Guest Blog by Angèle Sancho Passe In the book Mama’s Gloves, by Mike Huber, (Redleaf Press, 2014), four-year-old Esteban learns that mama “always comes back with two kisses and hug.” This routine helps mama and Esteban say goodbye to each other. It’s a comforting start of the day, despite the heart tugs of their morning separation. And both manage this important developmental skill with the support of teacher Walter. Indeed, all is well when mama comes back in the afternoon! Mama’s Gloves by Mike Huber, Illustrated by Joseph Cowman; ISBN: 9781605542102 Like teacher Walter, you have the signifi ..read more

All children should have books that reflect their background, interests, and dreams back to them. In celebration of Pride Month, we enlisted the help of our librarian friend, Jennie Walker Knoot, to share a list of some of her favorite children’s books that highlight LGBTQIA+ stories. These 11 books aren’t just for families with a direct connection to LGBTQIA+ issues; everyone can use these books’ messages of unconditional love and acceptance. AND TANGO MAKES THREE (Age Focus: 2-8 years) “At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit ..read more

Editor’s Note: The following post was excerpted from Anti-Bias Curriculum for the Preschool Classroom. Copyright YWCA Minneapolis Early Childhood Education Department, 2021, Redleaf Press. Two key international experiences have dramatically affected our YWCA Minneapolis community during process of writing this book: the COVID 19 pandemic and the killing of George Floyd. The COVID 19 stay at home orders, layoffs, and deaths laid bare already existing health and financial disparities, and broad public awareness continues to grow. As the pandemic continued through the spring of 2020, conversation ..read more

By Ann Gadzikowski Ann Gadzikowski is the Director of Early Learning for Encyclopedia Britannica and award-winning author of Robotics for Young Children, Creating a Beautiful Mess, Challenging Exceptionally Bright Children in Early Childhood Classrooms, and Story Dictation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many early childhood and primary grade classrooms are closed and teachers must find ways to engage young children in remote learning. While there is no online equivalent to the rich variety of experiences that take place during in-person schooling, we can still make the best use of the tools w ..read more

By Susan Ehrhardt Do you have concerns about sending your child to preschool in the Fall?  Will your child’s preschool even open this year?  What changes will need to be made due to the pandemic?  There is one thing for sure–the preschool classroom will certainly look different. Will children be permitted to play with each other or will social distance be encouraged?  Will the new emphasis be on health, hygiene, and sanitation of equipment?  Will the teachers and the preschoolers be required to wear masks?  With all the new guidelines, can the primary goal continu ..read more

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on February 19, 2014 and is being re-purposed and slightly edited in light of our recent circumstances. Try this great indoor activity today! We have a great learning adventure to share today. The activity, Mystery Word, is pulled from one of our resources, Let’s Play, by Jeff A. Johnson and Denita Dinger. (Want to learn more about the book and its counterpart, Let Them Play? Read all the way to the end of this post for more information.) With social distancing, and local or state shelter at home orders keeping you indoors, give it a whirl—you ..read more

Redleaf Press, like the rest of the world, has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 spread and we have compiled a list of resources for child care providers we hope you will find informative and helpful. Reinforcing Healthy Habits Ann Gadzikowski, director of early learning at Encyclopædia Britannica wrote “How to Talk to Young Children about Coronavirus” for Britannica for Parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics has a series of resources that can help protect providers’ health. Think Small’s blog post on Coronavirus: Information for Child Care Providers. Disclosure: Think Small ..read more

Guest Blog by Angèle Sancho Passe In the book Mama’s Gloves, by Mike Huber, (Redleaf Press, 2014), four-year-old Esteban learns that mama “always comes back with two kisses and hug.” This routine helps mama and Esteban say goodbye to each other. It’s a comforting start of the day, despite the heart tugs of their morning separation. And both manage this important developmental skill with the support of teacher Walter. Indeed, all is well when mama comes back in the afternoon! Mama’s Gloves by Mike Huber, Illustrated by Joseph Cowman; ISBN: 9781605542102 Like teacher Walter, you have the signifi ..read more

By Barbara Yates, President and CEO, Think Small On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free, and 156 years later many communities continue to celebrate. Juneteenth is about acknowledging the oppression of slavery and it is also about celebrating freedom. Many African American families today mark the day with food, music, community organizing, and being together. To understand the importance of Juneteenth you need a fundamental understanding of slavery, oppression, and systemic racism that continues. [O]ur classrooms look a lot different than the ..read more

All children should have books that reflect their background, interests, and dreams back to them. In celebration of Pride Month, we enlisted the help of our librarian friend, Jennie Walker Knoot, to share a list of some of her favorite children’s books that highlight LGBTQIA+ stories. These 11 books aren’t just for families with a direct connection to LGBTQIA+ issues; everyone can use these books’ messages of unconditional love and acceptance. AND TANGO MAKES THREE (Age Focus: 2-8 years) “At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit ..read more