A joyful young girl at school smiling and raising her hand against a purple background with playful geometric shapes, embodying the essence of play based learning. Purple banner with an image to the right of two children smiling and raising their hands.

The Confident Classroom

Inspiration and resources for early
childhood educators

Highlights Early Learning works hand in hand with preschool educators to nurture young
children’s curiosity, creativity, caring, and confidence. This collection is filled with time saving
tips and solutions that empower center directors and teachers to create educational
environments where young learners can become their best selves.

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Starting the Preschool Year with Kindness: Why It Matters from Day One
Starting the Preschool Year with Kindness: Why It Matters from Day One

The first days of the school year shape everything that follows. Building a foundation of kindness from the outset creates calmer classrooms today and stronger readiness for kindergarten tomorrow.

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Planting Seeds of Kindness: A New Chapter of Kindergarten Readiness for the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County, FL
Planting Seeds of Kindness: A New Chapter of Kindergarten Readiness for the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County, FL

What if the key to kindergarten readiness isn’t letters or numbers, but kindness? That’s the insight driving Florida's Early Learning Coalition of Polk County’s new Kindergarten Bridge initiative, in partnership with Highlights Early Learning to nurture empathy and well-being as the foundation for children’s success.

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Kindergarten Readiness = Kindness
Kindergarten Readiness = Kindness

When most people think of kindergarten readiness, they picture letter recognition, counting skills, or the ability to sit in a circle and follow directions. While those are important, they rest on a deeper — and often overlooked — foundation: social skills and emotional intelligence.

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Educator Highlights: Crys Stahl, Regional Director, All Around Children, Ohio
Educator Highlights: Crys Stahl, Regional Director, All Around Children, Ohio

Discover how Crys Stahl, Regional Director at All Around Children, brings play-based learning to life across multiple preschool and Pre-K classrooms. See how her team uses Preschool With a Purpose to spark hands-on learning and support both students and educators.

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Educator Highlights: Angela Malabet, Executive Director, Shell’s Early Learning Center in Milton, DE
Educator Highlights: Angela Malabet, Executive Director, Shell’s Early Learning Center in Milton, DE
Mother-daughter duo Lichell Isaac and Angela Malabet, along with their dedicated team of educators across four Shell’s Early Learning Centers in Delaware, inspire a love of learning through play. Discover how their approach aligns with Highlights Early Learning and brings joy to their classrooms.
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Educator Highlights: Julia Contizano, Director of Gladden Community House Preschool, Columbus, OH
Educator Highlights: Julia Contizano, Director of Gladden Community House Preschool, Columbus, OH

Julia Contizano and the dedicated team at Gladden Community House Preschool in Columbus, OH embrace play-based learning to support the growth of their little learners. Discover how their approach aligns with Highlights Early Learning through the Kindness Connections enrichment kit.

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How to Plan a Successful Preschool Back-to-School Night
How to Plan a Successful Preschool Back-to-School Night
Preschool Back-to-School Night is the perfect time to hone relationships with families while giving them a glimpse into the daily happenings in the classroom. Here are over 15 ideas to ensure a successful and productive Preschool Back-to-School Night.  
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11 Preschool Crafts for Grandparents’ Day
11 Preschool Crafts for Grandparents’ Day
Celebrate the cherished bond between your preschoolers and their grandparents with these 11 delightful crafts tailor-made for Grandparents’ Day!  
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20 Nocturnal Animal-Themed Crafts and Activities for Preschoolers
20 Nocturnal Animal-Themed Crafts and Activities for Preschoolers
Learning about nocturnal animals is such fun for preschoolers.  Here are more than 20 highly engaging nocturnal animal lessons, activities, and crafts for preschoolers.   
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20 Fall Bulletin Board Ideas for Preschool Classrooms
20 Fall Bulletin Board Ideas for Preschool Classrooms
Bulletin boards are a great and generally inexpensive way to dress up the classroom. Here are 20 fall bulletin boards for the preschool classroom.
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16 Fall Crafts for Preschoolers
16 Fall Crafts for Preschoolers
Fall crafts for preschoolers are multi-purpose as they can include back-to-school fun, the changing of seasons, and accompanying holidays such as Thanksgiving. 
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11 Fall Themes for Preschool Classrooms
11 Fall Themes for Preschool Classrooms
From autumn staples like apples and leaves to important preschool concepts like learning about new friends and gratitude, here are 11 fall themes that are perfect for preschool classrooms. 
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Educator Highlights: Jennifer Ey, Founder, Inspired Education Consulting, LLC, Columbus, OH
Educator Highlights: Jennifer Ey, Founder, Inspired Education Consulting, LLC, Columbus, OH

Educator and literacy consultant Jennifer Ey, Founder of Inspired Education Consulting, has helped bring Highlights Hello Library books to over 125 classrooms in Columbus City Schools. Discover how Hello Library is a smart, impactful investment in early childhood education.

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Educator Highlights: Tiffany Eden, Director of Immanuel Lutheran Child Development Center in Twin Falls, ID
Educator Highlights: Tiffany Eden, Director of Immanuel Lutheran Child Development Center in Twin Falls, ID

Tiffany Eden and the dedicated educators at Immanuel Lutheran Child Development Center in Twin Falls, Idaho, inspire a love of learning through play. Discover how their approach aligns with Highlights Early Learning and brings joy to their classrooms.

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Educator Highlights: Elysse Hollis, Co-Director of Valley School in Van Nuys, CA
Educator Highlights: Elysse Hollis, Co-Director of Valley School in Van Nuys, CA

Elysse Hollis from Valley School in California fosters a love of learning through play, exploration, and laughter. Discover how the school's approach aligns with Highlights Early Learning products and brings hands-on engagement to preschoolers.

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12 Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers
12 Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers
Here are 12 Halloween crafts for preschoolers that will have them channeling that candy-hunting energy into creative fun! 
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12 Farm-Related Activities for Preschoolers
12 Farm-Related Activities for Preschoolers

Preschoolers love animals, and the sweet creatures that live on a farm are no exception. Here are 12 farm-related ideas for preschoolers to add to your farm-themed lesson plans. 

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15 Ways to Celebrate and Encourage Kindness in Your Preschool Classroom
15 Ways to Celebrate and Encourage Kindness in Your Preschool Classroom

Education is an integral part of teaching preschoolers about kindness and incorporating kind acts into the classroom. Here are 15 ways to celebrate and encourage kindness in preschool classrooms.

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8 Ways to Celebrate Veterans Day and Real-Life Heroes in Your Preschool Classroom
8 Ways to Celebrate Veterans Day and Real-Life Heroes in Your Preschool Classroom
Here are eight ways to celebrate Veterans Day and real-life heroes in your preschool classroom. 
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20 Hibernation-Themed Activities and Crafts for Preschoolers
20 Hibernation-Themed Activities and Crafts for Preschoolers
Preschoolers are fascinated by hibernating animals. Here are 20 engaging activities and creative crafts to go along with preschool lessons on hibernation.   
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11 Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschoolers
11 Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschoolers
Here are 11 Thanksgiving crafts for preschoolers that will keep preschoolers busy and remembering what they’re thankful for. 
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Highlights Preschool With a Purpose

Check next year’s curriculum off your to-do list, and help your teachers unlock the best learning environment for students!

  • Highlights Preschool With a Purpose is a full curriculum with ready-to-go materials that can be quickly adapted by teachers of all experience levels.
  • The curriculum includes 10 months of themed instruction designed for children ages 3 to 5. Flexible lessons and activities can be easily tailored to each child’s learning requirements.
  • A convenient digital planner simplifies lesson planning and team coordination for busy teachers and center directors.
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Highlights Preschool With a Purpose