Playspaces Consulting
...where PLAY is a child's job!

Are you a Member?

Did you know that by joining your local Association for the Education of Young Children, you will become a member of the state level NCaeyc and the National level - NAEYC? Information will be shared about various professional organizations and the local organization, Cape Fear Association for the Education of Young Children, it's goals, issues on advocacy, professionalism and your involvement.

Are You Ready for Summer?

This workshop will focus on getting ready to start up your summer programs: developing weekly schedules, daily lesson plans and preparations for field trips and making your program a summer experience that youth will remember for a lifetime!

BSAC - BASIC SCHOOL-AGE CARE

Basic School-Age Care training is mandated for all school-age professionals who operate a licensed school-age program. This 7-hour workshop addresses the elements of quality care, child development, positive guidance, appropriate activities, environmental design, health/safety/nutrition, and N.C. Child Care Regulations.

Beyond Bandaids

It's a fact of life that children at home or in child care will become sick, get hurt, or need to take medicine. Dealing with these situations safely is a serious task. This workshop contains guidelines for responding ppropriately to accidents and illness. It also describes careful procedures for administering medication.

Biting Hurts!

What to do when children bite? Why do children bite? How to prevent biting? Tips on communicating with parents and staff and their responsibilities.

Block Play: Building A Child's Mind

Come explore Block Play in a whole new way! Learn the importance of blocks and how block play promotes development and offers many opportunities for learning through play!

Child Care Basics - the Do's, Don'ts, Whys and How's.

This workshop will review the importance of proper handwashing, diapering techniques, sanitizing -vs- disinfecting and the impact of our words in daily communication with children and families.

Child Care Business Basics - 10 part series

This series addresses starting, expanding and running a child care in North Carolina. Curriculum Planning for Family Childcare Providers Curriculum planning essentials for Family Childcare providers using The Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care. Participants will learn about appropriate room arrangement techniques for optimal learning and how to implement a hands-on-curriculum within the activity areas of the home.

Curriculum Planning for Preschool Teachers

This workshop will share curriculum planning essentials for Preschool Teachers using The Creative Curriculum for Preschool. Participants will learn about appropriate room arrangement techniques for optimal learning and how to implement a hands-on curriculum within the activity areas of the class.

Dealing with Emotions and the Anger Factor

This workshop acknowledges anger as a normal emotion and will explore ways children can identify those angry feelings, where anger comes from, and learn self-control techniques to teach children to self-monitor their emotions in positive ways.

Diversity in the Classroom

Participants will learn how to incorporate elements of cultures and languages of children into the classroom settings by exploring classroom materials such as dolls, food, visuals, clothing, videos, books, and music in multicultural activities. Ideas on building family involvement and understanding cultural differences will be presented through group discussions and shared ideas.

Field Trip & Transportation Safety

Participants will learn how to carefully plan and prepare for field trips and transportation of children. They will also learn some important steps for the safety and success of field trips and routine transportation.

From Blocks to Books: Integrating Room Arrangement and Literacy

Do you want a room that is warm, welcoming, functional and full of early language and literacy? This workshop uses the Creative Curriculum to design the classroom and the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Toolkit to add the literacy twist!

Introduction to Infant -Toddler Foundations

Are you looking for a great resource for your classroom? Join us to learn about the NEW Infant -Toddler Foundations! This is an introductory training of North Carolina's early learning guidelines for infants and toddlers. You will learn more about what to expect of infants and toddlers and how to support their development and learning. This training is designed for those who work directly with infants and toddlers, and their administrators.

Infant and Toddler Safety in Child Care

Participants will learn the critical elements of secure physical environments, appropriate practices in routine care, and nurturing guidance for infants and toddlers.

ITS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS!

Do your relationships suffer from ... lack of understanding? Communication problems? Respect? Participants will learn strategies to work effectively with others (children, co-workers, parents, families) strengthening these critical relationships that are needed for successful outcomes for children.

ITS-SIDS

Training on ITS-SIDS gives child care providers an overview of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, identifies SIDS risk factors and describes ways to reduce the risk of SIDS in child care. SIDS risk reduction messages include: engaging in safe sleep practices for infant/toddlers by placing babies on their back to sleep and creating safe sleep environments. The national child care standards for sleep safety are presented. Safe Sleep policy guidelines are included. A sample letter for baby's doctor and a sleep position medical waiver are reviewed. Training covers providers and parents as partners to create safe sleep for babies in child care. Educational material and resources for parents and for providers are available.

Introduction to Foundations: Early Learning Standards for North Carolina Preschoolers and Strategies for Guiding Their Success

This workshop will provide an introduction to a document recently published by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction which outlines expectations for growth and development of children ages 3 - 5 years old. Strategies for guiding children's success in various early childhood settings will be shared. This training will meet the requirement for DCD transition grant participants.

Involving Families in Child Care

Directors, teachers, and family child care providers will discuss the challenges to parent involvement in education. Resources and strategies for implementing various family involvement plans will be shared.

Looking Ahead

Strategies and tips for building an individual professional development plan.

Making A Difference (2 part series)

This training is designed to inform, motivate and encourage participants to accomplish child care program goals while building strong working relationships between staff, children and parents.

Making A Difference II

This training is designed to inform, motivate and encourage participants to take charge of their own professional development while learning skills to take care of themselves in the midst of providing quality early care and education to children.

Outdoor Play

Participants will discover the benefits of outdoor play as a valuable extension of the classroom-learning environment, including hands-on activities, role-plays and practical suggestions for teachers to incorporate into outdoor play.

Outdoor Learning & Play for School-Agers

This workshop will enable participants to effectively plan learning and play opportunities in the outdoor environment for school-age children.

Playground Safety - 4 hour training

This training allows caregivers to provide a safe playground environment for children by equipping them with the right tools to ensure playground safety for all children. This training meets the requirements for assessing outdoor play equipment including the rules, regulations, and playground safety tips.

Program Administration Scale

This training is designed for center directors and administrators who want to assess their early childhood program quality. Participants are introduced to the Program Administration Scale as a research-based instrument to measure and improve organizational practices.

The Project Approach

This training will give an overview of the Project Approach style of teaching, early childhood philosophies and teaching in child care settings in other countries such as Italy and Sweden. Participants will gain knowledge of other child care systems and may be inspired to try new ideas in their own child care setting.

Reaching Higher Stars

Learn about the Star Rated License System and the Environment Rating Scale.

Right Decisions, Right Now

Young people entering adolescence face many decisions that they may be unprepared to make. Peer pressures and influences that encourage risky behaviors make this stage of development more difficult. Come learn how vital your role is in the lives of adolescents and how you can guide the youth in your program to make the right decisions for themselves. Based on The After-School Kit six units on Decision-Making Skills; Consequences; Refusal Skills; Values; Conflict; and Responsibility.

SCIENCE IS EVERYWHERE!

Discover the simplistic wonders of science by making science a daily experience for children to be active investigators in their world!

The Child Care Providers' Almanac

All children will present challenging behaviors at one time or another. This workshop addresses this issue by teaching providers how to develop a plan to interact with children in a manner that will prevent misbehavior, promote positive relationships, and guide children to self-control.

The 3 M's!

Come and experience the integration of the 3 M's: MATH, MUSIC & MOVEMENT in this very interactive adult play workshop. Warning: Physical activity and singing will be required for loads of fun!

Transition Tips

This workshop is designed for participants to learn a variety of strategies to transition from one activity to another and how children process transitions at different developmental stages.

Without Missing A Beat!

Come learn classroom management techniques in a playful, interactive way that will enrich your environment using simple sign language.

Environment Rating Scale Training

This workshop will teach the participants how to score using the Environment Rating Scale for the purpose of self-assessing their own classroom. It will also cover the full contents of the scales. We will discuss the learning environment, interaction, sanitation, appropriate materials, display, multi-cultural content and family involvement strategies.

Inclusion and the Environment Rating Scales

Participants will learn the value of using the ITERS-R, ECERS-R & FCCERS-R as an assessment tool to improve the quality of care for ALL children. Common obstacles and recommendations for children with special needs will be discussed.

Introduction to Family Day Care Rating Scale or FCCERS-R

Family Child Care Providers will be introduced to the Family Childcare Environment Rating Scale-Revised. Providers of children ages birth to five years of age will learn how to use this assessment tool to improve the quality of their classroom.

Introduction to Environment Rating Scales

Family child care providers, teachers and directors can learn how to use the Environmental Rating Scales (FCCERS-R, ITERS-R, and ECERS-R) to assess their learning environment.

Introduction to Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Revised

Participants will be introduced to the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Revised. Infant/toddler teachers will learn how to use this assessment tool to improve the quality of their classroom.

Introduction to Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised

Participants will be introduced to the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised. Teachers of children ages 2 ½ to five years of age will learn how to use this assessment tool to improve the quality of their classroom.

Introduction to School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale

Participants will be introduced to the School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale. Teachers of children ages 5 to 12 years of age will learn how to use this assessment tool to improve the quality of their classroom.

Succeeding with FCCERS-R

This workshop is designed for Family Child Care Providers who are interested in enhancing their program using the Family Child Care Rating Scale - Revised and includes how to prepare for your official assessments as well as scoring will be discussed.

Succeeding with ITERS-R

This workshop is designed for infant/toddler teachers already familiar with the environment rating scales. How to prepare for an official ITERS-R assessment and scoring will be discussed.

Succeeding with ECERS-R

This workshop is designed for preschool teachers already familiar with the environment rating scales. How to prepare for an official ECERS-R assessment and scoring will be discussed.

ITERS-R & ECERS-R Review

This workshop is designed for early childhood educators already familiar with the environment rating scales, reparing for official ITERS-R & ECERS-R assessment will be discussed.

Succeeding with SACERS

This workshop is designed for school-age teachers already familiar with the environment rating scales. How to prepare for an official SACERS assessment and scoring will be discussed.