This article explains the causes of children's fears and anxieties in the following age brackets: (1) 0-2 years old; (2) 3-4 years old; and (3) 5-6 years old. It presents situations wherein children develop fears and anxious feelings. It also discusses how to deal and manage these fears and anxieties and enumerates what can be done to make…

Babies are active participants in their learning and need to explore a variety of objects. Nurturing relationships support these explorations. Objects are more clearly remembered and understood. Thus, one activity this article suggests doing with a 12-month-old to encourage abstract thinking, is talking about how squeezing the bottle of ketchup…

This article provides teachers with ten tips for introducing young children to activities involving water. The 10 tips include: (1) Prepare Your Water Play Space; (2) Use Containers Within Containers; (3) Keep Things Interesting; (4) Explore Ice; (5) Survey the Effects of Salt; (6) Go With the Flow; (7) Extend Exploration with Spray Bottles; (8)…

When sharing stories with children they often embody the characters, and participate in the actions of the book without even thinking about it. Their wiggles and shouts would tell that they are "in" the story. Children's spontaneous movements, sounds, and rhythms allow them to become part of the story's action. In this article, the author suggests…

This article presents the causes of anger and frustrations of children at different ages. Honig discusses understanding children's anger from ages 0-2 and gives suggestions on how to cope with anger. Miller discusses how children ages 3-4 provoke to anger, and recommends ways to prevent it. Church discusses the cause of anger in 5- and 6-year old…

Group time discussions help children make their own choices about the activities and centers they would like to visit throughout the day. It is easy when visual reminders are used. Children can make choices about learning centers, receive center tags or "play passes," and be inspired to try new activities. The only thing needed is a system. This…

This article describes the manner in which empathy develops during different stages of childhood, from birth to age 6. The first section, "Why Is She Crying?" (Carla Poole), deals with empathy development in children from birth to age two. This is followed by a section entitled "It'll Be OK" (Susan A. Miller) on ages three to four. The article…

Young children are just beginning to develop an understanding of time. In the preschool and kindergarten years children often have difficulty understanding the difference between yesterday, today and tomorrow, much less Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. This article offers tips that teachers may use to make these abstract concepts less confusing: (1)…

The following three short articles describe the stages children go through in order to understand they are not the center of the world: (1) "Mine! Mine!" (Carla Poole); (2) "I Want It Now!" (Susan A. Miller); and (3) "Let's Make it Together!" (Ellen Booth Church). Ideas for what teachers can do to help children through these stages are offered in…

January is a perfect time to insert a strong dose of humor into group time gatherings. Oftentimes, children have tired of the predictable pattern of group meetings and need some change. Humor-filled group time activities can be the best secret remedy. Not only will children become more interested in the group time meetings (and therefore listen…

This article presents calming activities and routines for children at different ages and stages. Honig discusses the different stages of arousal for children ages 0-2 and gives suggestions for ways to sooth fussy babies. Miller discusses calming activities and comforting environments for children ages 3-4, and recommends activities that require…

In this article, the authors discuss how children learn to problem solve from birth to 6 years. At 0 to 2 years, children learn to be very effective problem solvers by encouraging children's explorations and supporting their efforts to resolve difficulties. When they reach 3 years old, children enjoy experimenting with a wide variety of materials,…

By this time of year children have gotten to know each other and have almost mastered the routine. Now is the time to work together to create a community of learners. Group time is the perfect place to get started. The social dynamics of sharing, listening, taking turns, and respecting others are practiced everyday in meetings together. By helping…

In this article, the authors explain how self-concept develops among young children. Several strategies on how to help children attain their full emotional development are also suggested. One such effective strategy is for parents and caregivers to be sensitive to the individual needs of children and to be responsive to them during daily…

In this article, the author discusses children's art and writing and how they connect. Different ages and stages of art and writing are presented. The process of creating handmade books is another area where art and writing intersect. Since both are an important means of communication, books are an important way to combine art and writing, and to…