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Superscript
Cultivating curiosity And wonder
The more curious a child is, the more he learns.
So How Do Caregivers Nurture a Child's Curiosity?
Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning
Curiosity is a desire to learn, an eagerness to explore, discover, and figure things out. Nurturing your child’s curiosity is one of the most important ways you can help them become a lifelong learner.
Nurturing your child’s curiosity is one of the most important ways you can help them become a lifelong learner.
Babies are born learners, with a natural curiosity to figure out how the world works. Curiosity is the desire to learn. It is an eagerness to explore, discover and figure things out.
Parents and caregivers don’t have to “make” their children curious or “push” their children to learn. In fact, research shows that it is a child’s internal desire to learn (their curiosity), not external pressure, that motivates him to seek out new experiences and leads to greater success in school over the long term.
Curiosity is something all babies are born with. They come into the world with a drive to understand how the world works:
A newborn follows sounds, faces and interesting objects with her eyes.
An 8-month-old shakes a rattle and then puts it into his mouth to see what this object can do.
A toddler takes a stool to reach the countertop where the phone is—a “toy” she loves to play with.
A 2-year-old pretends she is the garbage collector and puts all her stuffed animals into the laundry basket “garbage truck” to figure out what it feels like to be in the other person’s shoes.
Tips for Nurturing Curiosity
Model interest in the world around you.
Take a walk outside and wonder aloud about the trees, the sky, the stars. Also, let your child see you pursuing interests of your own.
Follow your child’s interest.
Encourage natural interests. Children learn so much more through activities that capture their attention and imaginations. If he likes music, play it for him often, make and play instruments together, dance together. If bugs are her thing, give her a shovel and a net. Find books on bugs and read to her.
Answer questions simply and clearly and according to your child’s development.
You will answer a question about where babies come from much differently if your child is three or thirteen. And, no matter the child’s age, always ask them first what their thoughts are before answering. A five-year-old asked her mother, “Where did I come from?” Mother proceeded to talk in depth (anxiously stumbling on every other word) about the reproductive process. Her child looked at her quizzically throughout, and at the end responded, “I mean, did you come from New York like Daddy or somewhere else?”
And, if you don’t have the answer, say so. Let them know it’s okay not to have all the answers. This also provides an opportunity to model how to find answers. Go with her to the library or call someone else who might know.
Use the library!
Take this field trip together often. Find out when your local branch has its storytime. Books are windows into all kinds of worlds to delight the curious mind. Young children who are exposed to books become better readers. Let your child choose his own books. Studies show that it doesn’t matter whether children are reading books about rockets or comic books, the key is that their interest is captured and that they like to read.
Stimulate your child with open-ended questions.
These are questions that don’t have a right or wrong response, and can’t be answered with only one word like “yes” or “no”. “How do you feel about…..”, “What was (such and such experience) like for you….”, “Tell me about what happened in school today.” These kinds of questions encourage your child to develop his thoughts and ideas, shows love and interest, and will give you a window into his inner life.
Create an interesting environment.
Babies spend one-fifth of their waking hours in focused gazing. They’re curious about what’s in their surroundings. Pictures on the wall and normal family activity are naturally fascinating. Give baby safe toys and objects to explore. Rotate your supply to keep it “fresh.”
Redirect, don’t discourage.
Try to figure out what is capturing her interest, or what skill she is trying to master and create a safe and acceptable way for her to explore. For example, if your toddler is exploring the houseplants, put them out of reach but offer a close alternative. Put some dirt in a plastic container for your child to play with and inspect. If she likes to pour the water from her cup onto the high chair or floor, move her to the kitchen floor, bathtub or backyard after the meal so she can explore and experiment with water without driving you crazy. This will also teach children problem-solving skills, creative and acceptable ways to do and get what they want.
Allow time for open-ended activities.
Unlike some toys that are designed to be used a certain way, materials like boxes, blocks, water, sand, pots and pans, and any art material, can be used imaginatively. Do not tell your child what to do with the material, how to do it or what it should look like in the end. Let your child’s curiosity be her guide.
Adapted from “Tips on Nurturing Your Child’s Curiosity.” © Zero to Three
Explore - Wonder - Learn
What is a Learning Provocation?
Learning provocations are used in the classroom to "provoke" thought and motivate thinking or further investigation through play.
There is some debate regarding the difference between a learning invitation and a learning provocation. Many people use these terms interchangeably. A little research found that a learning invitation invites the child to explore, construct and represent their learning in an open-ended setting. A learning provocation however is a little more constructed, usually with visual or written prompts to provoke possible actions and guide the outcomes.
A learning provocation is designed to provoke learning. It is intentionally designed by the teacher or caregiver. Learning provocations can be based on curriculum learning intentions, children’s interests or designed to cover assessment criteria.
A learning invitation is also designed with intention, but it is less transparent. In a learning invitation, the children are invited to explore the resources how they wish and at their developmental level of understanding. In my experience, what I have intended to happen in a learning invitation is sometimes not what the children envisage in the same space. Interestingly, I have noticed that their ideas are often better than mine!
The design of learning invitations and provocations for children can be compared to the pleasure of giving a gift to a dear friend.
When you want to give a gift to someone, you happily search for something you think she will love. You carefully select the gift and present it in a beautiful way, with colourful wrappings, ribbons, and fond words. You eagerly anticipate the surprise and delight your gift will inspire, and you trust she will love it because it came from knowing her so well. In teaching, the gift of materials comes from your relationship with the children. The materials represent a bit of you and who you are, as well as the tender way in which you know the children. The children accept these gifts with appreciation, bringing their own ideas and passions to them, which in turn is a gift to you from them.Deb Curtis and Margie Carter (2008)
Invitations and provocations are gifts of learning. To ensure these gifts will effectively develop and honour the child, the provocations and invitations need to be offered following deep consideration and with deliberate intention by the teacher.
The teacher must have a comprehensive understanding of the curriculum and the children to effectively design these learning invitations and provocations. The design concepts and principles employed are strongly influenced by the teacher’s values and understandings.
The provocations and invitations a teacher designs and offers reflect the individual teacher’s values and beliefs so the learning invitations and provocations in your classroom will provide an insight into what you as an educator believe children deserve and are capable of.
In both learning invitations and provocations, the utilised space should be engaging to the child. It should stimulate the senses and encourage children to explore and wonder. Both learning invitations and learning provocations should engage and excite the learner. These beautiful spaces intentionally designed by the educator need to promote investigation, discovery and provide the child an opportunity to demonstrate their conceptual understandings.
"Provocations and invitations for learning are essential elements of any investigative, play based learning environment. Children have an innate desire to explore, learn and understand the marvels of the world around them. Offering interesting materials in a stimulating environment will enhance this innate desire. Invitations and provocations for learning are the educational right of every child and every teacher."
Parents Guide to Nature Play- LINK
Superscript
Why Nurture a Love for Outdoor Play
Unleash your child's inner adventurer with outdoor play! From backyard fun to forest adventures, nature is the ultimate playground. Let their senses run wild, fuel their imagination, and encourage teamwork and exploration.
WHY NURTURE A LOVE FOR OUTDOOR PLAY
WHY NURTURE A LOVE FOR OUTDOOR PLAY?
Playing outdoors is a quintessential childhood experience for good reason. Whether it is a backyard, local park, or a forest trail, there is no richer or more stimulating environment than nature. Every sense is engaged and the scope for imagination, decision making, cooperation and exploration is without limit. Inviting outdoor play is a powerful way to nurture your child’s independence and to foster in them a sense of freedom. Nurturing children’s nature aesthetic is very much connected to empowering connections with the world around them. When children are connected to nature, their sense of calm, balance, and wellness emerges naturally.
INVITING OUTDOOR PLAY: CONNECTIONS TO NATURE MATTER
Being outdoors, in nature, has physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual benefits for children. It is through the pillar of nature that children learn to communicate and connect creatively through the aesthetic beauty of the world around them. And it is through play that children most naturally explore and connect with the world outdoors.As parents, inviting children to play outdoors holds many benefits. Not only are you children getting out and connecting with nature, but so are you. What’s more, play outdoors nurtures a sense of well-being and calm that will translate into their indoor play and learning. If your child is hesitant to engage in outdoor play, there are ways you, as a parent or caregiver, can invite them to explore the possibilities right outside the front door.
“Go and open the door. Maybe outside there’s a tree, or a wood, or a garden, or a magic city…” The Door by Miroslav Holub
CREATING INVITATIONS FOR OUTDOOR PLAY
As parents, it is critical to offer and to explore environments that welcome learning, invite interaction, and open doors to possibilities alongside our children. When we do this, we nurture the confidence, imagination, and innovative thinking we want to see in our children. To this end, creating invitations to play means finding ways of walking through that door with our children – leading them to nature, as it were – and then, letting go and watching the simple magic of play happen. Here are some ideas to get you started in this new chapter of play and learning.To inspire your child to play outdoors you can invite them to:
Get messy without consequence! When playing indoors, play is limited in some ways by the confines of the space. Show them that outside, anything goes. Show them you mean it by being the first to jump in that big juicy mud puddle and then watch them shed inhibitions and play freely in nature.
Find their way into play with a defined activity as a starting point. Whether it is feeding birds, building a fort or flying a kite, having a sense of purpose makes an invitation for outdoor play more appealing and less daunting. Once you and your child are outdoors, step back and let them take the lead. Remember, the idea is to invite play, not to direct it.
Bring favourite materials from indoors, outdoors. Balls, blocks, clay, and paint brushes are all perfect indoor play tools to bring outside. Because children are familiar with their purpose during indoor play, having access to them outdoors, in a new environment, can delight and surprise them. The new possibilities for creativity and imagination invite a deeper exploration of nature and outdoor play.
MORE ABOUT NURTURING CHILDREN THROUGH OUTDOOR PLAYIf you are interested in learning more about creating time and space for outdoor play for your child, we invite you to download this Nature Play Bundle. In this downloadable bundle, you will find plenty of ideas that parents and educators can use to invite children to play outdoors and nurture their nature aesthetic pillar while sparking curiosity, independence, and adventure. Share your experiences with outdoor play to Instagram and be sure to tag me @nurturedinspirations in your post.
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Featured Activities
CHUCK & PEPPER ACTIVITYBirding with Chuck & PepperPepper wants to show you how to take your kids birding ! Download Activity STRONG & HEALTHY BODIES
Stuffed Animal Rodeo In Wyoming, we love rodeos! Download Activity
Whip It Up
Whip up some easy sensory fun.
Discovery Jug
Repurpose what you already have for brain-boosting fun.
Do your kids know how plants grow? Watch and see!
Look to nature for your next kids’ art project.
Get your kids used to wearing sunglasses by playing pretend first!
Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Boost your kids’ confidence in 20 seconds.
What Does the Fox Say?
Set the stage for silly fun with DIY animal masks.
Gross Motor Obstacle Course
Get your kids moving and conquering all the obstacles in their path!
Stack and Crash
Build it up. Knock it down. Laugh together. Repeat!
Snowy Day Outside Play
Snow Day! Snow Day! There are lots of great ways to get outside and play!
Bubble Art
Did you know that blowing bubbles is a calming activity? Taking deep breaths to blow bubbles can even help kids learn to regulate their emotions! Now take that mindful breathing and turn it into some art.
Pompom Play
Exercise your kids’ fine motor development with just some pompoms and a few household items!
Pumpkin Stencils
Get in the spooky season spirit with Chuck & Pepper pumpkins!
Frozen Fun
Mix one part sensory play with one part motor skills development, add as much imagination as you like, and serve it over ice.
Gratitude Tree
Create a Gratitude Tree together, hang it up in a shared space, and make conceptual and social-emotional connections!
STEM Parachute Drop
Show your kids science, engineering, and math concepts with an activity that lets them build, climb, experiment, and think!
Go Fish Cards
Got any maps? No? Go Fish!
Baby Sign Language
You can download, print, and hang up this instructional sheet wherever it might be convenient to have a reminder of how the signs are formed!
New Year’s Eve Kid Interview
Start a new tradition with your kids this New Year’s Eve!
Nature Badges & Bracelets
Help your kids engage in the world around them by getting outside and exploring what’s growing there.
Triceratops Coloring Page
Download and print this free coloring page as you learn more about the Triceratops!
Emotions Card Game
Get your kids talking about emotions – their own and the emotions of those around them!
Turn your walk together into an activity!
Learning Through Movement
Try these simple activities with your kids, and get moving!
Breathing Bracelets
Beads, breaths, and bracelets
Popsicle Cool Down
Delicious, healthy, easy, homemade popsicles to make with your kids!
STEM Sound Science
Experiment with the sounds of science.
Paper Plate Dragon
Give your kids the (creative) power to unleash the dragon!
DIY Springtime Seed Balls
Craft, plant, learn, and grow together!
Water Games
What could possibly make playing outside even more fun? Add water!
Balloon Boxing
Balloons, tape, and string are all you need for some midline-crossing fun.
You’re a Thunderstorm
The key to being a thunderstorm is to listen.
Pompom Counting Game
Toss, count, laugh, learn, repeat!
Build Your Own Robot
“Beep boo bop boop!” (That’s Robot for “Let’s get creative and have some fun.”)
Peanut Butter Play Dough
Strengthen their little hand muscles and get their big imaginations going!
STEM Snowcanos
Science, snow, and explosions. Your kids will love this activity! Bonus: with just a few household ingredients, they will learn about what happens when an acid reacts with a base.
Art for Transition Times
A low key activity, like a simple art project, can help kids transition from one thing to the next!
Cardboard Station
Big, small, stacked, or flat, something about cardboard boxes always sparks kids’ imaginations. But have they ever tried to make a box into a train track?
Friendship Cards
Kids can show their friends of every shape, size, color, and species how much they are appreciated with these customizable cards.
Gratitude Yoga Flow
Breathe, bend, and be grateful. Take time to connect with your kids and talk about gratitude with this simple yoga activity.
Chuck & Pepper Explore the Park
We don’t have to go far to explore the world around us. Just ride, walk, skip, or drive to your local park!
Use these curiosity cards for quick, simple activities to help your kids develop wonder, curiosity and exploration!
Try this quick, simple, healthy recipe with your kids!
Chuck & Pepper Explore their Winter WonderlandBundle up! It’s snow time. Join Chuck & Pepper as they explore the winter wonderland in their own backyard.
Backyard Activity DiceUse this activity to spark your imagination and explore like Chuck & Pepper in your own backyard!
Easy Sidewalk ChalkThis activity gets your kids outside, being creative, doing science, and using fine motor skills!
Germ GamesThese quick and simple activities are a fun way to help your kids visualize how germs spread and how washing hands with soap can make the germs go away!
The Cowboy State Coloring Pages
Download and print this free coloring page as you learn more about the State of Wyoming!
Nature Color Wheel
Help your kids discover how colorful their world is this hands on activity!
Comb Kazoo
Make your own kazoo and start a family band!
Fishing For Your Name
Try this for bath time that’s not just a wash-and-go affair.
Birding with Chuck & Pepper
Pepper wants to show you how to take your kids birding!
Who Lives in the Water?
Who lives in the water, a mermaid or a cowboy?
Gone Fishin’
Who knew catching fish practices skills in every Domain of Development?
Magic Nature Wand
Get outside and make some magic.
Grow a Kindness Garden
Recognize the kindness you give and receive!
DIY Puzzle
Make your own puzzles from old pictures, and make new memories!
Building Quality Interactions
Building a fort is a lot more than just building a fort – when you do it together.
Chuck & Pepper’s Nature Xylophones
Chuck & Pepper love to find new ways to explore and play, and to appreciate the places where they live. They love it so much, they even make music about it!
Sensory Leaf Painting
Leaves don’t always crunch, sometimes they squish and squelch! Try this no mess sensory activity with your kids to encourage their curiosity and help them tune into their senses.
Constellation Creations
What patterns and shapes can your kids find in the stars? Help them learn about constellations by making your own!
Easy Indoor Exercises
Get your body moving and warm up those muscles with this easy exercise routine you can do with your kids!
Chuck & Pepper Summer Bucket List
Chuck & Pepper have a whole bucket list of activities they want to do this summer. You should join in, too!
Let’s Explore Wyoming’s Wildflowers
Here you go! Explore Wyoming’s wildflowers with Chuck & Pepper and discover what makes our wild state so colorful. Wildflowers Across the Nation
Painted Turkey ArtThis “resist art” activity will inspire your kids’ creativity and exercise their motor skills, too!
Chuck & Pepper Explore SummerWhat does summer feel like? Find out!
Chuck & Pepper Spring Listening ActivityStep outside with Chuck and Pepper, close our eyes, and listen as spring comes to Wyoming.
Apple Bubble ScienceYou can help spark your kids’ curious minds with this simple science experiment.
Why Do Leaves Change Color?
Have your kids been curious about why leaves change color in the fall? Help them figure it with this STEM activity!
STEM Balloon Rocket
This easy balloon rocket activity will spark your child’s curiosity and imagination!
7 Minute Morning Animal Workout
Exercise is good for us in so many ways. Try adding this quick and fun routine to your mornings.
A Sea of Emotions | Emotional Regulation Card Deck
These cards can be used as a fun, any-day activity. But as your kids learn the actions on each card, their experience with this deck can turn into an easy way to call attention to and regulate emotions.
Dress Up, Act Out!
Learning to take the initiative leads to independence and is an important part of development. You can help them master getting dressed on their own by making it a game!
Motor Skills DiceEngaging your kids in simple activities, like the ones on these DIY Activity Dice, will help them develop the skills they need for everyday actions!
I recently visited a nature play group, in the middle of the woods, about activities to do with your child that involve natural resources and that encourage interaction with the natural world.
Here are those ideas that I presented, plus many more, with links to some fabulous articles from some talented writers around the web!
Sticks
Paint stick creatures Growling a Jeweled Rose
Make instruments, weave material, and play games with them The Good Long Road
Create a sistrum instrument from a branch Daria Music
Make your own blocks from driftwood Let the Children Play
Push them into play dough Mummy Musings and Mayhem
Wood and recycled materials sculptures Let the Children Play
Stones
Make a rock collection In Lieu of Preschool
Collect rocks and write a journal Creative Family Fun
Paint them to make monsters Red Ted Art
Create a rock shop Let the Children Play
Simply sort and play with them
Leaves
Jump and throw leaves JDaniel4’s Mom
Create colourful prints Putti’s World
Laminate leaves for play and learning Sunhats and Wellie Boots
Paint them Putti’s World
Create some woodland people Red Ted Art
Flowers
Grow sunflowers Kids Activities Blog
Use them to make flower play dough NurtureStore
Make petal pictures Learn with Play at Home
Discover their magic tricks Creative Family Fun
Print with them Nurture Store
Make homemade lavender play dough
Grow a Sunflower Fort in the garden Let’s Lasso the Moon
Pound them to create beautiful art Rhythm of the Home
Pine Cones
Make a sculpture The Chocolate Muffin Tree
Serve them in a pretend play cafe
Create pine cone people Red Ted Art
Turn them into funny creatures Mummy, Mummy, Mum
Water
Jump and Splash Word Play House
Make natural ice boats Reading Confetti
Paint with the rain Sunhats and Wellie Boots
Search through rock pools Tinkerlab
Make your own rock pool at home
20 Ways to explore the rain Sun Hats and Wellie Boots
Collage
Make a contact paper collage using natural materials The Chocolate Muffin Tree
Add natural elements to the art table Let the Children Play
Stick leaves to make a crown
3D sculptural art Sun Hats and Wellie Boots
Nature Walks and Hunts
Search for colours Glittering Muffins
Try out geocoaching Messy Kids
Go on an outdoor sound hunt Sunhats and Wellie Boots
Land Art
Create art with natural materials in a tray Smiling Like Sunshine
Make pebble patterns on the beach Taming the Goblin
Make land art outside with found materials
Mud
Use it to make a birds nest The Chocolate Muffin Tree
Concoct with it in a mud pie kitchen
Paint with it The Chocolate Muffin Tree
Have a princess mud tea party The Golden Gleam
Simply play with it Sun Hats and Wellie Boots
Sensory Tubs and Trays
Make a treasure basket for babies with natural materials
The Good Long Road
Growing a Jeweled Rose
Pre-School Play
Make a gardening sensory tub for garden centre pretend play
Small World Play
Dinosaur land with beans and plants
Frog pond with water and rocks Let the Children Play
For the days that you can’t get outdoors and explore nature first hand, go and gather some natural materials from your local woods, fields or beach and gets creative at home! Bring the nature home and let the connection with the natural world continue whatever the weather.
Filed Under: Art and Craft, Natural Play, Nature, Outdoor Tagged With: Art in Nature, Outdoor Activities, Outside Play
« Colourful Activities for Kids on It’s Playtime!
Superscript
Parent Insights & Resources
WHY PLAY AND QUALITY TIME WITH CHILDREN MATTERS
When was the last time you observed (or engaged with) your children at play? It’s a simple question, one that offers a gauge into the level of busyness that exists in our day-to-day lives.
WHY NURTURE A LOVE FOR OUTDOOR PLAY
Playing outdoors is a quintessential childhood experience for good reason. Whether it is a backyard, local park, or a forest trail, there is no richer or more stimulating environment than nature. Every sense is engaged and the scope for imagination, decision making, cooperation and exploration is without limit.
GET TO KNOW YOUR CHILD THROUGH PLAYBlogPlay provides a beautiful opportunity for you as a parent to step back and observe your children through a lens of wonder and discovery. It offers you the opportunity to listen to the stories of your children, to hear the stories your children tell, and to take notice of all the amazing things that make your children who they are.
NURTURE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH OUTDOOR WINTER PLAYBlogWinter play offers families a chance to bond through the exploration of nature’s beauty. A wintery white world of wonder calls families to explore the magic of the winter season. Winter play walks families along pathways for healthy living that will stay with them for life.
Everyday, we cross paths with people who inspire us. Standing among these souls, can make us feel as if we’re in the company of shining stars ~ truly! Each one of these inspirations brings a unique sparkle to our world, and in many cases, without...
HEARTS WIDE OPEN
Over the past couple of years the world has faced its fair share of challenges. Eye-opening and full of reminders to tend to one another, the Earth, and ourselves, we’ve come to know a different time in our lives.
NURTURE THE EMOTIONAL PILLAR IN CHILDREN
At Nurtured Inspirations, we talk a lot about mindfulness, well-being, and the Seven Pillars of Well-Nurtured Children. From our perspective, the seven pillars we must nourish include the emotional, social, physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual, and nature aesthetic pillars.
CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT INVITES PLAY
Knowing that children grow best through play, parents must think intentionally about the environments that best support play. It is in these spaces, both indoors and outdoors, that the experiences children have become the jumping off point for their growth. In order to nurture holistic growth and support opportunities
WHY YOU AND I ARE INSPIRED
TO DO WHAT WE DO
Inspiration is empowering. It reconnects us to our hearts and everything that resonates through our soul. Inspiration ignites a passion from within.
LIFE, RELATIONSHIPS & HUMANITY
Children are insightful. Profound, really. A source for constant pondering about many things: life, relationships, and the human experience. Sitting peeling and chopping apples in preparation for making our first-of-the-season Kindergarten batch of...
UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN AND OURSELVES
When we connect with children in ways that help us understand their way of seeing, feeling, thinking, and knowing ~ we find pathways upon which to meet them. Along these pathways, we nurture relationships of reciprocity where we co-construct what it means to know one another.
The spaces in our homes are often a reflection of the world around us. Maintaining an environment that is clutter-free can be as challenging as when we try to manage the chaos of our calendars. Life is busy. The world moves fast. Our days are full. These are the realities that we face. As parents, navigating is hard enough. For children, schedules like the ones we face can be overwhelming.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY FOR CHILDREN
Play is freedom. It is the authentic way of the child. It is where the vital connection to learning occurs. Children learn best through play; it is where wonder, curiosity, new thinking, and rethinking occurs. For children and adults alike, play happens when we are engaged in something we choose and direct ourselves. It is where the whole being of a child comes to life.
HOLISTIC WELLNESS FOR CHILDREN
MIRRORING THE WORLD
Our world is calling out to us in such a fragile state. More and more, human beings seem to mirror the Earth’s needs for care, empathy, love, and respect. Everyday, we find ourselves face-to-face with somewhat of a new reality emerging right before our eyes.
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS ~ A COLLABORATION
This masterpiece is one of my favourites. It emerged authentically and early on in the year when children started to explore and share line drawing using chalk outdoors. Along with our guest atelierista, a very large canvas, a jar full of...
Free Resources
We are your ally for keeping kids engaged in learning, so we’ve put together a selection of great resources for you to share with your family.
Use this store like resource from Wyoming as an online shopping cart to search for and download PDFs, or request FREE printed copies to be sent to you in the mail!
Field Guide
Because Wyoming is best explored with a kid by your side, we have developed a take-anywhere booklet of nature activities to work on together. Follow Chuck and Pepper on a voyage of discovery to learn about our state’s amazing lands, plants, and animals.
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Child Care Checklist
Don’t get overwhelmed by finding the right child care provider for your child! This checklist will help you make sure you’re entrusting your child to a great provider.
DOWNLOAD NOW
Milestones Tracker
As they grow, your children will experience physical, cognitive, and social-emotional milestones. Keeping track of their milestones is a fun way to watch how your child is developing. Use this Milestones Tracker and the included stickers to mark their growth!
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Domains of Development Guide
Kids are growing and learning, all day every day. As they learn and grow, as they interact with the world around them and begin to understand how they fit into their world, kids experience physical, cognitive, and social-emotional milestones. Track your child’s development through observation and play! DOWNLOAD NOWDELIVER TO MY DOOR
Early Learning Standards
The Early Learning Standards is a tool that connects early childhood development with education in a variety of facets. It includes benchmarks, stories from the field, and much more. DOWNLOAD NOWDELIVER TO MY DOOR
Growth Chart
Children are like plants: they seem to grow overnight! Hang this chart on the wall and mark your child’s height—even add photos, stickers or drawings—so you and your child can see just how fast he grows. DELIVER TO MY DOOR
Coherent Path to Quality
Learning is a process, and reflection helps us grow. This interactive workbook will help you recognize and celebrate time with the children in your life, and includes tips on how to embrace a vision of quality for all of Wyoming’s youngest children.
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Early Childhood Transitions
New changes in your child’s routine can bring big emotions. How does your child feel when it’s time to leave in the morning? How does your child feel when it’s time to go to the sitter or to school? How does your child’s age change the dynamic? Find helpful hints and resources in this guide. DOWNLOAD NOW DELIVER TO MY DOOR
Ever Wonder Activity Book
Ever wonder what’s under that rock in the garden? Curiosity and imagination are a powerful combination for early learning—this coloring and activity book will inspire both! DOWNLOAD NOW DELIVER TO MY DOOR
Provider Appreciation Thank You Card
Say “Thanks!” to your child care provider for all the work they do, helping your kids to learn and grow. Print this card and have your kids color it! DOWNLOAD NOW
Family Resource Magnet
Early childhood resources – right on your fridge! Order your free magnet and have an easy reference point for where to find resources for Wyoming families.
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El Camino Coherente Hacia La Calidad De Wyoming
Aprender es un proceso, y reflexionar nos ayuda crecer. Este libro de trabajo interactivo le ayudará a reconocer y celebrar tiempo con los niños en su vida, e incluye sugerencias sobre como abrazar una visión de calidad para todos los niños jóvenes de Wyoming.
DESCARGAR AHORAENTREGAR A MI PUERTA
Estándares De Aprendizaje Temprano De WyomingLos Estándares de Aprendizaje Temprano son una herramienta que conecta el desarrollo de la primera infancia con la educación en una variedad de facetas. Incluyen hitos, cuentos del campo y mucho más.DESCARGAR AHORAENTREGAR A MI PUERTA
