Links and Resources for Preschool Teachers

There are many online resources for preschool teachers looking for ideas, strategies, and information. We want to help you easily find useful high-quality online resources. If you know of an excellent online resource that helps you with your teaching, share it with our community of preschool teachers by sending us an e-mail at tyc@naeyc.org. We will update this list with teacher-recommended Web sites on a regular basis.

---

Featured Link

This Web site was recommended by preschool teachers from the Center for Young Children in College Park, Maryland.

The Project Approach Web site outlines a set of teaching strategies in which teachers guide children through in-depth studies of real world topics. The Web site contains information about the project approach as well as many examples of projects.

General Preschool Resources

Beyond the Journal offers a selection of online articles from NAEYC’s journal for early childhood educators, Young Children. Preschool teachers will be especially interested in the Reading Chair and Guidance Matters columns offered in each issue.

The Illinois Early Learning Project Web site offers printable Tip Sheets for caregivers and parents, plus a Frequently Asked Questions section.

The Innovative Teacher Project is designed for early childhood educators who are interested in developing a deeper understanding of the Reggio Emilia approach and issues related to this approach in the United States.

KCET’s A Place of Our Own and Los Niños en Su Casa are television series and accompanying Web sites for everyone who cares for young children. Both shows and websites share ways to guide children’s cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and language and literacy development.

The National Network for Child Care shares information about children and child care. Preschool teachers will find practical information and resources useful to their work.

PBS Teachers offers an area for early childhood educators as well as resources by subject and grade level. After selecting a topic and entering the grade level (pre–K is among the choices), teachers will find a list of related children’s books, Web sites, classroom ideas, and lesson plans.

The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies has created a series of Growing Ideas tip sheets for early childhood professionals. Topics covered include aggression, friendships, assessment, and more.

Creative Arts

The Eric Carle website provides information about how the well known children’s book author creates his illustrations and stories.

Mama Lisa’s World offers a large collection of children’s songs and nursery rhymes from around the world. Lyrics are in English and the original language, and some songs include MP3s. Search for music by country or continent.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Museum Kids offers interactive online features about a variety of artists. Preschool teachers can find art activities ideas related to the artists work, information about each artist’s approach and online photos of each artists work.

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature provides art activity ideas related to a selection of illustrated children’s books.

Health, Fitness, Nutrition, and Safety

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides information and policy statements on obesity, fitness, and nutrition along with many other child health topics.

Fit Source, from the National Child Care Information Center, offers educators a variety of physical activity and nutrition resources, including links to activities, lesson plans, healthy recipes, information for parents, and many other downloadable tools to help programs incorporate physical activity and nutrition.

MyPyramid.gov features the revised food guide pyramid and information on how it works. The site includes information on the different food groups, tips, and resources. Enter your vital statistics and create an individualized food plan.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from unsafe products. Click on “Recalls and Product Safety News” to find information on over 4,000 product recalls and recall alerts using the various searches on this page.

Language arts

Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site offers a collection of book reviews, with ideas on how to use them in the classroom and activities about particular curriculum areas or themes as well as professional topics.

International Reading Association serves educators who teach reading to learners of all ages. The Web site includes links to journals, Web resources, and special interest groups on a variety of topics concerning learning to read and to write. The Early Learners area contains information for preschool teachers.

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) offers a variety of reading readiness programs and resources. Programs on this extensive Web site include community-based and family literacy programs, strategies and advice for educators and parents, and activities for children.

Reading Rockets offers information and activities to families, teachers, and other educators to help young children learn to read, including research-based Strategies to Help Kids Who Struggle, Techniques for Teaching Effectively, and resources about boosting reading comprehension.

Mother Goose Programs offers ideas, reading lists and book programs to inspire teachers to integrate reading books into explorations of math, science, and other topics.

Math

Illuminations, from the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics, offers information on standards, activities, ideas and math resources.

Math and Literature Idea Bank offers resources and book lists for using literature to teach mathematics.

Mathematical Perspectives Teacher Center provides pre-K to grade 6 math educators with tools, strategies, and assessments.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics provides guidance and resources for approaches toward mathematics, standards, and more. Search for preschool in the search box to find the most relevant information.

Science and Social Studies

Green Hour was developed by The National Wildlife Federation to inspire parents and children to spend at least an hour exploring and playing outdoors every day. The Web site includes outdoor activities ideas to share with parents or adapt for the school setting.

National Geographic Education's Web site allows teachers to search for maps, photos, facts, and more—plus find links for educator favorites.

The National Science Teacher’s Association, Early Years Blog offers resources and conversation on preK to grade 2 science. Topic areas include Activity Ideas, Classroom Management, and Integrating Science.

What’s the Big Idea? is a book program created by the National Science Foundation that includes books and materials focusing on the big ideas in science and math for children ages 3 to 7.

Social/Emotional

Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior promotes the use of evidence-based practice to meet the needs of young children who have, or are at risk for, challenging behavior. Teachers will find useful information in the resources section.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning is a national center focused on strengthening the capacity of child care and Head Start programs to improve the social and emotional outcomes of young children. Teachers will find many useful resources in the resources/practical strategies category.

Playing for Keeps shares information and the latest research on play with parents and professionals. The site contains resources on the value of pay for educators and to share with parents.

Working with Families

Early Years Are Learning Years, from NAEYC, offers short articles (suitable for newsletters) for teachers, parents, and other adults involved in children’s care and education.

Especially for Parents, from the U.S. Department of Education, provides numerous resources educators can share with parents, including a tool kit for Hispanic families.