printmaking — and shows how they enable children to explore and communicate thoughts
• Provides ample practical information, empowering the adult with the confidence to appreciate, support and guide children’s image-making as a co-explorer

Read! Move! Learn! Carol Totsky Hammett & Nicki Collins Geigert, $27.95

Enhance literacy skills, bring the magic of a good book to the classroom, and encourage active, healthy lifestyles in young children with Read! Move! Learn! This book has more than 150 active learning experiences based on popular children’s books. In addition to the activities for each featured children’s book, you will find theme connections, lesson objectives, a vocabulary list, a concept list, and related children’s books and music for hours of fun in the classroom.”

Read with Me: Best Books for Preschoolers. Stephanie Zvirin, $21.50

This authoritative guide — with a core focus on reading readiness and helping position children to succeed in school — offers more than 300 age-appropriate and subject-specific book selections from librarians for reading time with children. These recommendations reflect family, community, play, and the environment. Mirroring a child's world as they grow and mature, chapters include segments on reading together, friendship, places near and far, and making believe. These titles have been culled from the American Library Association's “best” lists and professional review journals.

Reading and Writing in Preschool: Teaching the Essentials. Renée Casbergue & Dorothy Strickland, $35.95

This book describes effective, engaging ways to build young children's print concepts and alphabetic knowledge, which are crucial for both reading and writing development. Presenting shared reading, shared writing, and targeted instructional activities, each chapter features helpful classroom vignettes, a section debunking myths about preschool literacy, and Ideas for Discussion, Reflection, and Action. Strategies are provided for creating print-rich classroom and home environments and differentiating instruction for diverse students, including English language learners. The book also discusses how to assess preschoolers' reading and writing progress.

Safety: a Whole Health Curriculum for Young Children, 3rd Edition. Connie Smith, Charlotte Hendricks & Becky Bennett, $19.95 (ages 3-6)

Learning to lead a healthy lifestyle begins during the early years. This body care curriculum includes activities and background information to help children develop lifelong healthy habits. The earlier children learn about safety, the more naturally they will develop habits that lead to lifelong patterns of safe behavior. These activities introduce topics — such as seat belt use, fire and burn prevention, and tobacco and alcohol awareness, in developmentally appropriate ways to help children take care of themselves.

Science — Not Just for Scientists! Easy Explorations for Young Children. Leonisa Ardizzone, $15.95

Children are natural scientists, drawn to wonder, exploration, discovery, and analysis. Science — Not Just for Scientists! gives you simple ideas to open up the world of discovery to young children. Through open-ended explorations, you will discover how to cultivate children’s natural curiosity by asking simple questions: How? When? Where? And the most famous of all children’s questions: Why? The hands-on activities will empower children to question, experiment, and develop abstract reasoning skills. Children will explore patterns, cause and effect, size and scale, change and growth, energy, and how things work. Easy to follow, step-by-step activities lead children and their caregivers through a new world of discovery.

Sign Language Fun in the Early Childhood Classroom. Sherrill Flora, $11.95 (PK to K)

Enrich language and literacy skills of young hearing children, children with special needs and English language learners.

Written for teachers of hearing children from birth to age six, Simple Signing is the perfect introduction to teaching young children through sign. There are chapters for infants, toddlers, and preschool children, with age-appropriate signs. The chapter written for teachers of infants focuses on using beginning signs as a bridge to communicating with words, while the toddler chapter focuses on signing to promote expression, enrich vocabulary, and teach social skills. The preschool chapter places an emphasis on using signs to enhance emergent literacy skills... Simple Signing shows teachers just how easy and valuable it can be to incorporate sign language into daily activities.

Social Skills Matter! Betty Ashbaker & Jill Morgan, $53.95 (grades PK-2)

Help your students learn how to communicate effectively, make good choices, and practice appropriate behavior with Social Skills Matter! This book includes over 80 reproducible mini-books for children to assemble, color, read, and make their own. Each mini-book focuses on a different facet of important social skills including cooperative play, learning about feelings, communication, school-day behavior, manners, and behavior management. Mastery of these essential social skills can be a factor in determining a child’s future success, social acceptance, and happiness. Features:

• Developmental tasks for communication, emotions, manners, relationships, and daily living skills
• Multisensory activities that shape behavior through auditory, visual, and tactile senses

Spotlight on Young Children and Science. Derry Koralek & Laura Colker, Editors, $18.99

Spotlight on Young Children Exploring Science. Amy Shillady, Editor, $18.99

Spotlight on Young Children and Technology. Amy Shillady & Leah Schoenberg Muccio, Editors, $18.99

These books offer early childhood educators fresh, effective ideas for appropriate and meaningful ways to  facilitate learning, and to engage the imagination of preschoolers.

Starting Inquiry-Based Science in the Early Years. Sue Dale Tunnicliffe, $55.95

Young children are intuitive scientists. This book builds on their inherent curiosity and problem solving as they move forward in their scientific thinking. Starting Inquiry Based Science in the Early Years shows you how you can support children’s emerging scientific skills by working with them and scaffolding their inquiries as they experiment, hypothesise and investigate building on their natural curiosity.

Full of practical advice, it offers a wide range of scientific activities that can be carried out in partnership with young children. Each activity presents a challenge for the child to solve by thinking and talking through their ideas and then carrying out their own investigations. This invaluable guide focuses on helping children to follow their own line of inquiry and supporting them in mastering the skills and vocabulary they need in order to do this.

Starting with Science: Strategies for Introducing Young Children to Inquiry. Marcia Talhelm Edson, $24.95 (Grades PreK-2)

Discover how to overcome all the impediments and apprehensions related to teaching science to young children, and learn to view science and inquiry as a joint exploration to take with your students as they ask questions about the world around them. This straightforward book describes how to design investigations where children interact with the real world, ask questions, develop and test theories, look for evidence, share ideas, find connections, and ask more questions. Including inquiry-based science in the classroom provides children with a knowledge base, a skill set for problem solving, and an attitude toward learning that they will carry with them throughout their school career and beyond.

STEM Learning with Young Children: Inquiry Teaching with Ramps and Pathways. Shelly Counsell, Lawrence Escalada et al, $47.50 (ages 3-8)

This teacher’s guide provides the background information, STEM concepts, and strategies needed to successfully implement an early STEM curriculum (Ramps and Pathways) with young children, ages 3-8. R&P actively engages young children in designing and building ramp structures using wooden cove molding, releasing marbles on the structures, and observing what happens. Children use logical-mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills as they explore science concepts related to motion, force, and energy. This guide helps teachers to:

• Structure and organize an engaging STEM learning environment
• Understand and promote logical-mathematical and scientific thinking during investigations
• Promote social settings that enhance communication, cooperation, and collaboration
• Make the necessary accommodations and modifications for diverse
• Integrate STEM concepts and skills with other content areas
• Assess STEM learning using formative and summative
• Establish adult learning communities to support ongoing professional development
• Help children develop habits and behaviors that contribute to positive attitudes toward STEM

This one-of-a-kind resource uses a newly created Inquiry Teaching Model (ITM) as the conceptual framework and devotes specific attention to the importance of an inclusive, social, STEM learning environment in which children are free to collaborate, take risks, and investigate within the context of exploratory and constructive play.

Teaching in the Digital Age: Smart Tools for Age 3 to Grade 3. Brian Puerling, $49.95

Technology is rapidly changing the ways we live our lives and interact with the world. It's also changing how you teach. Technology can enhance your classroom's complete curriculum and assessment and help you create and capture meaningful experiences, support inquiry, and expand your classroom's walls. Teaching In the Digital Age is a comprehensive framework that will help you select and use a variety of technology and interactive media tools in your classroom — including digital cameras, audio recorders, webcams, publication and presentation tools, and multi-touch mobile devices. 

Teaching Numeracy, Language, and Literacy with Blocks. Abigail Newburger & Elizabeth Vaughan, $36.95

Effectively develop the emerging skills — numbers, vocabulary, and reading — children need for kindergarten readiness by enhancing how you use block play in your classroom. Newburger and Vaughan provide a theoretical foundation on why and how blocks are used, as well as information on selecting blocks and block safety. With chapters on the seven developmental stages of block building in young children, Teaching Numeracy, Language, and Literacy with Blocks illuminates the learning potential in the common uses of block play.

Teaching STEM In The Early Years: Activities for Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Sally Moomaw, $47.95

The foundation for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education begins in the early years. Teaching STEM in Preschool and Kindergarten provides more than 90 activities and learning center ideas that seamlessly integrate STEM throughout your early childhood classroom. These hands-on STEM experiences enhance cooking, art, and music activities, block play and sensory table exploration, and field trips and outdoor time. Information on assessment and early learning standards is also provided.

30 Fun Ways to Learn about Counting. Claire Beswick, $14.95

With activities that involve counting beats of music, pairing and sorting objects, counting backwards and more, children will be using their imaginations while learning basic skills and having fun.

30 Fun Ways to Learn about Music. Anice Paterson & David Wheway, $14.95 (Preschool - Gr. 1)

Music does more than teach children to sing or play an instrument. It build's children's development in areas such as literacy, math, physical skills and coordination. The activities in 30 Fun ways to Learn about Music will also help children develop concentration, build confidence and nurture their creative and social development.

30 Fun Ways to Learn about Time and Money. Dawn Roper, $14.95 (Preschool - Gr. 1)

Time and money are challenging concepts with everyday importance. Using role-playing games, songs, imaginative play and props, this book will help engage children's curiosity and develop understanding.

30 Fun Ways to Learn with Blocks and Boxes. Claire Beswick, $14.95 (ages 3-6)

From building basic models and mazes to constructing complex stairs and bridges, these activities ignite children's imaginations and engage their creativity and critical thinking.

30 Fun Ways to Learn about Time and Money. Dawn Roper, $14.95 (Preschool - Gr. 1)

Time and money are challenging concepts with everyday importance. Using role-playing games, songs, imaginative play and props, this book will help engage children's curiosity and develop understanding.

Three-Step Tray Tasking: Logic & Critical Thinking Activities for Young Children. Victoria Folds, $29.95

This innovative text provides an easy approach to helping young children develop their organizational thinking skills. Each task is written as a stand-alone activity that prompts a child's ability to think logically and progress through three steps, each building upon the next, to complete a task. The tasks are designed to support children's increasing ability to anticipate and work through materials while performing actions. Emphasis is placed on small motor refinement and critical thinking skills as children move through a variety of tracing to cutting to assemblage tasks. There are an assortment of tools suggested for tracing such as pencils, markers, and chalk as well as incorporating the use of scissors, single hole punch and rulers to increase small muscle refinement.

3-2-1: Time for Parachute Fun. Clare Beswick, $12.50

Children love parachute play. They get the chance to move around, be silly, and have fun. But there’s more to parachute play than games. The activities in 3-2-1: Time for Parachute Fun are sure to get kids laughing while they’re learning to count, cooperate, follow directions, and move their bodies in new ways.

Tinkerlab: a Hands-On Guide for Little Inventors. Rachel Doorley, $25.95

Design, Build, Concoct, and Discover — 55 creative experiments for curious kids! Kids are natural tinkerers. They experiment, explore, test, and play — and learn a great deal in the process through problem-solving and hands-on experiments. From art making to simple robot building, magic potion testing, and nature exploration, this book is about creative experiments, in all fields, that help kids explore the world. Perfect for young children up to age six.

Transition Time Activities: Fun Learning Experiences for Young Children in PreK-K. Ellen Booth Church, $13.95 (Laminated Reference Guide)

Transitions are a natural part of life. Many young children need help with transitions and this practical guide will help ECE staff make transitions fun and instructive moments for building language, literacy, math and problem-solving skills.

200 Essential Preschool Activities. Julienne Olson, $24.95

Promote children's learning, improve their functional skills, and encourage interaction in your classroom with 200 Essential Preschool Activities. Use these adaptable, open-ended, developmentally appropriate activities and strategies to complement and enhance your early childhood program's core curriculum. You will find ideas for creative centers, learning games, group lessons, arts and crafts, and classroom structure, as well as suggestions to involve families in children's early learning. 

The Unscripted Classroom: Emergent Curriculum in Action. Susan Stacey, $40.50

Emergent curriculum encourages you to use creativity and flexibility as you respond to classroom challenges and children's interests. Filled with case studies and stories from toddler and preschool teachers about their experiences responding to events in their own classrooms, The Unscripted Classroom provides inspiration to step out of your usual scripts and try something new. A review of the emergent curriculum philosophy and an examination of the many ways creativity in teaching benefits children are included.

Up Down and Move Around Math and Literacy: Active Learning for Preschoolers. Deborah Kayton Michals, $27.95

Young children learn best when they connect physical activity with learning! Up, Down, Move Around is packed with fun, simple activities that will have your children jumping, shaking, rolling, dancing, and clapping as they learn! From the Healthy Food Obstacle Course to the Bendy Bodies Stretch, children ages 3 to 6 will get moving as they learn and support an awareness of nutrition and health concepts as well as fine and gross motor-skill development.

Up Down and Move Around Nutrition and Motor Skills: Active Learning for Preschoolers. Deborah Kayton Michals, $27.95

Young children learn best when they connect physical activity with learning! Up, Down, Move Around is packed with fun, simple math and literacy activities that will have your children jumping, shaking, rolling, dancing, and clapping as they learn! From the Syllable Freeze Dance to a Math Orchestra, children ages 3 to 6 will actively explore letters and numbers as they develop number sense, practice counting and rhyming, and learn about letter shapes and story structure.

When Play Isn't Easy: Helping Children Enter and Sustain Play. Sandra Heidemann & Deborah Hewitt, $16.95

Play is key to young children's development and one of the most influential ways they learn. Sometimes, though, play isn't easy for children. They may find it hard to fit in, get along, or collaborate with peers. With your help, children can learn more effective strategies to engage in productive play. This interactive workbook encourages thought, reflection, and discussion as you carefully observe play, identify where children's strengths and struggles are, and offer strategies to improve their play skills. It provides a detailed look at the Play Checklist introduced in the authors' book Play: The Pathway from Theory to Practice, and an exploration of how play connects to early learning standards. Use this workbook to deepen your understanding of how developmental challenges affect children's play skills — and make play an easier, more enjoyable experience for all children. 

When Play Isn't Fun: Helping Children Resolve Play Conflicts. Sandra Heidemann & Deborah Hewitt, $18.50

Play is essential for children's development and as they learn life skills. But some children face challenges when playing with others, and conflicts can erupt over sharing toys, taking turns, and feeling left out. Despite those moments, children want to play together. With your support and guidance, children can learn how to engage in productive play, resolve struggles, and enjoy group play. This workbook outlines strategies to create an engaging play environment, provides information to help you understand skill development, and suggests ways you can encourage children's growth through rich play. It also explains common challenges children might have during group play — like being unengaged in dramatic play, having conflicts with each other, or playing aggressively — and approaches you can use to address them. Use this interactive workbook to thoughtfully respond to play challenges in a way that can open up opportunities for children.

Where Does My Shadow Sleep? A Parent’s Guide to Exploring Science with Children’s Books. Sally Anderson, $17.95

Young children are investigators by nature, just like scientists. They are curious about the world around them and eager to explore. With the help of the stories and activities in Where Does My Shadow Sleep you can use favorite children’s books to help young children observe, wonder, ask questions, talk about, and explore the world of science.

Wild About Group Time: Simple Literacy Plans for Preschool. Between the Lions Staff, PBS, $30.95

Transform group time into the perfect opportunity for literacy with plans designed to help children practice the early skills they’ll need to become successful readers.

Wild About Literacy: Fun Activities for Preschool. Between the Lions Staff, PBS, $30.95

More than 150 activities feature theme connections, vocabulary, materials, preparation and extension ideas for the preschool classroom.

Worms, Shadows, and Whirlpools: Science in the Early Childhood Classroom. Karen Worth & Sharon Grollman, $33.95

This book represents a new way to think about science education for young children. Based on the growing understanding that even the littlest learners are powerful thinkers and theory makers, it identifies important science inquiry skills and concepts appropriate for the very young. What's more, it makes a strong case for integrating science into the curriculum right from the start — creating a context for the development of language, mathematical thinking, and social skills.

Authors Karen Worth and Sharon Grollman define and illustrate what science education can and should be. They draw upon what is known about the learning, effective teaching, and science education of young children by using the daily work of teachers and children in Head Start, kindergarten, day care, and preschool programs. Then see what the youngest students can do given the opportunity to explore phenomena and materials that draw upon their natural curiosity.