Children Got Soul

09/11/2008

Even on your worst day in the classroom, you are still some child’s best hope.
Larry Bell, educational consultant

In Exchange's popular new book, Natural Playscapes: Creating Outdoor Play Environments for the Soul, Rusty Keeler, makes the following observation about children and nature:

"Children experience the world with their whole being -- body, spirit, energy, minds, hearts, compassion, tears, laughter, anger, pride, learning, understanding, love, and soul. Children play, grow, and feel the world around them intensely. Events burst with joy or end in tears. Their outdoor space should be a swirl of spirited delights and playful discovery. Some places on your playscape should provide a rush of excitement. Other spots can offer the solace of calm. The elements you choose should be magical and made of honest, natural materials. Carved wood sculpture suggests something deep. Ceramic tiles and mosaics sparkle as imaginations soar. Living plants befriend children and create atmospheres from peaceful to wild. Environments for children are sacred places. They speak to the spirit . They are made of soul."

PS: Can you name the song (and artist) that the title of today's ExchangeEveryDay was adapted from?

Check Out Natural Playscapes Today

Natural Playscapes: Creating Outdoor Play Environments for the Soul, now available on the Exchange web site, is an inspiring, yet practical resource on bringing outdoor playspaces to life. It describes how children relate to the nature, gives many examples from around the world of how early childhood professionals and parents have planned and constructed natural playscapes. Included are blueprints, step by step instructions, and tip sheets such as "20 Ways to Create Natural Playscapes," and "15 Free or Low-Cost Things to Enrich Your Playscapes."

And now you can download a 26-page FREE preview of the author's favorite selections!

Enhanced Childcare Fee Management
Combine your family & child information with a powerful fee management system to maintain a complete history of all family charges, deposits and payments. This includes features like cash receipts; the ability to handle simple or variable rates (based on schedules, actual attendance, or both); and complete audit trails and detailed financial reports help you make the right business decisions.

Take a Test Drive: Get a free trial version of EZ-CARE2 Center Management Software!

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.