On the first day of kindergarten, the child who is ready to learn is not necessarily the one who can count to 20 or name all the colors in the rainbow, rather it’s the child who can pay attention, take turns, get along with others and follow directions.
The critical role access to affordable, quality child care plays in parents’ ability to work and communities to flourish has been at the forefront of the public conversation in Nebraska and the nation recently. While we need to pay attention to the immediate urgency...
It's no secret that children benefit greatly when adults read to them. The positive interaction builds neural connections in their developing brains, reinforces basic speech skills and boosts self-esteem by making them feel secure and cared for. We invite you to celebrate International Children’s Book Day next Wednesday, April 2, by finding a good book and reading to the special kiddos in your life!
Early childhood advocates received more detailed information about the Biden administration’s plans to increase the economic stability of the struggling child care industry—and the financial stability of working parents who depend on it. The $1.9 trillion proposal...
Mobile technology and the ability to receive work email and other communication around the clock has blurred the lines between work and home for many parents.
Babies are born ready to learn. At birth, the brain contains about 100 billion neurons that are connected by synapses carrying electrochemical signals in response to stimuli from the world around us. During the earliest years, those synapses are firing at an astonishing rate, and they become the neural foundation upon which everything else is built.
It’s a beautiful, mild October afternoon in Broken Bow—a good day to get out with kids, which suits Nancy Ferguson and her colleagues nicely, although no one is quite sure how many families to expect for today’s activity.
The Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee is touring a Sixpence program in Broken Bow today to learn more about the innovative public-private partnership before holding a public hearing on its visioning process for a statewide strategic plan for education as mandated by LB1103.
One of the most important things parents can do to prepare their children for school is to read to them. The number of words a child knows upon entering kindergarten is a key predictor of future success, and the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that parents read aloud to babies starting at birth to build pre-literacy skills in the earliest years. And as children grow, reading aloud and talking about pictures in age-appropriate books strengthens their emerging language skills and literacy development. And the resulting closer parent-child bond boosts a child’s social-emotional development.
If a parent reads to a child just 15 minutes a day starting at birth, by kindergarten, they will have shared 456.25 hours of reading together. The benefits for the child include a larger vocabulary, plus the security and confidence that result from a parent's one-on-one attention.
Tell us about yourself — how did you get started with your child care business? I began U.N.I.Q.U.E. Childcare and Family Services Family Home in 1997 in the North Omaha community. The mission and vision of our child care is: Using Necessary Involvement to provide Quality Unlimited Education to children and their families. We currently serve eight children and are licensed for 10.
Great hands-on learning opportunities at the Nebraska State Fair offer families a chance to celebrate the end of summer and spend some time together.