Coupon Codes for April - June 2014

Spring is here and time for more training. Here is the coupon code to save 1/2 off your registration fee for our April - June 2014 trainings? Please enter "April/June2014" in the coupon code area on your registration form.

November/December 2013 Workshops Coupon Code!

There's still time to get your clock hours for 2013, and we have plenty of workshops planned before the year draws to a close.

Check out our latest flyer here.

And save half off your registration fee for one workshop by writing the coupon code, "BLOGHALF13" on the blank on your registration form.

Free Social-emotional Resources to Share with Families

Child Care Aware® of Central Missouri has been utilizing the free resources available from The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention (TACSEI) to help child care professionals manage challenging behaviors for several years.  Their website provides a variety of useful tools at no cost to you.  One new resource provides free printable handouts you can share with families to promote social-emotional skills at home.

The Backpack Connection Series helps parents stay informed about what their child is learning at school, and each one gives specific ideas on how to use the strategy or skill at home.   The handouts cover emotions such as jealousy, frustration, anger, and disappointment as well as challenging behaviors like biting.  There are also pages available on routines like bedtime and skills like sharing.

For example, the handout on smooth transitions offers these helpful tips:

• Use a timer, instrument, or funny noise to alert the child about the coming transition.
• Let the child choose a special toy to take with him to the new activity or place.
• Use a visual schedule to show the child the plan for the day.
• Use a special song during transition times.
• Give the child a job to do during the transition. 

To view and print the Backpack Connection Series or other useful resources, visit TACSEI’s website, www.challengingbehavior.org.

First Children’s Finance

First Children’s Finance provides loans and financial technical assistance to child care business owners, both family child care and center based, who want to expand or improve programs in 10 states, including Missouri.   Their loans can be used to open new programs, remodel or expand facilities, purchase equipment, or to make improvements necessary to fulfill licensing requirements.

The organization also has free online Business Resource Centers for family child care businesses and center based child care programs.  You’ll find information there to help you with starting a new business, marketing your business, keeping records, filing taxes, legal issues, money management, and insurance.

To apply for a loan or to utilize the many free resources online, visit their website at www.firstchildrensfinance.org/.

Cool Summertime Ice Play

Here are a few ice play ideas we’ve recently pinned to our Pinterest boards at http://pinterest.com/ccacentralmo.

Magnetic Ice Fishing:  For a fun way to use your magnet play materials, put a magnet in each segment of an ice cube tray, add water, and then add a few drops of food coloring.  Once the ice is frozen, take the ice outside, or add it to your sensory table, and let children explore using the magnetic wands.

Ice Boats:  To make the boats, freeze larger chunks of ice in re-purposed containers (yogurt containers work well).  Add food coloring or liquid watercolor to the water before freezing.  When the ice is about halfway frozen, add a “sail” from paper taped to straws or toothpicks.  Let children play with the ice boats in the water table and explore the floating, melting, color mixing, and more.

Monster Ice:  This can be done using ice cube trays for smaller “monsters” or larger containers for big ones.  Cook some spaghetti, and then make it different colors with food coloring.  For each “monster” add wiggle eyes and spaghetti “hair” to the ice cube tray, then cover with ice and freeze.  Children can play with the “monsters” outside and explore the feeling of the frozen spaghetti thawing.

Ice Chalk:  Mix one part cornstarch and one part baking soda with two parts water and a few drops of liquid watercolor.  Freeze in ice cube trays, and then let the children draw with the ice chalk on the sidewalks.  For an extra thrill, put some vinegar in a spray bottle, and let them spray their drawings and watch the chalk fizz.

Jell-O Ice:  You can freeze Jell-O cups purchased from the store, or mix up a box of Jell-O and put it in the freezer rather than the refrigerator.  This makes a colorful, yummy-smelling, and non-toxic sensory play material.       

Local Family Child Care Business Owner Wins National Award

We’d like to congratulate Meg Kocher of Kocher’s Family Child Care in Holts Summit, Missouri who was one of 50 early care and education professionals selected to win the Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s Tylenol® National Child Care Teacher Award.  Applications are encouraged from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Military bases and installations around the world, and four child care professionals in Missouri were selected to receive the award this year.

Meg’s application included a classroom enhancement project proposal she called “Science Squad:  Explore, Expand, Apply.”  The entry earned her $500 to implement the project in her child care business, and an additional $500 award for the teacher herself.  Meg used the money to purchase a sensory table, binoculars, magnifying glasses, magnets, and other science materials for the children to use.  The families Meg serves wrote letters of support and encouraged her to take time off work for an all expenses paid trip to Philadelphia to receive the award in person.

For more information about the Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s Tylenol® National Child Care Teacher Award, or to apply for the 2014 award, visit www.tllccf.org.

Summer Workshop Coupon Code!

You can save $9 off your workshop registration fee for one of our July or August 2013 workshops.  That's half off the regular cost of $18!

Check your mailbox or email inbox for the registration form, and simply write "SUMMERSALEB" on the registration form before you mail it with your payment to our office.

Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest for more codes.  Each coupon code is good for savings off one workshop registration fee per person. Limit of one code per workshop.  These codes are only valid for Child Care Aware^® of Central Missouri sponsored workshops held during July and August 2013.