Creating an Early Childhood Learning Environment: A Reflection of Your Philosophy

Have you ever paused to consider the learning environment you're creating for young children in your program? Does it truly reflect the philosophy that inspired you when you first set out on this journey? If it does, what are the elements that bring this philosophy to life in your space? If not, it may be time to revisit that foundational philosophy and consider how and why children learn, ensuring that your environment mirrors these values.

2024-08-26T15:17:33-04:00August 26th, 2024|Provider Resources, Professional Development|
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The Critical Role of Staff Meetings in Program Planning

Summer is a natural time to reflect on your program’s calendar. Do you intentionally create a program calendar for staff meetings and professional development? Do you have an internal policy or procedure for how many staff meetings are held per year or how they are executed? What are some ways you share important updates and new information with staff?

2024-07-23T12:29:40-04:00July 17th, 2024|Provider Resources|
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QUALITYstarsNY Celebrates National Reading Month!

March is National Reading Month, a celebration that encourages reading for all ages and promotes reading as a key feature for overall learning, social-emotional, and professional development. Reading is an integral part of early childhood cognitive development, building relationships, fostering language and vocabulary development, and establishing critical thinking skills and beginning concepts of print.

2024-07-23T12:29:40-04:00March 20th, 2024|Provider Resources|
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Take the ‘Bite’ out of Frosty Weather: Tips to Plan for Outdoor Play in Winter Months

Winter lends itself to all sorts of exciting ways to explore the outdoors.  We all know it can be a trick to get all of the children ready to go outside, but that too can become a wonderful learning experience, and a necessary step in getting fresh air throughout the year.  One of the ways we support programs enrolled in QUALITYstarsNY is to brainstorm how to implement program changes that enhance children’s development.  We understand the great importance of daily outdoor play, but are also aware of the numerous hurdles that make this a challenge.  Sometimes reframing and planning can make a difficult task more manageable.  Here are some things to consider when planning outdoor winter play for children:

2024-07-23T12:29:40-04:00January 9th, 2024|Provider Resources, Professional Development|
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NYS Expands Child Care Fee Assistance for Military Families under MCCYN-PLUS

On September 25, the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS (MCCYN-PLUS) program launched in New York State to increase the availability of child care options for the state’s military families. MCCYN-PLUS extends eligibility for the federal military child care fee assistance program to all licensed/registered child care programs in New York State.

2024-07-23T12:29:41-04:00September 26th, 2023|Provider Resources, NYS News|
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