May News and Notes for Teachers of Young Children

Teachers' News and Notes

A Newsletter for Early Childhood Professionals

May 2011

Greetings!

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month!

This year, Foundations for Families joins the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports to challenge early childhood educators, infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families to get moving for health and to get active and fit.

We challenge the children, through you of course, because physical activity is such an important part of early brain development and learning.

We challenge you and the families because when adults model and value physical activity, young children are more likely to embrace a healthful practices and behaviors for their whole lives.

In this month's News and Notes, we've got information and links to practical resources on physical activity and learning that you can use today!

Yours in action,

Amy and Candace

Foundations For Families

PS - Don't miss the coupon at the very end!

Careers for Early Childhood Educators in DC, MD and VA

We hope you love your job but if a friend is looking, please suggest the look at our Job Board.

Check back often - opportunities for wonderful educators don't last long!

Strategies, Tips and Tricks for Early Childhood Teachers

walking feet

You encourage children to be

physically active everyday!

Physical activity is an important part of early brain development and learning.

Do you work with infants?
Try a new spin on Head, Shoulders, Knees.

Do you work with toddlers?

Animal Action is always fun!

Do you work with preschoolers?

The Leaping Lillypads activity handout is also available in Spanish.

What physical activity do you have planned for tomorrow?

The Why of What We Do

piano picture

We sing, dance and move to the music

every day in every classroom.

Because...

Brain research confirms a music-brain connection!

Musical experiences stimulate important parts of the brain, even in very young infants. Plus, musical abilities in the early years are related to later academic skills, such as reading.

Look at fun and different ways of supporting thinking and learning in babies through music and play! Click on this video link and scroll down a little bit to the link next to the picture of the baby in blue titled, "Supporting Thinking in Infants and Toddlers Through Active Music and Play Experiences."

Interested in learning more? We offer training to teachers just like you on these and other best practice skills and strategies. Encourage your director to contact us and use the coupon at the end of the newsletter.

May is National Physical Fitness Month

May is physical fitness month and this is especially important for early childhood educators. How will you make sure kids and families are active and healthy your program?

Resources from the National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play

The Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play (HSBS) is all about promoting physical activity, outdoor play and healthy lifestyles for young children and their families.

We especially like Healthy Homes, downloadable, reproducible resource designed to promote healthy lifestyles for young children and their families.

Do you think your families would like a resources like this?

Do Three With Me! English or Spanish

Activity Everyday

Looking for new ways to incorporate movement into your day?

May activities

June's calendar will be available here soon. When do you lesson plan? This is a great site to reference during your planning or when you are putting together family bulletin boards or newsletters. You can get started today with these links to the May caldenar in English and Spanish:

May 2011 English
May 2011 Spanish

How Much Activity for Very Young Children?

This is a popular question!

NASPE, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, has a position statement:

This would be a wonderful addition to your center's family library!

All children from birth to age 5 should

engage daily in physi cal activity that promotes movement skillfulness and foundations of health-related fitness.

Recently, they published the second edition of Active Start with great information to support their position. Take a look a the highlights while you consider ordering a copy.

Activity Guidelines for Infants

Activity Guidelines for Toddlers

Activity Guidelines for Preschoolers

What else would you like to know about physical activity and very young children? Let us know and we'll try to get you what you need!

Also - what do you do to stay active and healthy?

Send us your favorite strategy and we'll share it here.