The field of Early Childhood Education is finally beginning to get the recognition that it deserves. Through studies of brain development, researchers are now becoming fully aware of the importance of truly educating children in the first 7 years of their life. Early Childhood Educators are no longer considered babysitters but builders of the foundation that will carry through the academic successes of the children that they teach. It is in these early years that children begin to understand how to behave socially and emotionally in order to thrive in the later grades. It is during these early years that children will first be exposed to academic skills that will help them to be successful later in life and to develop a joy for life-long learning. Clearly what Early Childhood Educators “do” in their classrooms everyday is critical to each child’s overall development and eventual contribution to society.

States and organizations such as The National Association for the Education of Young Children and Head Start are putting more pressures onto Early Educators to demonstrate outcomes in knowledge and behavior that are relevant to their student’s public school success. Early Childhood Education is requiring that teachers are both relevant and intentional throughout the day in every aspect of what they do. But it is also important to remember that Early Childhood is a time for experimentation and play. In fact, play is the work of young children.

The goal of this blog is to help facilitate the writing of lesson plans that intentionally touch upon all the domains of Early Childhood Education. These domains include; Cognitive Development (math, science, social studies), Language and Literacy Development, Social/Emotional Development, The Creative Arts, Approaches to Learning, and Physical Health & Development. By creating lessons that are developmentally appropriate, educational, easy to use, and inexpensive, teachers will have more time to observe the children in natural investigative play.