It's no secret that children benefit greatly when adults read to them. The positive interaction builds neural connections in their developing brains, reinforces basic speech skills and boosts self-esteem by making them feel secure and cared for. We invite you to celebrate International Children’s Book Day next Wednesday, April 2, by finding a good book and reading to the special kiddos in your life! Read More
When kids get to be kids—explore their environment, interact with their parents and caregivers, and learn through play—they flourish with curiosity and happiness. Like the little boy in the picture who is peeking for ducks, flowers and maybe even a frog as he explores the National Garden at the U.S. Capitol, children enjoy and grow in environments that are safe and full of enriching educational opportunities. Read More
Converting one year’s worth of high school dropouts in Nebraska into high graduates would create an additional $1.3 billion in lifetime earnings for those students, says Nobel Prize-winning economist Dr. James Heckman. Read More
It’s the state basketball championship game at the Pinnacle Bank Arena, and your team is down three points with one minute to play. You have the ball and one timeout. Both teams are in the double-bonus. Read More
The Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee included an additional $3.7 million in funding for schools in its mid-biennium budget released today. The allocation is to provide early childhood opportunities that close the achievement gap for children at risk of failing in school. Read More
Newly released U.S. Census data shows that 41% of Nebraska children ages 0-5 face risk factors that threaten their ability to thrive in school and beyond. These children live in every county in the state, and more than 50% of them reside in rural Nebraska. Read More
What’s key to a child forming healthy attachments? “Somebody’s got to be crazy about that kid. That’s number one. First, last, and always,” said developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner. Read More
Speaking directly to babies and toddlers in rich, complex sentences like this one will help them build language and vocabulary skills by connecting words and meaning, and learning through context, said Stanford researcher Anne Fernald at a symposium last week. Read More
Nebraska would save $25,419 in victim, court and incarceration costs for every child enrolled in full-day, center-based early childhood education programs, says the University of Nebraska‒Lincoln’s Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools (CYFS). Read More
Taking turns, following instructions, getting along with others and dealing with distractions—all of these are components of an important set of skills that help children succeed in school and later become independent, self-sufficient adults. Read More