All child care providers need training and education in order to learn new information to help keep children healthy and safe. Ongoing training and education can also help child care providers learn and practice new teaching skills and can give providers ideas and resources on how to provide quality child care. Continuing your education can help you provide quality child care and is an important hallmark of high-quality programs. There are different ways you can continue your education in the early childhood field. Some things to consider...
- How do you challenge yourself to become a better teacher?
- How do you solicit feedback?
- How do you choose professional development opportunities to help you grow?
Child Care Aware® of Eastern Kansas offers classes to assist you in meeting your licensing requirements and beyond. Required classes, additional information and helpful links can be found by clicking here.
We are excited to provide you with ideas for enrichment activities to keep children engaged and having fun. The materials included on this page are intended for children of various ages. Remember, children learn through play. This is especially true for younger children who are still learning important life skills like taking turns, patience, teamwork, and thinking outside of the box. Here are some ideas to keep children entertained while helping them learn.
Click on a title below for more information.
- Vroom has activities to support your child’s brain development from birth-5.
- Storyline Online - The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Online Library of Read Alouds by various actors and actresses.
- Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library - TSCPL offers online storytimes using Facebook Live. The live or previous broadcasts are available to view.
- Scholastic Learn at Home - Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. The site will be updated weekly until 20 days of content is available.
- The CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” (LTSAE) - FREE research-based, parent-friendly resources on child development, developmental milestones, and activity ideas for young children and their families.
- KidLit TV website provides you access to videos, crafts, and activities that will all foster a love of reading and academics.
- PBS LearningMedia - PBS LearningMedia is a free service that offers thousands of contextualized learning materials aligned to state and national standards.
- National Geographic Kids website includes a wide variety of resources - from interesting articles about history and science to experiments that can be done at home for fun and enrichment! There are both academic videos and games as well.
- Scholastic Learn at Home - Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. The site will be updated weekly until 20 days of content is available.
- Wide Open School is a free collection of the best online learning experiences for kids that supports teachers, relieves families and restores community.
- Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning - CSEFEL focuses on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5.
- Art for Kids Hub is a YouTube Channel of a family that shares art tutorials for anyone! Check it out today! https://www.youtube.com/user/ArtforKidsHub
- Google Arts and Culture is a site where you can virtually explore art collections from around the world. https://artsandculture.google.com/
- BrainPop is a great site that includes games, movies, and activities that can accessed from your living room! https://www.brainpop.com/
- Khan Academy “offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.” https://www.khanacademy.org/
- Visit 12 Museums from Across the Globe through the following website: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/75809/12-world-class-museums-you-can-visit-online
- Digital Theater+ brings live performance into every classroom and library, accompanied by a range of invaluable educational resources for illustration, explanation, and critical reflection. https://www.digitaltheatreplus.com/
Many museums and zoos are providing virtual tours of their exhibits and activity based websites - check out some of our favorites:
- San Diego Zoo: https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/
- Houston Zoo: https://www.houstonzoo.org/explore/webcams/
- Atlanta Zoo Panda Cam: https://zooatlanta.org/panda-cam/
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium:https://www.seewinter.com/animals/webcams/winter-zone-cam-1/
- Duke Farms Eagle Cam:https://www.dukefarms.org/making-an-impact/eagle-cam/
- The Raptor Resource Project - Bird Cams: https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/
- Georgia Aquarium: https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/beluga-whale-webcam/
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Web Cam:https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams
- Reid Park Zoo: Tucson, AZ: http://reidparkzoo.org/cameras/lion-cam/
- National Aquarium Live Cams: Baltimore:https://www.aqua.org/Experience/live
- National Aquarium Virtual Tour: Baltimore:https://aqua.org/media/virtualtours/baltimore/index.html
- National Aquarium: Washington:https://aqua.org/media/virtualtours/washington/index.html
- Wolf Conservation Center: https://nywolf.org/meet-our-wolves/webcams/
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, MetKids Site: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/online-features/metkids/
- Smithsonian - Fun Stuff for Kids Online: https://www.si.edu/
- Discovery Education Virtual Field Trips: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/
- Anne Frank House Virtual Tour: https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/
- Berlin Philharmonic: Digital Concert Hall: https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concerts
- British Museum London: https://www.britishmuseum.org/learn/schools/ages-7-11
- Buckingham Palace: https://www.royal.uk/virtual-tours-buckingham-palace
- Ellis Island Interactive Tour: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/
- Explore.org Live Cams: https://explore.org/livecams
- Chicago’s Field Museum: https://www.fieldmuseum.org/science/research
- Google Arts and Culture: https://artsandculture.google.com/
- Great Wall of China 360: http://www.airpano.com/360photo/China-Great-Wall/
- Musee d'Orsay, Paris: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musee-dorsay-paris?hl=en
- Duluth Harbor Cams: http://www.duluthharborcam.com/
- NASA Operations Room: https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/hubble-360-degree-virtual-tour
- National Air and Space Museum: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/smithsonian-national-air-and-space-museum?hl=en
- National Gallery of Art:https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-gallery-of-art-washington-dc?hl=en
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian:https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour
- National Park Service Virtual Tours:https://www.nps.gov/search/?affiliate=nps&query=virtual+tour
- The Louvre:https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
- VanGogh Museum: Amsterdam:https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum?hl=en
- Washington DC Architecture:https://www.thoughtco.com/diverse-architecture-of-washington-dc-4065271
- Scavenger Hunts by Let’s Roam: https://www.letsroam.com