Thematic Units
Learning Centers
Dramatic Play
Literacy
Math
Classroom Management

Elevating Early Childhood Podcast

Are you ready to teach better, save time, live more? I’m Vanessa Levin and here on Elevating Early Childhood, we believe in leveling the playing field and bridging the gap between the world of preschool, pre-k, and K-12 education.

[Image: Preschool Centers - how to make students excited about less popular ones]

How to Get Your Preschool Students Excited About Your Less Popular Classroom Centers

 Imagine with me: You’ve got your preschool classroom all set up. The centers are stocked and ready to be used, full of materials you’ve purchased or made yourself.  Everything is the best it could be, and you just can’t wait for your students to use and enjoy every single […]

a collage of colorful images featuring thanksgiving crafts and activities

12 Creative Thanksgiving Ideas To Spice Up Your Classroom This November

Curriculum themes and activities for fall and Thanksgiving for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten; November Preschool Themes; Pre-K fall activities.

[Image: Thanksgiving activities for preschool]

Preschool Thanksgiving Activities: 4 Steps Towards Inclusivity

 Whether you love pumpkin pie and turkey, or you dread family get-togethers, one thing’s for sure, Thanksgiving is almost here!  What does this mean for early childhood teachers like you and me? Well simply… Thanksgiving activities and the dreaded extra work that comes with them. Being a preschool teacher […]

[Image: Keep students engaged in the classroom]

Keeping Restless Preschoolers Engaged With Fall Songs, Books, and Games

Are you still struggling to get your little ones to stay engaged with you in the classroom? Or maybe you’re wondering how you’re ever going to teach them anything at this pace? Well then, I’ve got the solution for you! Today, I’ll be sharing with you the best preschool activities […]

Set Up Your Preschool Classroom Art Area

Art center set-up ideas and pictures for your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom. How to create an inviting art center to support creativity. How to organize and store your art center supplies.

[Image: Process art vs. product art]

Process Art vs. Product Art: Which Is Better for Your Preschool Students?

Every pre-k teacher knows it, making art is a big part of preschool. It’s a great way for the children to be creative, enrich their imagination, and develop their fine motor skills in a fun and enjoyable manner. However, making sure your students are creating the right kind of art […]

[Image: How to prevent kids from biting]

What to Do About Biting in Preschool?

What to do about biting in preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten. How to deal with kids who bite at home or in the preschool classroom.

[Image: Preschool Centers: To Combine or Not to Combine?]

Preschool Centers: To Combine or Not to Combine?

 If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer amount of educational preschool centers you’re supposed to have in your preschool classroom, then you’re not alone. Many of us find ourselves facing a dilemma when setting up centers in our classroom: Should we have a separate area for each center? Or can […]

[Image: Alphabet activities for the beginning of the year]

The Best (and Worst) Alphabet Activities for the Beginning of the Year

 The beginning of the year is always tricky. There is so much to take care of, things to set up, new students to meet, etc… All of this stuff can be pretty stressful, but I’m here to make it just a little bit easier on you. Friends, today, we’re […]

[Image: Transition tips and tricks]

My Top 4 Preschool Transition Tips for a Successful School Year

 There are some things that will make or break you as a teacher, and transitions are right there at the top of the list for early childhood teachers. Every single day is full of transitions in preschool, so having a surefire list of tips that’ll help you make them […]

[Image: Preschool Procedures and Routines Checklist for the First Day of School]

Preschool Procedures and Routines Checklist for the First Day of School

The new school year is here, and this means that, like every year, it’s now time for teaching all those important routines and procedures! You see, the life of a preschool teacher is not easy (no matter what some people might tell you). We have quite a few things to […]

36 Must-Read Interactive Books for Preschool Storytime

36 must-read interactive books for an engaging preschool storytime. The best fun and engaging interactive picture books to encourage student participation in preschool or pre-k.

[Image: Best picture book of 2022]

Preschool Book Review: Black Boy, Black Boy, a Joyful Black History Picture Book

Want to add more diverse picture books to your classroom this year?  Discover Black Boy, Black Boy, a beautifully illustrated children’s book with an uplifting message for all young children. This is the perfect picture book if you’re looking for inspirational stories that will resonate with all the students in […]

[Image: Calm Classroom Secrets]

Manage Preschool Classroom Behavior With a Calm Learning Environment

It’s no secret that early childhood teachers everywhere have seen changes in their students’ behavior since the pandemic began. And because of that, teaching young children is now more challenging than it ever was.  Kids are bouncing off the walls and full of energy… sometimes, a little bit too much […]

[Image: Teaching preschoolers to write in uppercase]

Should Preschoolers Write Their Names With Capital Letters?

As I’ve discussed in the last episode of Elevating Early Childhood, learning how to write your name as a preschooler takes a lot of work and dedication from both the teachers and the students. Continuing on with the theme, today, I’ll be discussing whether you should be teaching your pre-k […]

[Image: Name writing activities for preschool students]

Name Writing Activities for Preschoolers | 7 Ways to Practice Handwriting

Writing your name as a preschooler is no easy feat. It takes work, dedication, and the right writing activities from you, their teacher. This is why, today, I’ll be sharing some super fun (and super easy) name writing activities you can do with your preschool students. But before we start, […]

[Image: Preschool math skills]

Preschool Math Skills – What Comes First?

Teaching math skills to preschoolers is not always straightforward. Not every child will find it easy to jump into the world of numbers, and some might even find math pretty intimidating. So, how can we, as early childhood teachers, help facilitate this for them? And where do we even start?  […]

[Image: Pet themed circle time]

My Top 5 Tips for Setting up a Pet Themed Circle Time

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Today’s episode is one many of you have been asking for. It’s part 3 of my circle time series! But before we start, let me ask you a question: Are you searching for ways to make […]

[Image: My top 5 time-saving tech tips for preschool teachers]

My Top 5 Time-Saving Tech Tips for Preschool Teachers

There are two types of teachers: Those who absolutely love technology and those who don’t feel comfortable using it.  But the one thing both types have in common is that they never have enough time in their work day to get everything done. I’m sure you’re in the same situation […]

[Image: Here's why we need public preschool]

The Importance of Expanding Access to Public Preschool

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Today’s episode is suuuuuuper exciting. “Why,” you ask? Simply because I’m interviewing the brilliant Dr. Danny Brassell! If you haven’t heard of him (although I’m sure many of you have), Dr. Brassell is an internationally-acclaimed speaker, […]