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Ideas and inspiration to help you run an amazing early education center.

How to Improve Childcare Management During the Holiday Season: A Guide for Daycares and Parents

The holiday season is a magical time, but for parents and childcare providers, it often comes with a unique set of challenges. Between attending festive events, shopping for gifts, and managing daily responsibilities, keeping kids safe, engaged, and happy can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a daycare director juggling seasonal activities or a parent balancing holiday […]

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How to Improve Childcare Management During the Holiday Season: A Guide for Daycares and Parents

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The holiday season is a magical time, but for parents and childcare providers, it often comes with a unique set of challenges. Between attending festive events, shopping for gifts, and managing daily responsibilities, keeping kids safe, engaged, and happy can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a daycare director juggling seasonal activities or a parent balancing holiday […]

Classroom ECE

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The holiday season is a magical time, but for parents and childcare providers, it often comes with a unique set of challenges. Between attending festive events, shopping for gifts, and managing daily responsibilities, keeping kids safe, engaged, and happy can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a daycare director juggling seasonal activities or a parent balancing holiday […]

As temperatures drop and snow blankets Alberta and the rest of Canada, childcare providers face the annual challenge of ensuring that children are dressed appropriately for the cold. Winter weather brings plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun, but it also requires preparation to keep kids safe, comfortable, and ready to enjoy the season. This guide […]

Admin & Operators, business, childcare, health & safety, holidays, organization, seasonal activities

November 26, 2024

Winter Gear Essentials for Childcare Providers: Keeping Kids Safe and Warm in Canada

When it comes to your little one’s growth, every milestone is monumental. From those first wobbly steps to the day they master the art of using scissors without accidentally giving their hair an unexpected trim, every achievement counts. But how can you keep track of all these moments without feeling like a haphazard historian? Enter […]

childcare, Classroom ECE, parenting

November 7, 2024

Tracking Your Child’s Development: A Preschool Progress Report

preschool progress report

When selecting a daycare, the childcare curriculum plays a critical role in shaping your child’s early experiences. A childcare centre’s curriculum can easily set the stage for lifelong learning and development. To ensure you’re choosing the best environment for your child, here are five key questions to ask about a childcare center’s curriculum. 1. What […]

5 Essential Questions Parents Should Ask About a Childcare Center’s Curriculum

Child Development, community support, Early Childhood Education, parenting

October 26, 2024

Emergent literacy in early childhood refers to the early stage of learning to read and write, beginning when children first start to engage with text, symbols, and language. For childcare providers, promoting these skills in a classroom setting is crucial for preparing children for future academic success and helping them build the foundation for lifelong […]

childcare, Classroom ECE, Early Childhood Education, early learning, education strategies, literacy

October 26, 2024

How to Foster Emergent Literacy in Early Childhood

The transition to kindergarten is a significant milestone for both children and parents. While academic skills like recognizing letters and numbers are essential, true school readiness encompasses a broader range of developmental areas, including social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills. Preparing children kindergarten goes beyond just the basics—it’s about equipping them with the confidence and […]

Child Development, Early Childhood Education, health & wellness, parenting, tips

October 22, 2024

School Readiness: Preparing Children for Kindergarten Success

Engaging families in your childcare program is essential for fostering strong connections between children, parents, and educators. When families are involved in their child’s early education, it promotes a positive learning environment and strengthens the bridge between home and school. Here are 10 family engagement activities for daycares to implement to help create meaningful, lasting […]

10 Family Engagement Activities for Daycares

Admin & Operators, community support, early childhood development, health & wellness, parenting

October 22, 2024

Daycare separation anxiety is a common experience for both children and parents when starting childcare. For children, it’s an emotional adjustment as they enter a new environment, while parents often face their own concerns about their child’s well-being. This natural anxiety can make the first few days or even weeks of daycare challenging for everyone […]

community support, early childhood development, health & wellness, parenting

October 14, 2024

Helping Kids and Parents with Daycare Separation Anxiety: How Technology Can Ease the Transition

As educators, caregivers, and parents, creating an environment where preschoolers feel confident to express themselves, think critically, and explore their creativity is essential. One of the most effective ways to foster this development is by asking open-ended questions for preschoolers. Unlike yes-or-no questions, open-ended questions encourage children to elaborate, reflect, and think independently, which in […]

Child Development, childcare, Classroom ECE, Early Childhood Education, early learning, Teacher Resources, tips

October 7, 2024

Best Open-Ended Questions for Preschoolers: Encouraging Curiosity and Development in Childcare Settings

Play is often seen as a fun and carefree activity for preschoolers, but it is much more than just a way to pass the time. In early childhood education, play is a critical component of development and serves as a powerful tool for learning. Play-based learning is an educational approach that uses play as the […]

The Importance of Play-Based Learning for Preschoolers in Childcare Centers

Child Development, childcare, Classroom ECE, early education, Game-Based Learning

October 7, 2024

Kindergarten is an exciting milestone for young children, marking the beginning of their formal education. However, kindergarten readiness involves more than just preparing the child—it impacts the entire family. Ensuring a child is ready for this transition means addressing cognitive, social, emotional, and practical aspects of starting school, creating a foundation for success that benefits […]

Classroom ECE, Early Childhood Education, early education, early learning, parenting, tips

October 7, 2024

Why Kindergarten Readiness is Essential for the Whole Family

In a childcare setting, keeping a toddler’s attention can be a challenge. With their natural curiosity and high energy levels, toddlers often find it difficult to focus on one activity for an extended period. However, developing a child’s attention span is crucial for their future learning and overall development. At ChildFriendly, we believe that learning […]

Child Development, childcare, Classroom ECE, education strategies, preschool education

October 2, 2024

Boosting Toddlers’ Attention Span: 4 Engaging Activities for Childcare Centers