AI Search Is Here - The Gold Rush Opportunity for Child Care Centers in 2026 by Bruce Spurr

Play-Based Literacy Through Storytelling and Storyacting by Laura Shea

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/play-based-literacy-through-storytelling-and-storyacting-by-laura-shea?utm_campaign=33148736-2026%2F07%2F16%20%7C%20Play-Based%20Literacy%20Through%20Storytelling%20and%20Storyacting&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=33148736-2026%2F07%2F16%20%7C%20Play-Based%20Literacy%20Through%20Storytelling%20and%20Storyacting&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=play-based&utm_content=spotify] This professional development session explores how you can use storytelling and storyacting to support early literacy in young children. Rooted in research, including the science of reading, this hands-on training provides practical strategies to enhance vocabulary, narrative skills, and concepts about print through play-based, child-led storytelling experiences. Storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful tools for fostering connection, imagination, and learning in young children. This session explores how you can harness storytelling and storyacting to support foundational literacy skills in developmentally responsive, playful ways. Drawing from research-based insights, including the Science of Reading, and years of hands-on experience, this session offers practical strategies you can immediately implement in your classrooms. You will discover how to use child-led storytelling to build concepts about print, vocabulary, and narrative skills while fostering creativity and collaboration. Through engaging demonstrations and examples, you will see how storyacting—bringing children’s stories to life—can deepen understanding and spark joy in learning. This session is designed to empower you with realistic, actionable techniques to integrate storytelling into daily rhythms and transitions. By the end, you will leave with a toolkit, a plan for overcoming common challenges, and renewed confidence in your ability to nurture a love of literacy through play and creativity. Session Objectives: 1. Identify the key benefits of storytelling and storyacting for supporting early literacy development. 2. Learn storytelling and storyacting technique that can be easily adapted to different classroom settings and age groups. 3. Develop a personalized action plan to integrate storytelling into daily rhythms, addressing potential challenges and tailoring strategies to meet diverse learner needs. 4. Gain confidence in facilitating child-led storytelling activities that foster creativity, collaboration, and a love of literacy.

Creating Connections with Teen Parents Practical Strategies to Engage and Empower Young Families in Early Childhood Settings by Debrah Clark, M.A., CFLE and Treasa Howard, MEd, MBA

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/creating-connections-with-teen-parents-practical-strategies-to-engage-and-empower-young-families-in-early-childhood-settings-by-debrah-clark-ma-cfle-and-treasa-howard-med-mba?utm_campaign=39558983-2026%2F07%2F15%20%7C%20Creating%20Connections%20with%20Teen%20Parents%20Practical%20Strategies%20to%20Engage%20and%20Empower%20Young%20Families%20in%20Early%20Childhood%20Settings%20by%20Debrah%20Clark%2C%20M.A.%2C%20CFLE%20and%20Treasa%20Howard&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=39558983-2026%2F07%2F15%20%7C%20Creating%20Connections%20with%20Teen%20Parents%20Practical%20Strategies%20to%20Engage%20and%20Empower%20Young%20Families%20in%20Early%20Childhood%20Settings%20by%20Debrah%20Clark%2C%20M.A.%2C%20CFLE%20and%20Treasa%20Howard&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=teen-parents&utm_content=spotify] Teen parents are navigating two critical developmental journeys at once: adolescence and parenthood. The image of teenage pregnancy and parenting often elicits an emotional response shaped by personal beliefs, systemic bias, and media narratives. This workshop will empower early childhood professionals to create meaningful, relationship-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive connections that build confidence, strengthen parent-child interactions, and support long-term success for young families—and for the professionals who care for them. Learning Objectives By the end of this session, you will be able to: * Identify key developmental differences between teen and adult parents, and analyze how parental developmental stages may influence child development outcomes. * Examine common stereotypes about teen parents and evaluate how these perceptions impact parenting confidence, engagement, and classroom outcomes. * Identify effective strategies and determine practical ways to replicate them across programs.

HuUbuntu: I Am Because We Are - Reconceptualizing family engagement by Dr. Patrick Makokoro

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/huubuntu-i-am-because-we-are-reconceptualizing-family-engagement-by-dr-patrick-makokoro?utm_campaign=39344025-2026%2F07%2F09%20%7C%20HuUbuntu%3A%20I%20Am%20Because%20We%20Are%20-%20Reconceptualizing%20family%20engagement%20by%20Dr.%20Patrick%20Makokoro&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=39344025-2026%2F07%2F09%20%7C%20HuUbuntu%3A%20I%20Am%20Because%20We%20Are%20-%20Reconceptualizing%20family%20engagement%20by%20Dr.%20Patrick%20Makokoro&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=huubuntu&utm_content=spotify] Step into a space where you are invited to experience connection, reflection, and renewal. In this session, you will explore HuUbuntu, an African relational philosophy that reminds us, “I am because we are.” You will be called to reimagine what family engagement means. This is not about a checklist of school events or communication strategies, but a living, breathing practice of interconnectedness. Together with author, academic and founder of the Nhaka Foundation, Dr. Patrick Makokoro, you will trace how knowledge, identity, and moral growth are not individual pursuits, but collective creations shaped within the webs of family, community, and culture. Through guided dialogue and shared stories, you will see how embracing HuUbuntu transforms relationships among educators, families, and children into co-created spaces of belonging. You will leave with a deeper understanding of how to cultivate educational environments that honor the fullness of each child’s communal heritage and lived experience. By the end of this session, you will be able to: * Understand the principles of HuUbuntu as an African relational philosophy and its implications for education and family engagement. * Reframe traditional views of family involvement toward a model of interconnectedness that values families as co-creators of knowledge. * Identify practical ways to integrate relational, decolonial, and community-based approaches into your professional and educational practice.

Billing & Tuition Policies That Work Strengthening Financial Foundations [Part 2] by Monique D Reynolds

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/courses/how-to-run-a-best-in-class-child-care-program-series-june?utm_campaign=36681231-2026%20%7C%20Admin%20Series%20Q2%20%7C%20Billing%20%26%20Tuition%20Policies%20That%20Work&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=36681231-2026%20%7C%20Admin%20Series%20Q2%20%7C%20Billing%20%26%20Tuition%20Policies%20That%20Work&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=admin-2026-q2-billing&utm_content=spotify] Billing and tuition policies are the backbone of every successful child care program. In this engaging webinar, Monique Reynolds, VP of ECE Business Support Services, will share practical strategies for creating or strengthening systems that ensure payments are received on time, reduce stress, and keep operations running smoothly. You’ll learn how to set clear expectations from the start—or refine the approach you already have—while confidently navigating tough conversations and establishing policies that protect revenue and foster positive family relationships. By the end of this interactive session, you’ll have actionable tools to strengthen your financial foundation, streamline processes, and gain peace of mind. Whether your goal is to eliminate late payments, update your current practices, or build trust with families, the strategies shared in this session will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to make your billing policies work for you. Learning Objectives After attending this session, you will be able to: * Develop tuition policies that set clear expectations and minimize payment issues. * Apply strategies to collect fees on time with less stress and conflict. * Handle financial conversations with parents confidently and professionally. * Establish systems that support long-term financial stability and smooth operations. * Strengthen family relationships through transparent, consistent practices.

The Science of Play: A framework for deep, joyful, and developmentally essential learning by Amanda Morgan, MS

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/the-science-of-play-a-framework-for-deep-joyful-and-developmentally-essential-learning-amanda-morgan-ms?utm_campaign=17086212-2025%2F11%2F06%20%7C%20The%20Science%20of%20Play&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=17086212-2025%2F11%2F06%20%7C%20The%20Science%20of%20Play&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=essential&utm_content=spotify] Play isn’t a break from learning—it is learning. Yet in classrooms around the world, play is often the first thing squeezed out by mounting academic pressures. In this eye-opening session, Amanda Morgan—author of Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood—will explore why play is not only developmentally appropriate, but developmentally essential for all children. Blending research, real-world examples, and her signature warmth and wit, Amanda will guide you through the Recognize–Emphasize–Maximize Method—a practical framework for making play purposeful and powerful in any early childhood setting. Whether you're a teacher on the ground or a leader shaping program direction, this session will reframe the way you view play—and inspire you to champion it with clarity and confidence. By the end of this session, you will be able to: 1. Identify common misconceptions about play and learn how to reframe them to more effectively address challenges. 2. Confidently explain why play is critical to whole-child development. 3. Apply the Recognize–Emphasize–Maximize framework to reflect on and improve current classroom or program practices. 4. Advocate for play in ways that reflect current research and resonate with colleagues, families, and stakeholders. 5. Maximize the impact of play by designing experiences and environments that support agency, joy, and deep learning.