Agrilife Extension Resources

1 out of every 13 children have one or more food allergies, which can be life threatening. This course will equip child care providers with the latest regulations and standards related to food allergies in child care settings. Participants will learn how to manage food allergies in the day care and on field trips.

Creating healthy habits is a critical element of quality early childhood programs. This course reviews practices that promote physical activity in young children. It is aligned with Texas Healthy Building Blocks recognition criteria and was developed with support from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Technology is everywhere! How can we prepare preschool-age children for a future that hasn’t been invented yet? Explore research and trends in technology to make the teaching and learning process more engaging. Discover strategies to help children learn science, engineering, and mathematics using more than just computers.

Learning centers provide early childhood classrooms the perfect environment for children to actively plan, try, pretend, and make new discoveries. Effective centers help children develop through play, by themselves and with peers. The purpose and process of how to develop, build and manage a center are discussed.

Creating healthy habits is a critical element of quality early childhood programs. This course reviews practices that promote outdoor play and learning. It is aligned with Texas Healthy Building Blocks recognition criteria and was developed with support from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Early language experiences and ways to promote language development are critical. Key components necessary for high quality infant and toddler programs, various language activities done within routines are discussed. Effective book reading strategies and music and movement activities for infants and toddlers are provided.

Understanding the meaning and implication of developmentally appropriate practices in a classroom, as well as teacher/child interactions based on those practices is introduced. Effective characteristics of developmentally appropriate practices, the value of intentional teaching and strategies to use are also introduced.

This course discusses the steps of policy development, implementation, and evaluation. As a result, child care providers will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to develop physical activity policies that promote and support active lifestyles in early child care settings.

In this course, behaviors supporting a healthful weight in children will be discussed in context of their supporting research and recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Sample preschool eating patterns recommended by the USDA MyPlate will also be discussed.