Nebraska Family Child Care Association

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Nebraska Family Child Care Association Joining the NFCCA assures you of having a statewide voice and networking system for family child providers!

09/14/2026

Play + Literacy

Literacy doesn't only happen during story time.

It happens when children:

✏️ Make signs for dramatic play
📋 Create shopping lists
📖 Retell stories
💌 Write messages
🧾 Make menus
🔤 Explore letters
🎭 Act out books

Advocacy tip: Put writing materials in your play areas.

When literacy enters children's play, it becomes meaningful.

09/11/2026

Ask Better Questions

Instead of asking children:

❌ “What color is that?”

Try:

💭 “Tell me about what you're making.”

Instead of:

❌ “How many blocks?”

Try:

💭 “How could we make your tower taller?”

Instead of:

❌ “Is it heavy?”

Try:

💭 “What makes you think it's heavier?”

Advocacy tip: Open-ended questions create opportunities for children to explain their thinking—and give educators valuable information about development.

09/09/2026

Messy Play Has a Purpose

Mud. Sand. Water. Paint. Playdough. Glue.

Yes, it can get messy.

But messy play can also support:

✨ Sensory exploration
✨ Fine-motor development
✨ Creativity
✨ Language
✨ Science concepts
✨ Problem-solving
✨ Cause and effect

Advocacy tip: Don't defend the mess.

Explain the learning.

“Today the children were exploring what happens when water is added to different amounts of sand.”

Suddenly…the mess has a story.

09/07/2026

Ask “What Skill?”

Here's an easy advocacy habit to start today:

When you see children playing, ask yourself:

“What skill are they practicing?”

Not:

“What activity is this?”

But:

“What are they learning?”

A child pouring water might be exploring measurement.

A child negotiating who's the doctor might be practicing communication.

A child figuring out how to get a truck unstuck might be problem-solving.

Advocacy starts with seeing learning where others might only see play.

09/04/2026

The Power of Open-Ended Materials

A cardboard box can be a house.

Or a boat.

Or a rocket.

Or a grocery store.

Or a robot.

Or a bed for a stuffed animal.

That's the magic of open-ended materials.

When children decide what something becomes, they're practicing creativity, problem-solving, communication, planning, and flexible thinking.

Advocacy tip: Don't underestimate simple materials. Sometimes the less an adult defines an object, the MORE possibilities children see.

09/02/2026

Outdoor Play Counts!

Outdoor play isn't “extra.”

Running, climbing, digging, balancing, collecting, observing, creating, and exploring give children opportunities to develop across multiple areas of learning.

So when someone says:

“They've already been outside today.”

You can say:

“That's wonderful! What did they learn while they were there?”

Advocacy tip: Talk about outdoor play as a learning environment—not a break from learning.

08/31/2026

Math Is Everywhere

Think you need worksheets to teach math?

Look around your play environment!

Math happens when children:

🧱 Build towers
🍎 Sort pretend food
🚗 Line up cars
🧩 Complete puzzles
🥄 Measure ingredients
🧸 Compare sizes
🎲 Play games
🧺 Fill and empty containers

Advocacy tip: Start pointing out the math that's already happening.

Play doesn't eliminate intentional teaching.
It gives us a meaningful context for it.

08/28/2026

Follow the Child

Advocacy Tip: Child-led doesn't mean teacher-free.

In a strong play-based program, early childhood providers are watching, listening, asking questions, offering materials, extending ideas, and creating opportunities for deeper learning.

You might not always see an adult “teaching” in the traditional sense.

But look closely.

You may see a provider asking:

“What do you think will happen?”

“How could we make it stronger?”

“What else could you try?”

“Tell me about your idea.”

That's intentional teaching inside play.

08/26/2026

Pretend Play Is Serious Business!

The dramatic play area might look like a lot of fun—and it IS!

But pretend play also gives children opportunities to:

💬 Develop language
🤝 Practice social skills
🧠 Solve problems
❤️ Explore emotions
📝 Use symbols and literacy
🔢 Incorporate math concepts

Advocacy tip: When someone questions the value of dramatic play, invite them to watch it for five minutes.

Sometimes the best advocacy is simply showing the learning.

08/24/2026

Documentation Is Advocacy

Want to advocate for play-based learning? Document it!

Take a photo of children engaged in meaningful play and write down what you observed.

Instead of:

❌ “Johnny played with blocks.”

Try:

✅ “Johnny tested several ways to stabilize his tower, compared the height of two structures, and asked a friend for help when the tower fell.”

Now you have evidence of learning!

Advocacy tip: Observation + documentation + ELG connection = powerful evidence for play.

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Lincoln, NE
68501

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