Issue 54 2007

Nature Promotes
Children’s Growth
 Table of Contents - CCIC Newsletter 54
Lead Hurts Kids: What You Can Safe Surfaces for Children’s
Do to Prevent It ....................................... Page 1 Climbing Equipment ................................ Page 6

A Tribute to Magda Gerber ...................... Page 2 Parents Are the Key ................................ Page 6

Play in the Outdoor Classroom .............. Page 3 Know the Names of Plants! ..................... Page 7

Safely Enjoying Outdoor Activities........... Page 3 Places Have Physical and Human
Characteristics......................................... Page 8
Children, Nature and the Outdoor
Environment ............................................ Page 4 Free Child Care Articles .......................... Page 9

Playground Safety ................................... Page 4 Books To Borrow ................................... Page 12

Am I Fat? ................................................. Page 5 Audiovisual Materials to Borrow ............ Page 15

Lead Hurts Kids: What You Can Do

Who We Are... To Prevent It
The Child Care Information Center (CCIC) is a mail-order Did you know that lead poisoning still occurs in Wisconsin?
lending library and information service for anyone in Wis- Did you know that there are things that you can do to prevent
consin working in the field of child care and early childhood a child from getting lead poisoning?
education.
Children under age 6 are at greatest risk of lead poisoning.
Sponsored by the Child Care Section, Wisconsin Department Lead interferes with a child’s normal brain development,
of Workforce Development, CCIC has worked since 1986 to resulting in lower IQ and behavior problems like aggression
provide quality resources to match the needs of caregivers and hyperactivity. Childhood lead poisoning is the greatest
and parents. The service is located within the Department of predictor of school disciplinary problems, delinquency and
Public Instruction’s Reference and Loan Library facility at adult criminal behavior.
2109 South Stoughton Road, Madison, WI.
Since 2000, more than 19,000 Wisconsin children under age 6
have been found to be lead poisoned. Lead poisoned children
are found in every Wisconsin county. About 466,000 Wiscon-
Child Care Information Center sin homes built before 1950 have lead dust from chipping and
Staff: peeling lead-based paint that can poison children.
Dust from chipping and peeling lead-based paint in old hous-
Editor: Mary Henning ing is the greatest source of lead exposure for young children.
Layout: Steve Fischer However, more and more children’s toys, jewelries, candies
Librarian, Acquisitions: Glenna Carter and sidewalk chalks are being recalled because they contain
Librarian, Circulation: Linda Bather dangerous amounts of lead. Even playground equipment in
Mail Distribution: Sonia Frank local parks can be covered in paint that contains lead.
Learn more about this poison that hurts young children. Go to
the Lead-Safe Wisconsin website at dhfs.wi.gov/lead or call
your local health department to find out what you can do.
Contributed by Reghan Walsh, Department of Professional
Development and Applied Studies, University of Wisconsin-
Madison

Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007 Page 1

A Tribute to
Magda Gerber
I was saddened to learn of the
passing of Magda Gerber on
April 27, 2007. Although I
didn’t know her personally,
I consider Magda Gerber to
be one of my mentors. This
tiny woman was a giant in the
field of infant toddler care.
Magda Gerber’s philosophy
has been a powerful influence
on other forerunners in the
field such as Janet Gonzalez
Mena (Infants, Toddlers &
Caregivers) and Ron Lally
(The Program for Infant Tod-
dler Caregivers).
Magda Gerber came with
her family in 1957 to the
United States from Hungary,
having begun her study of
infant development with her
children’s pediatrician, Dr.
Emmi Pikler. She brought
with her a new way of view-
ing the infant; not as a cute
play thing to be cooed over,
not as a helpless creature to
be pampered and not as an
empty vessel to be trained by
knowing adults - but a view
of the infant as a capable
individual. Magda’s primary
message is to treat each infant
with respect – a principle that
may seem natural, but which
is often not carried out.
Here’s an example of how
a respectful approach is dif-
ferent from our common
responses to infants. When
Magda met a mother and
her young infant, the mother
offered “Would you like to
hold my baby?” Magda re-
plied, “Do you think the baby
would like to be held by me?”
Too often we fail to consider
the infant’s desires or wants,
and we don’t recognize the
infant’s capacity to com-
municate with us. Magda’s
approach emphasizes always
Page 2 Child Care Information Center Newsletter
asking the infant what s/he
wants, and telling her/him
what you are going to do
before acting.
In 1978, Magda founded Re-
sources for Infant Educarers
(RIE) with Dr. Tom Forrest.
RIE’s mission is to provide
information, support and
mentoring for parents and
caregivers in providing high
quality care and education
for infants. The emphasis is
on allowing each infant to
develop at his/her own pace,
allowing the infant to explore
and experience the world in a
natural and meaningful way
– to be “authentic”. The RIE
approach is explained in the
RIE Manual: for Parents and
Professionals – “Respect is
the guideline of RIE’s phi-
losophy. The educarer shows
respect by treating the infant
as an active participant rather
what that person is doing.” compelling. She spoke to the
than as a passive recipient
She describes the impact on conference attendees who
in all interactions.” (Gerber,
infants of this kind of adult surrounded her, eager for a
1979, p. 29)
pushing of developmental personal word or response
Magda’s approach to infant milestones: “If you teach before her workshop session.
care resonated with me in a something that child is not In her presentation, she care-
way that traditional “how- ready for, then you create fully explained and modeled
to” books did not. Her ba- that feeling that ‘I don’t quite the RIE philosophy. Magda
sic advice to caregivers (or know what I’m expected to Gerber embodied everything
“educarers”) is to “unbusy deliver, but what I do deliver that she promoted in work-
your head and unbusy your is not appreciated’.” ing with infants – respect,
body” – to relax, slow down attention, and the value of
I had the great opportunity to
and focus on being in the mo- relationships. I am grateful
see and hear Magda Gerber
ment with each baby. Rather for the insight I learned from
in person when attending
than doing everything for the Magda, and will continue
my first NAEYC Conference
infant - stop, observe and see to share her philosophy of
in 1992 in New Orleans. I
how much the infant can do respectful infant care.
first saw her standing in the
for her/himself. In the PITC
hallway, not more than 6 Contributed by Joan Klinkner,
video Respectfully Yours,
feet away from me. This tiny Early Childhood Educator
Magda sums up her attitude
woman, with white hair and Instructor. Northeast Wis-
towards the common practice
bright blue eyes was slight consin Technical College
of adult directed activities
in physique, but her energy
intended to stimulate de-
and empathy were strong and
velopment: “Stimulation to
me means interruption. You
would never think of inter- Magda’s primary message is to treat each
rupting somebody who is
doing an important job, like
infant with respect - a principle that may
a scientist who is on the verge seem natural, but which is often not carried
of discovering something im- out.
portant, because you respect
Issue 54, 2007
Play in the Outdoor Classroom
Many of us have memories of free time on the playground or
kickball on the asphalt with adults simply standing by, pas-
sively watching and only intervening when problems would
arise. Too often we see this model in early childhood pro-
grams and we are missing a great opportunity for extending
children’s play, creativity and learning.
Indoors, we take great care to carefully arrange the environ-
ment into separate learning areas and create activities and
lesson plans for dramatic play, art, science, literacy and more.
We can follow the same model outdoors. We can set up mats
in a quiet nook and create a portable book tote for a reading
area. We can plan messy art or sensory table experiences out-
side. We can bring out magnifying glasses and binoculars for
scientific discoveries, and we can play music and dance with
scarves or bring out dramatic play clothes and build a fort.
In a time when global warming is causing many of us to be-
come more concerned about the welfare of our planet and
the species that inhabit it, we can help
children develop a love for be-
ing outdoors and curiosity and
engagement with nature. Con-
sider taking time out to examine
your outdoor program and how
you can extend play activities for
children year round.
Contributed by Paula Evenson,
4-C Training Specialist. Website
available at http://www.4-c.org
Safely Enjoying
Outdoor Activities
OUTDOOR FUN
Young children get excited in embracing
fun activities outdoors. There is more space to breathe,
light to see, room to run, and nature to touch. The outdoors
gives children a chance to encounter multi-sensory delights
by exploring the world outside of their house or childcare
facility.
Playing and learning in the outdoor environment can pose
safety hazards or risks to children. Falls and poisoning are
the leading causes of home deaths. Most of the risk and
dangers in the out-of-doors can be avoided by keeping safety
in mind from the very beginning so that everyone can enjoy
the warmer weather and outdoor fun.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES & GAMES
Physical games are an essential part of the outdoor experi-
Child Care Information Center Newsletter
ence. When children are involved in outdoor games, they
are developing skills in learning areas including language,
math, and science. At the same time, children are working
out important social interaction skills so that they can play
together cooperatively and successfully. Help young children
to brainstorm a list of “cooperative” rules. Help children
to develop their kinesthetic learning abilities by using their
bodies to try something new, to pretend to be something, or
to express an emotion. Children learn through movement of
their limbs and trunks and through the experience of translat-
ing movement into words, thoughts, and feelings.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY SAFETY BASICS
Swimming and Water Safety:
Children age four and under have a drowning death rate
two to three times higher than other age groups. They can
drown in as little as one inch of water. NEVER leave chil-
dren alone in or near water. Teach your children to swim.
Always empty containers which may fill up with rain
water and store them upside down.
Cycling Safety:
Be certain each child is wearing an
approved helmet for cycling even if
they are only riding up and down
the driveway. Remind children that
bikes are vehicles, not toys. Teach
them traffic rules and do not let
them do “tricks”. Make periodic
cycle checks to ensure the bike is
working properly.
T IPS FOR K EEPING C HILDREN
SAFE
• Always supervise children, even
if they are only in the back-
yard.
•
Take a safety walk around your
neighborhood. Warn children
about unacceptable play areas.
• Talk about plant safety, keeping plants out of their mouths
and avoiding touching shiny leaves of three such as
poison ivy.
• Drink plenty of water and lather on the sunscreen, reap-
plying frequently.
• Keep a first aid kit handy. Take a first aid and CPR
class. That way you will be prepared if your child does
get hurt.
• Inspect play equipment regularly for loose screws or
rough/broken parts or surfaces.
Contributed by Catherine Howe, Marathon County Child
Development Agency - Head Start. Website available
at www.mccdahs.org
Issue 54, 2007 Page 3
Children, Nature and
the Outdoor
Environment
There is a long history in the field of
child development that advocates for
providing young children with opportu-
nities to play outside. While some of this
history describes the need for children
to “let off steam” with the outdoors be-
ing a perfect place to do so, there has
been a parallel and purposeful interest
in the wonderful learning opportunities
that being outdoors can provide. Joe L.
Frost, in his 1979 book, Children’s Play
and Playgrounds, presented an early
voice promoting the idea that outdoor
play was more than playgrounds. The
discoveries about the natural world; the
opportunities to imagine and construct
one’s own play materials with “loose
parts”; and the growth in emotional
and social development provided by
experiences outside the classroom were
essential components of positive child
development.
More recently, Richard Louv has
pointed to the lost connections with the
natural world that many children are
experiencing because of highly sched-
uled lives, the pull of electronic media,
urban living and the lack of access to
open space and nature (Last Child in
the Woods: Saving our Children from
Nature-Deficit Disorder, 2005). Call-
ing this alienation from nature a severe
loss for children—in opportunities for
problem-solving and creativity, and
for simply appreciating the
complexity and diversity
of life—he describes the
need to put nature back into
the “curriculum” of child
development.
Outdoor play spaces,
whether planned, “con-
served” or serendipitously
discovered, are essential
parts of children’s learning
environments. Most of us
probably are most familiar
with outdoor play that in-
volves equipment—swings,
slides, climbing appara-
tus—and that focuses on
Page 4 Child Care Information Center Newsletter
motor development. However, Frost,
Louv and others promote the importance
to emotional well-being of a naturalistic
perspective—green spaces that empha-
size natural elements, such as hills, sand
areas, vegetation, gardens, boulders and
logs that provide the “stuff” of children’s
play. This perspective is based on the
belief that an outdoor experience should
include an appreciation of the natural
world and opportunities for adventure,
discovery, observation, exploration and
experimentation.
With an emphasis on child direction,
does this perspective include adults or
planning? Again, there is a range of
thinking: Children may be free to dis-
cover with adults following their lead.
They may also participate in teacher
guided or planned activities that bring
the indoor classroom outside. In the
same way that emergent curriculum fol-
lows children’s interests and may be ex-
panded into long-term projects through
teacher guidance, the outdoor classroom
similarly can be conceived. There may
be experiences that children do not
“discover”, such as creating a sunflower
house, which can be facilitated through
books, planting sunflower seeds, and
subsequently feeding the birds. These
experiences not only enhance children’s
learning, but also their confidence, self-
esteem and social interactions with oth-
ers.
With the outdoors as a classroom, there
are limitless opportunities to expand
what happens indoors, but more impor-
tantly to create experiences that can only
occur outdoors. Dancing with scarves
as the wind blows, observing the busy
day of an ant, making bark rubbings,
or nurturing a seed into a sunflower
are activities that connect children to
a world which is naturally motivating,
fascinating, calming yet energizing.
These are skills and feelings that will
last a lifetime.
Joan Ershler, Program Director, Wais-
man Early Childhood Program, UW-
Madison. Website available at www.
waisman.wisc.edu
Playground Safety
Each year, more than 200,000 children
go to the U.S. hospital emergency rooms
with injuries associated with playground
equipment. Almost 47,000 of these in-
juries occur on home playgrounds and
40 percent of those injured are younger
than five.
Most injuries occur when a child falls
from the equipment onto the ground.
Many backyard play sets are placed
on dirt or grass – surfaces that do not
adequately protect children when they
fall.
Make your backyard playground a
safe place to play! Conduct a home
playground check to assure it is a safe
place to play. Install and maintain a
shock-absorbing surface around the play
equipment. Since almost 60 percent of
all injuries are caused by falls, protec-
tive surfacing under and around all
playground equipment can reduce the
risk of serious head injury.
Issue 54, 2007
TIPS ON PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT:
p Install protective surfacing at least 6 feet in all di-
rections from play equipment. For swings, be sure
surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height
of the swing set.
p Check the spacing between swings.
p Never attach – or allow children to attach – ropes,
jump ropes, clotheslines, or pet leashes to play
equipment. Children can strangle on these.
p Check for hardware, like open ”S” hooks or protrud-
ing bolt ends, which can be hazardous.
p Check for spaces that could trap children, such as
openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs.
These spaces should measure less than 3.5 inches
or more than 9 inches.
An average of 280 children under the age of five drown each
year in swimming pools, and there are an increasing number
of deaths in larger inexpensive inflatable pools. These pools
are flexible and sometimes slanted or low, so it may be easier
to for a child to climb inside. Also check local building codes
[and child care licensing and certification rules- editor]; they
may require barriers like fences around these pools to protect
young children.
All parents should be aware of the following pool safety tips,
whether they have one in their backyard or not.
C Children drown without a sound. Young children
do not splash, cry or call for help.
C Teach children to always swim with a buddy, never
alone.
C Teach children not to reach into the water for toys,
but to ask a grown-up for help.
C Fences around home pools are a safe measure, but
not a guarantee.
C Do not rely on substitutes. The use of floatation
devices and inflatable toys cannot replace parental
supervision.
Keeping children safe around water requires multiple layers
of protection!
Yearly, there are about 800 bicycle-related deaths in the U.S.
and another half a million bicycle-related injuries treated in
the nation’s hospital emergency rooms. The U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission encourages bike riders of all ages
to use helmets. Studies have shown that using bike helmets
can reduce head injuries by up to 85 percent.
However, not all bicycle-related injuries and deaths can be
addressed by the use of safety equipment alone. Rider actions
and reactions – especially obeying traffic laws – play a major
Child Care Information Center Newsletter
role in contributing to injury-free bicycling enjoyment.
10 SMART ROUTES TO BICYCLE SAFETY
a Protect Your Head...Wear a Helmet.
a See and Be Seen...Wear Bright Colors or Reflective
Stripes.
a Avoid Biking at Night.
a Stay Alert…Keep a Lookout for Obstacles in Your
Path.
a Go With the Flow...Ride WITH Traffic.
a Check for Traffic…Be Aware of Traffic Around You
(Intersections, Driveways, etc).
a Learn the Rules of the Road...Obey Traffic Laws.
a Assure Bicycle Readiness…Is Your Bicycle Prop-
erly Adjusted?
a Can You Stop It?...Check Brakes Before Riding.
a Check Your Wheels...Quick Release Wheels Should
Be Securely Fastened.
Information provided by Michelle Reinen at Division of
Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Department of
Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. For a complete
playground safety checklist go to website available at:
www.datcp.state.wi.us/cp/consumerinfo/cp/factsheets/
childcare_checklist.jsp
Am I Fat?
Most husbands would agree that to hear that question from
their wife is akin to being asked to boil oneself in oil. Howev-
er, what about when a child asks or needs to be informed?
As recently reported (July 2006), the American Medical
Association and the Centers for Disease Control have been
discussing just how to inform a child and parents when a
child’s weight is greater than appropriate for age, height and
gender. At issue is upsetting the child or family if they are
told directly that the child is obese. Hence they are consider-
ing adopting the terms, “at risk of overweight” when body
mass index is in the 85th-94th percentile for their sex and
age, and “overweight” when body mass index exceeds the
94th percentile. Of concern to their position, is that by being
indirect about the issue, the child and parents may not take
the situation as seriously as necessary and the child’s health
may thus be compromised.
The above discussion occurs in a context where obesity rates
in America have more than doubled in the past 30 years and
today’s children and youth may not live as long as their par-
ents for no other reason but for their obesity. Obesity leads
to coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Issue 54, 2007 Page 5
Obesity stands in stark contrast to eating disorders such as Parents and child caregivers should put all climbing equipment
anorexia and bulimia and it may be that in view of these outdoors on surfaces such as sand or mulch to prevent children’s
disorders, parents and professionals alike are actually afraid head injuries. Manufacturers of plastic climbing equipment
of harping on weighty kids, fearing the pendulum may are labeling their products with warnings to NEVER put the
swing in those directions. Further, with so much talk about equipment on concrete, asphalt, wood, or other hard surfaces,
self-esteem, there is also concern that direct discussion on and that carpet may NOT prevent injury.
matters of weight might cause children to feel poorly about
Information provided Rose Perrizo, U.S. Consumer Product
themselves.
Safety. Website available at www.cpsc.gov
It seems the pendulum has so swung in favor of concern for
psychological processes that physical health is now com- Parents Are the Key
promised. The challenge is to bring both into balance where
neither physical nor psychological health be put at risk. Parents Plus, Inc. the Parent Information and Resource
With regard to obesity, it is perhaps best then if taken out of Center of Wisconsin (PIRC) is a no-profit organization
the realm of psychology and treated as the medical issue it is. whose purpose is to increase parental involvement in their
As we similarly are forthright about other medical conditions children’s education and assist them to achieve at a higher
our children face, so too should we be forthright about obesity. level academically. Parents will understand, through our early
Children need to learn about appropriate nutrition, diet, childhood programs, they can ensure their children are ready
health, exercise and self-care. If their weight is greater than for school. School officials will develop better policies and
appropriate, they should receive reasonable feedback and programs that encourage parental involvement and parents
direction to remedy the condition, just as they would any will gain an understanding of how to assist their children
other medical concern. to succeed in school. Finally, through our coordinated state
level activities, student learning and parental involvement
In the long run, self-esteem is a function of being valued. will be improved.
Concern for a child’s medical well-being is an indicator to
the child of being valued despite any upset that may be felt Our four priority goals are:
in the moment. Further, concern for the longevity and health 1. Coordinate and expand program collaboration with the
of a child is about as caring a gesture as a parent can make. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (Including
Lastly, it is actually more difficult to feel good about oneself
as a child if weight causes the child to be ostracized or causes
the child to be left behind in physical activities.
The issue is therefore utilizing sensitivity and providing sup-
port and solutions to aid the child in the pursuit of a healthy
weight and lifestyle.
Be Forthright; don’t let weight be an indicator of the child’s
worth or value to you the parent; support reasonable nutri-
tion, diet, health and exercise. Your child will be physically
better off and for sure they will know they are loved. We only
take such good care of those things we hold dear.
Contributed by Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW. Website avail-
able at www.yoursocialworker.com

Safe Surfaces for Children’s

Climbing Equipment
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
is warning parents and daycare providers that children’s
plastic climbing equipment should not be used indoors on
wood or cement floors, even if covered with carpet, such as
indoor/out-door, shag or other types of carpet. Carpet does
not provide adequate protection to prevent injuries.
CPSC has reports of two children killed and hundreds in-
jured at home and at childcare centers when they fell from
climbing equipment placed indoors on cement, wood or
carpeted floors.

Page 6 Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007

 Title I and No Child Left Behind Initiatives) and other
key public and non-profit organizations that promote im-
proved student learning and parental/family involvement
in urban and rural areas throughout Wisconsin;
2. Develop and strengthen the relationship and partnerships
between schools and parents/families as a means to im-
prove children’s academic achievement;
3. Assist schools to design and implement effective parental
involvement policies, programs, and activities that im-
prove children’s academic achievement.
4. Further the developmental progress of Wisconsin’s chil-
dren by establishing, expanding or operating the Parents
as Teachers home visiting services.
PARENTS AS TEACHERS: Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a na-
tionally recognized evidence-based, highly effective home
visitation model which advocates parents as their child’s first
and best teacher. Using the PAT Born to Learn curriculum,
services begin pre-natally or at birth. Certified parent educa-
tors demonstrate parent/child interactions which maximize
brain development. This model encourages parent involve-
ment in their child’s education pre-natally or early on and
contains a group component which provides support from
peers. PAT also provides periodic developmental, hearing
and vision screenings.
PARENTS ARE KEY: Parents have a huge influence on their
children. For example, one of the best predictors of a child’s
verbal talent is the frequency with which the parents talk and
read to him or her. Parents really are their child’s first and
most influential teacher. Parents are Key (PAK) offers free
home-based early childhood education that is parent driven.
PAK, using an integrated model of Parents as Teachers (PAT)
and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters
(HIPPY), both nationally recognized programs, teaches par-
ents the most effective ways to help their child learn and reach
his/her optimal development. PAT and HIPPY have long his-
tories of program evaluation, which includes both longitudinal
and comparison studies. Research shows that PAT and HIPPY
children have a higher level of school readiness. While each
program is outstanding, together they are amazingly stronger
and provide a more holistic approach. For instance, HIPPY
is literacy focused, but does not provide the developmental
screenings, which PAT does. Play and everyday learning
opportunities are the service delivery method for PAT, while
HIPPY uses techniques that are closer to the format children
will use in school. Early childhood, which begins at birth, is
a time of life when significant transformations take place.
During these years, parents’ beliefs about their children’s
abilities are shaped and the child’s own academic self concept
begins to form. PAK families have the opportunity to bond
and strengthen parental skills, education and family support
skills during this critical time.
PARENT WORKSHOPS: Parents Plus staff has developed three
trainings for parents and families which bring parents into the
school and encourage learning at home. The first, Math &
Child Care Information Center Newsletter
Science Family Nights, is a nationally validated program that
is aligned with state standards and is extremely effective in
increasing parent involvement. This program creates oppor-
tunities for parents, educators and students to work together
on problem solving, improving communication skills and
considering future goals. Project Play, a series of family lit-
eracy workshops, includes a variety of topics that incorporate
hands-on activities, family reading times, the value of play and
many other topics. Your Child’s Amazing Brain workshops,
conducted in family resource centers and at schools, provide
information to families on their child’s brain development
and what they as parents can do to optimize learning from
birth. And finally, Creating Successful Children promotes
social emotional competence by building relationships and
constructing supportive environments for children.
For more information contact Parents Plus, Inc. at info@
parentspluswi.org or 1-877-384-1769. We are accessible via
the Web at www.parentspluswi.org
Know the Names of Plants!
Many of the calls the Poison Center receives involve plants.
The Poison Center can help with poison information and
management if you know the name and/or species of the
plant, not a description. The Poison Center cannot identify
plants over the phone.
Any plant when swallowed can cause coughing, choking or
stomach upset. Poinsettia plants were once thought to be very
poisonous but are actually safe to have in the home at holiday
time. Most ingestions of a leaf or two have not resulted in
significant symptoms. Poinsettia plants have a mild irritant
which can cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, and the milky
sap from the flower may cause skin irritation.
The names of toxic holiday plants to know and identify are:
Holly – Stiff green leaves and bright red berries are ex-
tremely attractive to children. Holly berries are significantly
poisonous; ingestion of 20 berries can mean death to a child.
Mistletoe – Berries, leaves, and stem are all considered toxic.
Contact the Poison Center if ingestion of any amount occurs.
Jerusalem Cherry – This plant contains bright or-
ange to scarlet-colored berries. The entire plant is tox-
ic. Call the Poison Center if ingested in any amount.
Bittersweet – All parts of this plant are considered toxic. The
unripe berries contain the highest concentration of Solanin;
ingestion results in a drastic reduction of the heart rate, seda-
tion, and headaches.
To avoid potential poisoning, choose to give non-toxic plants
next holiday season such as: African violets, Boston fern,
Christmas cactus, coleus, jade, snake plants, spider plants,
wandering jew, or the wax plant.
If you suspect poisoning has occurred, call 911 or the emer-
gency number in your area. For more information on poison-
ing, phone the WI Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. For
hearing impaired (TYY), 1-414-266-2542. Website available
at www.wisconsinpoison.org
Issue 54, 2007 Page 7

Places Have
Physical and Human
Characteristics
Every place has a personality. And, just
like people, places may have a lot in
common, but no two are exactly alike.
What makes a place special? What are
the physical and human characteristics
of your hometown? Is the soil sandy or
rocky? Is the temperature warm or is it
cold? Did important historical events
occur there? Is it near a river or lake?
What physical characteristics are most
important or unique?
What about the people? How are they
affected by the characteristics of place?
Their language, style of government,
architecture, industries, can all define
the special character of a place.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Walk around your neighborhood and
look at what makes it unique. Point out
how it is similar to other places you have
been and how it is different. Talk about
what animals and plants live in your
neighborhood. Look at the buildings
and discuss their uses. Are there features
designed to meet weather conditions,
such as window shutters or sun room?
Do the shapes of some buildings tell us
how they were used in the past or how
they are used now?
Page 8 Child Care Information Center Newsletter
If you live near a park, a lake, a river,
a stream or a creek, take your children
there and spend time talking about its
uses. If you live near an historical site,
visit it and talk about what happened
there and why it’s important. Look for
other points of interest in your town and
learn more about them.
FARAWAY PLACES
Read stories and books about distant
places with your children. Many
children’s books provide vivid images
of different places and a sense of what it
would be like to live in them. A Country
Far Away, Heidi, and Going for Oysters
are examples of books about other parts
of the world that have inspired many
young readers.
Use songs to teach georgraphy: Home
on the Range, California, Here I Come,
and This Land Is Your Land are all songs
about place. Teach your children folk
songs of different countries like La Cu-
caracha, London Bridge, and Dreidel,
Dreidel, Dreidel.
With your children, see a movie or video
which is set in a different land such as
The Lion King, Treasure Island, or A
Little Princess.
Talk with your children about the
places these books, songs, and movies
celebrate, find them on a map or globe,
and discuss their mental picture of these
places.
WHAT’S THE CLIMATE LIKE?
Climate very much affects the character
of a place. The amount of sun or rain,
heat or cold, the direction and strength
of the wind, all determine such things
as how people dress, how well crops
grow, and the extent to which people
will want to live in a particular spot.
Join your children in observing weather
conditions.
Watch the weather forecast on televi-
sion or read the weather map in the
newspaper. Save the maps for a month
or more. You can see changes over
time and compare conditions over
several weeks and seasons. Read-
ing the weather map helps children
observe changes in the local climate.
Use a weather map to look up the tem-
peratures of cities around the world
and discover how hot each gets in the
summer and how cold each gets in the
winter. Compare these figures with
your town. Ask your children if they
can think of reasons why different loca-
tions have different temperatures. Many
children enjoy finding the place that is
the hottest or the coldest.
Make simple weather-related devices
such as barometers, pinwheels, and wind
chimes (find books of experiments).
Watch cloud formations and make
weather forecasts for your hometown.
Contributed by the U.S. Department
of Education, October 1996. Website
available at www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/
geography/place.html
Issue 54, 2007
Free Child Care Articles to Order and Keep
To Order Items, Phone (608) 224-5388 or 1-800-362-7353
Item # Keep It! Material Detail
01] _____ Developing an Outdoor Classroom: Blending Classroom Curriculum and Outdoor Play
Space. Mary L. Studer, Texas Child Care, Summer 1998. Information provided for children to
understand their environment through writing, dramatic play, art and manipulative, sensory table,
science table, reading area and sand box.
02] _____ Watch the Weather: Activities for All Kinds of Days. Texas Child Care, Winter 2001. Activities
allow children to engage intellectual, movement, health, social, or art and creativity. Activities
are age appropriate.
03] _____ Take the Classroom Outdoors. Theresa Wilder, Texas Child Care, Spring 2001. Child care
providers can discover how outdoor activities can improve children’s cognitive, social, emo-
tional, and motor development. A list of sample outdoor play materials and sample prop box for
an insect theme are included.
04] _____ Infants at Play. Texas Child Care, Spring 2001. Included are activities and games on infant
senses, exploration, security needs, and songs. Age levels are described for birth to 2 months, 3
to 6 months and 10 to 12 months.
05] _____ Bringing Multiple Intelligences Outdoors. Laura McFarland and Meena Adhikary, Texas
Child Care, Fall 2006. This article discusses how outdoor activity is more than children getting
out their energy. It explains Dr. Howard Gardner’s theory that true intelligence is determined
by one’s ability to solve problems and offer creative responses to one’s cultural needs. Gardner
states eight different types of intelligence in each individual.
06] _____ Winter Playscape Dreaming. Rusty Keeler, Child Care Information Exchange, January-February
2006. Young children discovering winter’s season with snowflakes, finding icicles, or observing
the birds that share their yards. Ideas and suggestion on how to plan a playscape.
07] _____ Outdoor Environments. Child Care Information Exchange, March-April 2003. There are eight
articles on outdoor play environments.
08] _____ Give Children a Place to Explore: Betsy Caesar, Child Care Information Exchange, March-
April 2001. Presents plans for developing playgrounds for preschool children. Information
consists of evaluating existing conditions, obtaining a safety audit for equipment and surfacing,
and designing the playground.
09] _____ Supporting Constructive Play in the Wild--Guidelines for Learning Outdoors. Francis
Wardle, Child Care Information Exchange, May-June 2000. Illustrates and emphasizes the im-
portance of constructive play to young children.
10] _____ Environments for Special Needs. Child Care Information Exchange, March- April 1997. Five
articles address creating environments for children with special needs.
11 ] _____ Caring for the Little Ones—Winter Outside Fun with Infants and Toddlers. Child Care In-
formation Exchange, January-February 1996. Ideas for outdoor winter activities to help infants
and toddlers develop self-help, social and vocabulary skills. Offers suggestions for homemade
toys and for reducing stress for infants in full-day child care.
12] _____ Children and Sports: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Updated
January 2002). This fact sheet presents advice to parents on how to involve their children in
sports. Information provides parent involvement in their children’s activity for healthy experi-
ence. Also available in Spanish as Los Niños y los Deportes.
13] _____ Making the Most of Outdoor Time with Preschool Children. North Carolina State University,
A & T University Cooperative Extension, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments.
Information about guidance on outdoor activities for preschoolers.
14] _____ Play TAG with Your Kids: Tips to Ensure Positive Competitive Experience. Laura Maloney
and David W. Andrew, Ph.D., Dean College of Human Ecology. The Ohio State University. Dis-
cusses role of caregivers or parents to target child individual needs for promoting child readiness
in competitive activity.

Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007 Page 9

Item # Keep It! Material Detail
15] _____ Environmental To Do’s for Young Children. Marilyn Lopes. University of Massachusetts.
Explains how children can develop a sense of respect for nature. Identify an outdoor theme for
engaging children to develop an understanding of the environment and improving early learning
experiences.
16] _____ Make Sure Children Exercise Regularly. Gail Carlson, University of Illinois Cooperative Ex-
tension Services, 1994. Discusses how important it is for young children to have regular exercise.
Gives ideas for including exercise in the curriculum as a standard part of the daily routine.
17] _____ Making the Most of Outdoor Play. Frank Self, University of Illinois Cooperative Extension,
1996. This newsletter article describes the advantages of outdoor play for young children and
offers ideas for choosing the time that children spend outdoors. Also, the author gives informa-
tion on making outdoor play safe and stimulating.
18] _____ Water, Water Everywhere! Kathleen P. Sible, Young Children, January 2000. This author
explains how problems with water drainage on the playground create puddles that allow oppor-
tunities for children’s fun, family-school communication, and challenges for one early childhood
program.
19] _____ Exploring Nature with Children. Janet Humphryes, Young Children, March. 2000. The chal-
lenge for early childhood educators is to give confidence for students to use all of their senses
and help them with excursions outdoors to build observation skills. Notes that children from 0
to 6 years of age learn best through their senses and develop understanding when engaged in
activities that bring them into direct contact with the natural world.
20] _____ Be a Bee and Other Approaches to Introducing Young Children to Entomology. James A.
Danoff-Burg, Young Children, September 2002. Encourages interest in insects, minimizes fear
of nature and instills admiration for biodiversity.
21] _____ Making Playgrounds Fit for Children and Children Fit for Playgrounds. John A. Sutterby and
Joe L. Frost, Young Children, May 2002. Informs about a potential epidemic of obesity among
children in the United States and encourages early childhood practitioners to provide outdoor
play that increases children’s physical activity, muscle strength, and coordination. Maintains
that playgrounds should have a variety of equipment that challenges children at different ability
levels. Affirms that teachers’ and parents’ active involvement is needed to help children become
physically fit.
22] _____ Paying Attention to the Outdoor Environment Is as Important as Preparing the Indoor
Environment. Karen Debord, Linda L. Hestenes, Robin Moore, Nilda Cosco, Janet McGinnis,
Young Children, May 2002. Presents the Preschool Outdoor Environment Assessment Scale, a
tool to measure the value of outdoor preschool child care environments. Identifies characteristics
of five domains: (1) physical environment, (2) interactions, (3) activity areas, (4) program, and
(5) teacher/caregiver role.
23] _____ Including “Everyone” in Outdoor Play. Lynda Flynn and Judith Kieff, Young Children, May
2002. Introduces rules for outdoor play that are important when young children have special
needs. Features a decision-making process for planning adaptations and practical strategies for
making adaptations and interventions to improve outdoor play for children with special needs.
Lists adaptations for a child who is blind, is deaf, has physical barriers, has autism spectrum
disorder, or has cognitive delays.
24] _____ The Mud Center: Recapturing Childhood. Becky J. Jensen and Julie A. Bullard, Young Chil-
dren, May 2002. Explains a Montana child development center’s outdoor mud kitchen in which
children enjoy messy, creative, sensory experiences playing with mud and a broad assortment of
props for dramatic play. Describes how mud play adds to young children’s increasing interests
and provides opportunities for expressing creativity, enhancing fine motor skills, and practicing
literacy.
25] _____ The Inside Information about Safety Surfacing. Donna Thompson and Susan Hudson, Young
Children, March 2003. The National Program for Playground Safety tested the impact attenua-
tion characteristics of safety surfaces used in indoor child care play settings. The most common
surfaces used were indoor/outdoor carpet, various types of mats, and safety floor tiles. Nearly 60
percent of tested materials had a critical fall height of 1 foot or less. Carpet safety tiles and mats
do not provide adequate protection for children falling from heights above 1 foot.

Page 10 Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007

Item # Keep It! Material Detail
26] _____ Hopping Frogs and Trail Walks: Connecting Young Children and Nature. Priscilla Woyke,
Young Children, January 2004. The author describes a three step program for early childhood.
Based on activity, wonder, and environmental education.
27 ] _____ Big Jobs: Planning for Competence. Nancy P. Jones, Young Children, March 2005. Encouraging
emotional growth by challenging three to five years olds on physical and social and problem-
solving through outdoor activities on a farm. Indoor activities are learned while cooperating,
helping, negotiating and communicating with others.
28] _____ Quality in Oudoor Environments for Child Care. Tufts University. Child and Family Web
Guide. Discuss several elements that promote children to have the opportunity to explore, ques-
tion and develop theories about the outdoor environment.
29] _____ Winter is “For the Birds”. Sandy Davin. University of Illinois Cooperative Extension, 1992.
Ways to interest school-agers in observing birds in their outdoor environment.
30] _____ Why Outdoor Spaces for Children Matter So Much. Jim Wike. Child Care Information Ex-
change, September/October 2006. This article describes how the term “outdoor classroom” can
be developed for children to interact with various elements in the natural world.
31] _____ The Power of Nature to Help Children Heal. Vicki Bohling-Philippi. Child Care Information
Exchange, September/October 2006. How connecting children to nature and providing attentive
support and encouragement can help heal traumatized children.
32] _____ Baby Care: Turn Dressing into Learning. Child Care Information Exchange, Winter 2005.
How children learn by dressing themselves and developing self-help skills.
33] _____ Puzzles: Set the Table for Learning. Nancy Maldonado. Texas Child Care, Summer 2006. The
advantages of puzzles are more than enjoyment and problem solving. Presents age-appropriate
puzzles for enhancing nearly all areas of a child’s development.
34] _____ Move It: Physical Activity for Young Children. Texas Child Care, Winter 2004. Discusses
how physical skills are incorporated with other skills. Includes activities for promoting physical
movement and learning by exploring.
35] _____ Collaborating with Parks. Dana E. Friedman. Child Care Information Exchange, Septem-
ber/October 2006. Presents information on how schools or child care programs can collaborate
with local parks to improve their environments thus encouraging physical activity and multiple
kinds of learning.
36] _____ The Outdoor Classroom: “No Child Left Inside”. Eric Nelson. Child Care Information Ex-
change, September/October 2006. Explains the process of evaluating the outdoor environment
and the outdoor program. Includes developmental steps, assessing and characteristics.
37] _____ Let Me: Children’s Art with Less Stress and More Success. Jo Ann Lohl Spears. Texas Child
Care, Winter 2002. Hints on art projects that have less mess and more creativity. Includes art
activities.
38] _____ Tips for Helping Children Do Science. Carol Armga and others. Texas Child Care, Winter
2002. How children incorporate their experiences into cognitive thinking by learning with sup-
port of teachers. Scientific information provided around planning and preparing activities for
promoting learning.
39] _____ Good Times At Play. Human Development and Family Studies. Colorado State University Co-
operative Extension 1996. A broad range of information from concepts, developmental stages,
and activities. A Growth and Play Chart included.
40] _____ Take Time to Play with Your Child. Texas Parenting News, Spring 2007. The importance of
parents allowing play time with their children. Tips include constructive play.
41] _____ What’s Right for Young Children II: Childcare Gardens, Wisconsin Department of Public
Instruction 2006. This book is unique through its accomplishments of providing readers easy
access of information for Improving Eating Styles and Food Preference of Young Children,
Healthy Choices Food list, Natural Model to Promote Good Nutrition and Physical Activity,
Ideas for Healthy Family Meals and Snacks and Resources including parent factsheet, tool as-
sessment, toolkit and websites. This book is a great resource for bridging child care providers
and families with the opportunity of cultivating good nutrition practices and outdoor activity.

Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007 Page 11

Books To Borrow
WHY CHILDREN NEED TO PLAY OUTDOORS AND EXPLORE NATURE
42] The Great Outdoors: Restoring Children’s Right To Play Outside
Mary S. Rivkin. Washington, DC: NAEYC, 1995. 105 pgs.
Compelling arguments for restoring opportunities for outdoor play and learning; examples of exciting
playgrounds; practical information on safety, accessibility, and curriculum.
43] Last Child In The Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder
Richard Louv. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books, 2005. 323 pgs.
Children’s separation from nature is linked to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, stress, depression,
anxiety disorders, and childhood obesity. Children need wild places and disorganized play! And nature
needs its children to become its future stewards.
44] Outdoor Learning And Play, Ages 8-12
Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International, 2005. 118 pgs.
Some children have already lost interest in the out-of-doors and see it as hot, cold, or boring. These
articles tell how to plan learning and play opportunities to lure children outside.
45] Tumbling Over The Edge: A Rant For Children’s Play
Beverley J. Bos and Jennifer Chapman. Roseville, CA: Turn the Page Press, 2005. 162 pgs.
An impassioned book about the play environment for young children in their homes, schools, child care
facilities, and gathering places. Many wonderful photos of children investigating and exploring live,
green, beautiful, wild, untamed, and evolving spaces.
DESIGNING OUTDOOR SPACES AND PLAYGROUNDS
46] The Developmental Benefits Of Playgrounds
Joe L. Frost and others. Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International, 2004. 231 pgs.
The crucial role of play in childhood development. Guidelines for creating a playground that offers
diversity and challenge.
47] Learning With Nature Idea Book: Creating Nurturing Outdoor Spaces For Children
Lincoln, NE: National Arbor Day Foundation, 2007. 52 pgs.
How to create outdoor spaces that nurture children’s sense of wonder and encourage rich learning for
children aged 6 weeks to 10 years.
48] Let’s Go Outside! : Designing The Early Childhood Playground
Tracy Theemes. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press, 1999. 124 pgs.
How to design, equip, and maintain safe, challenging playgrounds for 2- to 8-year-olds. Offers a satis-
fying, interactive approach to supporting young children in their outdoor play.
49] Natural Learning: The Life History Of An Environmental Schoolyard
Robin C. Moore and Herbert H. Wong. Berkeley, CA: MIG Communications, 1997. 280 pgs.
Follows the authors over ten years as they transform an ordinary asphalt schoolyard into a lush, natural-
ized environment.
50] Plants For Play: A Plant Selection Guide For Children’s Outdoor Environments
Robin C. Moore. Berkeley, CA: MIG Communications, 1993. 121 pgs.
Organizes plants by their play value: climbing, swinging, hiding, playing with props, harvesting fruits,
exploring textures and smells, attracting wildlife, etc.
51] POEMS: Preschool Outdoor Environment Measurement Scale
Karen DeBord. Lewisville, NC: Kaplan, 2005. 30 pgs.
Assessment tool for evaluating outdoor environments for children 3-5 years old.

Page 12 Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007

BEING INCLUSIVE

52] Backyards And Butterflies: Ways To Include Children With Disabilities In Outdoor Activities
Doreen Greenstein. Ithaca, NY: New York State Rural Health & Safety Council, 1993. 72 pgs.
Low-tech, inexpensive, homemade “assistive technology” ideas families can use to make the outdoors
accessible.
53] Play For All Guidelines: Planning, Design And Management Of Outdoor Play Settings For All
Children
2nd ed. Berkeley, CA: MIG Communications, 1992. 291 pgs.
A team of 136 professionals developed this comprehensive design resource for integrating children of
all abilities in the same outdoor play area.

LEARNING ABOUT NATURE

54] Discovering Nature With Young Children
Ingrid Chalufour and Karen Worth. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 2003. 157 pgs.
Children have an inborn sense of wonder about the living world around them. This book tells preschool
teachers how to foster curiosity while guiding children through nature explorations.
55] Earthways: Simple Environmental Activities For Young Children
Carol Petrash. Mt. Rainier, MD: Gryphon House, 1992. 206 pgs.
Categorized by season and using easily found materials, these art and nature activities encourage under-
standing and appreciation of the earth and other living things.
56] Hug A Tree: And Other Things To Do Outdoors With Young Children
Robert Rockwell. Mt. Rainier, MD: Gryphon House, 1983. 106 pgs.
Make a rainbow, take a bird to lunch, or measure the wind! Help children 3 and up know and love the
natural world at the same time as they learn language and math.
57] The Kids’ Nature Book: 365 Indoor /outdoor Activities And Experiences
Rev. ed. Susan Milord. Charlotte, VT: Williamson Pub. Co, 1996. 156 pgs.
A nature-nurturing activity for every day of the year. Children ages 4-10 will learn to love nature and
have fun at the same time.

58] Lessons From Turtle Island: Native Curriculum In Early Childhood Classrooms
Guy W. Jones and Sally Moomaw. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 2002. 175 pgs.
To Native peoples there is a spiritual connection to Mother Earth, a regard for the earth as belonging
to all, and a deep understanding of the importance of earth to our survival. This book gives a Native
American perspective on the environment and celebrating the circle of life. Other themes are children,
home, families, and community.

59] My Big World Of Wonder: Activities For Learning About Nature And Using Natural Resources
Wisely
Sherri Griffin. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 2004. 238 pgs.
80 activities help preschool and early primary children learn how to use and preserve all our natural
resources and all life forms. Organized by season, the book focuses on three core principles of conser-
vation: preservation, restoration, and management.

60] Nature In A Nutshell For Kids: Over 100 Activities You Can Do In Ten Minutes Or Less
Jean Potter. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1995. 136 pgs.
Make bubbles that bounce! Stir up a tornado in a jar! These quick, easy experiments and activities are
organized by season, use accessible materials and cover every aspect of the natural world. For ages
8-12.

Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007 Page 13

61] The Nature Specialist: A Complete Guide To Program And Activities
Lenore Hendler Miller. Martinsville, IN: American Camping Association, 1986. 170 pgs.
70-plus activities--indexed by type, age, and degree of preparation--developed by a camp naturalist to
share a love and awe of nature with school-age children.
62] Sharing Nature With Children: A Parents’ And Teachers’ Nature-awareness Guidebook
Joseph Bharat Cornell. Nevada City, CA: Ananda Publications, 1979. 143 pgs.
This classic book offers activities that help children feel a love of nature and actually experience what it
is like to be part of the natural world.
63] Small Wonders: Nature Education For Young Children
Linda Garrett. Woodstock, VT: Vermont Institute of Natural Science, 2005. 314 pgs.
24 hands-on nature exploration units for children ages 3 through kindergarten are grouped around 3
themes: growth and change, animal homes, and connections to nature.

PLAYING OUTDOORS
64] 365 Outdoor Activities You Can Do With Your Child
Steve and Ruth Bennett. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corp, 1993. 431 pgs.
Outdoor activities to do with children ages 3 and up. Switch off the TV – and switch on a world of
outdoor fun!
65] Outdoor Play, Every Day: Innovative Play Concepts For Early Childhood
Karyn Wellhousen. Albany, NY: Delmar, 2002. 274 pgs.
Developmentally appropriate outdoor play experiences for children from birth to age 8; safe and acces-
sible playgrounds; observation and assessment of children’s outdoor play.
66] The Outside Play And Learning Book: Activities For Young Children
Karen Miller. Mt. Rainier, MD: Gryphon House, 1989. 253 pgs.
Learning is more fun when children play outside in the snow, wind, and sun. This book is full of fun
activity choices for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
GOING ON FIELD TRIPS
67] Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird Watching, Shore Walking With Jim Arnosky
Jim Arnosky. New York: Harper Collins, 2002. 96 pgs.
How to enjoy watching wildlife and how to find clues for identifying plants and animals through field
marks, shapes, and locations.
68] Open The Door, Let’s Explore More! : Field Trips Of Discovery For Young Children
Rhoda Redleaf. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 1996. 358 pgs.
14 walks to explore animals, bugs, gardens, parks, ponds, trees, and other aspects of nature. Each walk
has activities to do before, during, and after. 18 other field trips.

GARDENING
69] Get Growing! : Exciting Indoor Plant Projects For Kids
Lois Walker. New York: Wiley, 1991. 101 pgs.
11 indoor gardening projects involving carrots, beans, potatoes, apples, and other plants, and related
cooking and handicraft activities.
70] Got Dirt? : A 5 A Day Toolkit For Implementing Community, Childcare And School Gardens
Amy Meinen. Madison, WI: Dept. of Health and Family Services, 2005. 58 pgs.
Gardening is a wonderful way to increase physical activity and encourage healthful eating. This guide
explains how to start a garden, describes successful Wisconsin child care and school gardens, and lists
helpful garden resources.

Page 14 Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007

71] Hollyhocks And Honeybees: Garden Projects For Young Children
Sara Starbuck. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 2002. 189 pgs.
Dirty hands stimulate growing minds! This book introduces early childhood teachers—with or without
green thumbs—to the rich learning opportunities found in gardening with children, especially in fun
theme gardens like the bird and butterfly garden or the dinosaur garden.
72] Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together With Children
Sharon Lovejoy. New York: Workman Pub, 1999. 159 pgs.
Beautifully illustrated theme gardens for adults and children to grow together, including a sunflower
house, a moon garden, a garden of giants, and many others.
MAKING NATURE CRAFTS
73] Ecoart! : Earth-friendly Art & Craft Experiences For 3 to 9 Year-Olds
Laurie M. Carlson. Charlotte, VT: Williamson Pub, 1993. 157 pgs.
Art and craft projects that benefit the environment through recycling.
74] Good Earth Art: Environmental Art For Kids
Mary Ann F. Kohl and Cindy Gainer. Bellingham, WA: Bright Ring Pub, 1991. 223 pgs.
Over 200 projects for painting and drawing, sculpture and mobiles, collage and printing, weaving and
crafts. Handmade art supplies emphasize recycling and natural materials.
75] Nature’s Art Box
Laura C. Martin. North Adams, MA: Storey Pub, 2003. 215 pgs.
From t-shirts to twig baskets, 65 projects for crafty school-age kids to make with natural materials they
can find anywhere.

Audiovisual Materials to Borrow

76] ABC’s Of Supervision
Cedar Falls, IA: University of Northern Iowa, 199?. VHS, color, 16 min.
How to supervise playground activities using strategies that prevent injuries to children.
77] An Amusement Park For Birds: A Long Term Project Conducted At La Villetta School, The City Of
Reggio Emilia, Italy
Amherst, MA: Performanetics Press, 1994. VHS, color, 88 min.
In a long-term project, young children designed and built an outdoor amusement park for the birds in
their playground. Describes in detail the teaching process in Reggio Emilia pre-primary schools.
78] Bugs Don’t Bug Us!
Karin and Gina Lamb. Eureka, MT: Bo Peep Productions, 1991. VHS, color, 36 min. + follow-up activities
+ bug handling chart.
Shows children observing and gently handling bugs in natural settings and enjoying it immensely. In-
cludes footage of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. For children 2-7.
79] The Child In Nature
Burton, OH: North American Montessori Teachers’ Association, 2006. DVD, 16 min.
Montessori teacher trainer Nimal Vaz, landscape architect Robin Moore, and theologian-philosopher
Thomas Berry show how the naturalized schoolyard brings the child into contact with the natural world
and the universe. Filmed at the Montessori Center School in Phoenix, Arizona.
80] Discovering Nature With Young Children: Trainer’s Video
St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 2003. VHS, color, 37 min. + trainer’s guide (218 p.) + curriculum book
(157 p.).
This inquiry-based science curriculum builds on children’s natural curiosity about the living world
around them. The trainer’s guide has materials for 6 basic and 7 advanced workshops to introduce pre-

Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007 Page 15

 school teachers to the curriculum. The video presents 8 vignettes showing teachers at different stages in
their development as science teachers.
81] Exploring Science And Nature (Also available in Spanish: Explorando La Ciencia Y La Naturaleza)
Washington, DC: NAEYC, 1995. VHS, color, 30 min.
The appropriate way for children to learn about science is through exploration. This tape describes
many simple everyday activities that give children opportunities to observe, classify, compare, commu-
nicate, infer, predict, use numbers, measure, understand space/time relationships, appreciate nature, and
care for our environment.
82] Leave No Child Inside: A Study Of ECE Program Environments
Deb Curtis and Margie Carter. Seattle, WA: Harvest Resources, 2006. CD-ROM.
Inspiring and beautiful PowerPoint slides on CD-ROM show examples of outdoor environments for
early childhood education programs. Captions add ideas about connecting children to nature, caring for
plants and creatures, landscaping for adventure, creating places to feel powerful, designing cozy spaces
and gathering places, enhancing play with props, designing space with definition and storage and clean-
up in mind, and preventing nature deficit disorder!
83] Nurturing The Spirit
Nimal Vaz. Burton, OH: North American Montessori Teachers’ Association, 2006. DVD, 12 min.
Continuing from The Child in Nature (above), a Montessori teacher trainer suggests more outdoor ex-
periences that balance freedom and discipline for 3- to 6-year-olds.
84] Safe Active Play: A Guide To Avoiding Play Area Hazards
Washington, DC: NAEYC, 1997. VHS, color, 35 min.
How to identify and avoid the 12 most common causes of serious injuries - while maintaining the qual-
ity of active play, both indoors and out.
85] Sharing Nature With Young Children
Washington, DC: NAEYC, 1992. VHS, color, 18 min.
Rudy Mancke, host of a children’s nature program on TV, demonstrates lots of good ideas on how you
can get kids curious and excited about nature without yourself knowing a lot of facts beforehand. He
suggests using the “distance from self criteria”: start with things close to children’s lives and move out
as they get older. Whatever their age, get kids outside, look, ask questions, guess, and have fun!
86] Which Way, Weather?
Karin and Gina Lamb. Eureka, MT: Bo Peep Productions, 1995. VHS, color, 30 min. + song book + guide.
This fun look at weather conditions features young children enjoying all kinds of seasonal outdoor ac-
tivities: puddle stomping, kite flying, swimming, sailing, leaf piling, pumpkin picking, skating, sledding
and more. For children 18 months through 6 years.

Page 16 Child Care Information Center Newsletter Issue 54, 2007

Next Issue: Transitions
We are a mail-order library!
Our services are free!
To order, phone 1-800-362-7353
or call:
Fax:
(608) 224-5388
(608) 224-6178
Don’t know what
Email: ccic@dpi.state.wi.us to order? Just call!
Internet: dpi.wi.gov/ccic
Mail: Child Care Information Center, 2109 South Stoughton Rd, Madison WI 53716-2851

♥ Books and videos are library items. To borrow books and videos directly from CCIC, anyone in
Wisconsin working in the field of child care and early childhood education may contact us. We will ship
the book or video to you. Your only expense will be the cost of mailing the item back to us at the end of
the loan period: two weeks for books and one week for videos.
Items are sent a few at a time, depending on when they become available and whether you still
have items checked out. Items featured in newsletters are popular and you may have to wait to
receive them. Let us know if you will accept a substitution or need information on this topic immedi-
ately.
If you have dates by which you need materials, let us know.
We will try to meet your timeline.
Phone to renew your materials.
Or you may borrow the items through interlibrary loan at your local public or academic
library—but check the charge policies of an academic library—and go to your local
library to pick up and return the book or tape.
♥ Articles are yours to keep. Articles, brochures and factsheets do not need to be returned.
♥ Ordering. Identify the newsletter issue number and the item number. Tell us your name, center name,
address, and phone number. Sample: “Hi, my name is Will B. Better. From Newsletter 51, I’d like ar-
ticles 1 through 12, books 49 and 58, and video number 85. Send them to Kids Rule Child Care, Im-
provement Street, Clappinghands, WI, 54321. My phone number is 123-123-4444.”
♥ Save and circulate your newsletters! You may need to order materials in the future. Give everyone a
chance to read it and order materials useful to them. Store it where all staff can refer to it when need-
ed. Feel free to duplicate the newsletter if more copies are needed for your staff.

Wisconsin ♥ Child ♥ Care ♥ Information ♥ Center Non-Profit

Organization
2109 S Stoughton Rd ♥ Madison, WI 53716 U.S.Postage
Paid
Madison, WI
Permit No.920