In February 2026, Hunger Solutions New York hosted information sessions for QUALITYstarsNY participants to deepen best practices around food services and menu planning. Watch the information sessions and download the presentation slides to learn more about participating and maximizing your participation in CACFP.
Incorporating music into your program is a wonderful way to support children’s brain development and provide them with engaging learning opportunities across all domains. However, not all musical experiences are created equally. With the increased use of phones, tablets, TV’s and smart boards in early childhood classrooms as our children’s music and movement time, let’s take a minute to examine some high-quality ways to support children’s development and learning with music in our early childhood spaces.
Whether you are looking to increase your knowledge about a topic related to early childhood education, earn a degree or credential, or ensure you are meeting training-related requirements for your job, choosing high-quality professional development is an important step in increasing your knowledge, skills, and abilities which in turn have a valuable impact on your work with children. With a little help from available professional resources, you can ensure that the professional development you take part in is vetted for quality and helps you to meet your professional goals.
One effective way to keep your program running smoothly is by documenting your policies and practices in writing. This is where family and employee handbooks come in. Well-written handbooks are essential to the success and quality of your program. They’re like instruction manuals, often answering questions before they’re even asked. Specialist Susan DiNatale explores the power of putting policies and practices in writing.
As New York State’s Quality Rating and Improvement System, QUALITYstarsNY uses a model of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) to systematically assess, improve, and sustain early care and education quality [...]
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded initiative that reimburses early childhood programs for serving healthy meals and snacks to children. Hunger Solutions New [...]
QUALITYstarsNY Specialist Stella Lundie gives examples of how early childhood education professionals can promote learning through play.
QUALITYstarsNY Specialist Stella Lundie gives examples of how early childhood education professionals can incorporate culturally aware practices into their program.
We have all heard the saying “you are what you eat”. The food that fuels the body plays a role in physical health and mental well-being. Nutrition is critical to the growth and development of young children. For many families, putting healthy food on the table is not that simple. Food insecurity, access to wholesome meals, and cost can be barriers. Child care programs can reduce these barriers for children by participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
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.