Blog, News & Events

Insights, Ideas, and Resources for Early Learning
Welcome to the Think Small Blog, your go-to destination for valuable insights, innovative ideas, and inspiring stories in the field of early learning. Dive into a treasure trove of articles crafted by our team of experts, dedicated to empowering child care providers, educators, and families.
Discover practical tips, evidence-based strategies, and the latest research findings to support children aged 0-5 on their journey to kindergarten readiness. From fostering social-emotional development to promoting cognitive skills, our blog covers a wide range of topics, ensuring you stay informed and equipped to make a positive impact on young lives.
Ideas to Celebrate the Week of the Young Child
By Heather Charmoli, Program Administrator for MnAEYC (Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children) A fun way to add excitement to any week is by adding a theme that ...
November Highlights and Free Activities and Ideas from Think Small Institute
November has arrived and with it encouragement to celebrate Native American heritage, voting, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, and more. Here at Think Small Institute, we ...
Resources for Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
Chokma! Chickasha saya. Hello! I am Chickasaw. I am one of just over 5 million Native Americans living in the United States. That’s just over 1% of the entire country’s ...
Resources to Help Celebrate Filipino American History Month
By: Jennie Walker Knoot, Librarian at the Debra S Fish Early Childhood Resource Library Add some of these wonderful titles by and about Filipinos & Filipino Americans to your celebration ...
October Think Small Institute Highlights
Fall is in the air, and apples and pumpkins are everywhere. In October, we encourage you to intentionally support children’s mental health and wellbeing and encourage fantasy play.
Resources to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
The Hispanic Heritage Month celebration is turning 54 years old! California Congressman George E. Brown first introduced this tremendous festival in June 1968. The soul of this celebration is to ...
Resources for Disability Pride 2022
"Just like all other types of diversity, disabilities offer us the opportunity to appreciate others for their uniqueness and celebrate the things that make us different."
Celebrating Juneteenth 2022
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed. Although the proclamation outlawed slavery in all Confederate states and had been signed nearly three years earlier, the news was kept from Black Texans until occupying Union forces arrived in Galveston at the end of the Civil War. [Note: Black Americans were still enslaved in Union states up until the 13th amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865.]
Beyond the Binary: Helpful Resources for Children and Providers
Building wellness and respect for children in their gender identify from an early age can lead to a more healthy and robust child. In celebration of Pride Month, the Debra S. Fish librarian, Jennie Walker Knoot, has compiled a list of helpful resources to help facilitate dialog that can help conversation go 'Beyond the Binary.'
Summer Spark at Saint Paul Public Library
Summer Spark is the Saint Paul Public Library's summer reading and learning program, open to kids ages 0-18. Families and individuals are welcome to join, and we also love working with groups - summer school classes, family child care programs, care centers, and camps! Our goal is to get kids reading for fun and feeling excited about stories and books.
May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. At Think Small, we recognize and celebrate AAPI month.
How to Build Diverse Collections
Children need representation, inclusion, & diversity in the books they are enjoying. It is a simple enough statement; one we can all agree on. But if asked to talk about why, what is our answer? How do we know if we are doing it right? Or wrong?
April is Month of the Military Child
April is Month of the Military Child which honors the experiences of the 1.6 million American children with family members serving in the armed forces. Check out the titles and ...
Brand New Children’s Books for Black History Month
Dive into these 10 brand-new children’s titles to celebrate the history, present, and future of the Black Diaspora and discover notable Black activists, musicians, inventors, athletes, and poets.
New: eLearning Courses from Think Small Institute
Early childhood educators spoke and we listened. We started Think Small Institute to provide high-quality, affordable, mobile-first professional development putting the tools you need to spark new ideas in your ...
Learning to Say Goodbye, a Skill for Life
Guest Blog by Angèle Sancho Passe In the book Mama’s Gloves, by Mike Huber, (Redleaf Press, 2014), four-year-old Esteban learns that mama “always comes back with two kisses and hug.” This routine ...
Three Ways Early Educators Can Support Rainbow and Same-Sex Families Beyond Pride Month
Pride occurs year-round; here are three ways early educators can support community members beyond the calendar month.
Putting Technology in the Hands of Child Care Providers and Children
Access to technology is important to those working in the early childhood field. Laptops and tablets help small business owners, like child care providers, improve their skills, grow their business, ...
Celebrating the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Library!
Did you know Minnesota’s best resources for early childhood professionals are available FREE to you? April 9 – 15 is National Library Week! What a great opportunity to explore a ...
Baby Steps To STEM
This month marks one year since the start of the Think Small blog. To celebrate, we’re using January to highlight information and initiatives from Think Small and our partners about ...
Revised Standards Provide Guidance for Early Childhood Field
This month marks one year since the start of the Think Small blog. To celebrate, we’re using January to highlight information and initiatives from Think Small and our partners about ...
Brain Development in Infants and Toddlers
90% of brain development occurs by age 5. 80% of the brain is developed by age 3. These eye-catching statements sound impressive but can be confusing and misleading. Learning certainly ...
Come on In, the Water is Fine! Welcoming New Child Care Staff with a Purpose
Think Small is hosting an event to help child care directors welcome their newest staff members.During this two-hour, interactive session, participants will explore new employee orientation processes and systems that ...
Register for a free child care providers training on healthy food choices
Think Small, Adults’ & Children’s Alliance, and the Cargill Foundation have partnered to provide free training for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) participants.
Register for Think Small's 23rd Annual Family Child Care Business Seminar
Think Small’s 23rd Annual Family Child Care Business Seminar is coming up! It will be held November 5th at the Ramada Plaza Minneapolis. Use this opportunity to review 2016 tax ...
Three Tips for Eating Healthy with Kids
Preschool age children develop eating habits they will practice for the rest of their lives, so they are at an ideal age to experience and learn about healthy eating. At ...
MNStreams.org Changing to Develop in Summer 2016
Beginning July 1, 2016, MNStreams.org – Child Care Aware of Minnesota’s current online catalog for face-to-face trainings – will no longer be accessible. In its place, early learning and school-age ...
Respond Now! Your input needed for Child Care Business Update
Every year, Think Small collects valuable information about all licensed child care programs in the metro area on behalf of the Department of Human Services. This provides the most up ...
Register for Free Healthy Eating Training for Child Care Providers
Healthy eating habits are important, especially for young children in the U.S. Unfortunately; childhood obesity has skyrocketed in recent years, setting many children on an unhealthy path. That’s just one ...