Above, these preschoolers are playing in the block area. Teachers can observe children's social interactions, math concepts like stacking, problem solving, patterning, and more. Below, these toddlers are playing in the water table. Teachers can observe social skills, motor skills, and science/math concepts.

DCDC is looking to hire a full time sub and part time subs. If you know anyone looking to work for a great child care center please have them send their resume to Michele Jenkins at [email protected]

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Why we observe children at DCDC?

Commonly heard responses are that early care and education (ECE) professionals observe children to monitor progress, to complete required assessments and screenings, and to identify learning or behavior problems.

Observation is a core piece of the assessment process and continuous quality improvement (CQI) planning. ECE professionals use observation to document a child’s learning and to inform teaching practices. But another reason for observation is to spark learning and development.

Observation helps ECE professionals look at their interactions with children, and discover how important interactions are as they get to know and support children. Observation is a way to connect with children, to discover their connections to others and to their environment. Children who feel cared for, safe, and secure interact with others and engage in their world to learn. They are more likely to gain skills, and to do better as they enter school.

We use observation as a way to:

Click hear to read more of the article from Better Kid Care from PSU. 

Teaching Your Child Self-Control

Reviewed by:  Lauren M. O'Donnell, PsyD

Teaching self-control is one of the most important things that parents can do for their kids because these skills are some of the most important for success later in life.

Helping Kids Learn Self-Control

By learning self-control, kids can make appropriate decisions and respond to stressful situations in ways that can yield positive outcomes.

For example, if you say that you're not serving ice cream until after dinner, your child may cry, plead, or even scream in the hopes that you will give in. But with self-control, your child can understand that a temper tantrum means you'll take away the ice cream for good and that it's wiser to wait patiently.

Here are a few suggestions on how to help kids learn to control their behavior:

Up to Age 2

Infants and  toddlers  get frustrated by the large gap between the things they want to do and what they're able to do. They often respond with temper tantrums. Try to prevent outbursts by distracting your little one with toys or other activities.

For kids reaching the 2-year-old mark, try a brief timeout in a designated area — like a kitchen chair or bottom stair — to show the consequences for outbursts and teach that it's better to take some time alone instead of throwing a tantrum.

Ages 3 to 5

You can continue to use timeouts, but rather than setting a specific time limit, end timeouts when your child calms down. This helps kids improve their sense of self-control. And it's just as important to praise your child for not losing control in frustrating or difficult situations by saying things like, "I like how you stayed calm" or "Good job keeping your cool."

Ages 6 to 9

As kids enter school, they're better able to understand the idea of consequences and that they can choose good or bad behavior. It may help your child to imagine a stop sign that must be obeyed and think about a situation before responding. Encourage your child to walk away from a frustrating situation for a few minutes to cool off instead of having an outburst. Praise kids when they do walk away and cool off — they'll be more likely to use those skills in the future.

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