Elevating Early Childhood

By Vanessa Levin

What's Elevating Early Childhood about?

Are you ready to teach better, save time, and live more? Learn more about my membership program “Teaching Trailblazers” here: https://teachingtrailblazers.com/

I'm Vanessa Levin and here on Elevating Early Childhood, we believe in leveling the playing field and bridging the gap between the world of preschool, pre-k, and K-12 education.

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Elevating Early Childhood episodes:

09.10.2023
Preschool Circle Time Makeover
Check out my latest circle time area makeover, 2023 edition! Have you ever wondered what you should have in your circle time area? Or maybe you're wondering what's really necessary, and what's not. In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood...
08.24.2023
Preschool Writing Center Do's and Don'ts for the Beginning of the Year
Welcome to another episode of "Elevating Early Childhood!" In this episode, we unravel the secrets to creating a successful preschool writing center from Day 1.
08.16.2023
Preschool Circle Time Area Set-Up
Today we're diving deep into setting up the perfect Circle Time Area for your little learners. Discover how to create a space that inspires, educates, and brings everyone together!
08.08.2023
Must-Have Sensory Table Tools
Does setting up your centers stress you out? Are you looking for ways to make your sensory table center more fun and engaging for your students? In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood we'll be looking at the best sensory bin tools...
08.01.2023
Dramatic Play Center Tour
Do you have questions about setting up the dramatic play center in your classroom? Are you looking for ways to make your dramatic play center more engaging and deepen the play and learning? Or maybe you just LOVE peeking into other teacher’s...
07.26.2023
Preschool Power-Up: Setting Up Your Block Center for Success
In this impactful episode of Elevating Early Childhood with Vanessa Levin, we dive into the heart of the early childhood classroom with a focus on blocks – the cornerstone of creativity and cognitive development. Discover the intricacies of setting up...
07.18.2023
Mastering Meet the Teacher Night
Teachers, do you want the upcoming school year to be your best year ever? What if I told you that you can start laying the foundation for a successful school year BEFORE your kids ever walk through your classroom door? Yes,...
07.11.2023
Feeling Overwhelmed by All the "Non-Teaching" Things?
Teachers, are you overwhelmed by all the “non-teaching” responsibilities you have at school? I’m talking about the things not related to when the students are in the classroom, like labeling the tubs in your centers, communicating with parents, planning events like...
07.04.2023
Do You Feel Like a Failure as a Teacher?
Teachers, have you ever felt like a failure? Of course you have, and so have I! Every teacher out there feels like a failure some, or even all of the time. And that feeling of failure, it can really drag...
06.27.2023
Pre-K Edition: What to Teach and When to Teach it?
Listen, it's no secret that teaching preschoolers isn't easy peasy. It's full of ups and downs with lots of bumps along the way, which leaves you exhausted from trying to find a balance between work and life. You just wish...
06.19.2023
Overwhelmed by student behaviors?
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the behaviors in your preschool classroom? That’s a trick question because every teacher feels like that sometimes. And those behaviors, do they seem like they’re getting worse each year? If any of this sounds...
06.06.2023
Are You New to Teaching Pre-K?
Let me ask you a question, how is teaching Pre-K different from, let’s say, 4th grade? Or even first, second, or third grade? It’s an entirely different animal, isn’t it? So, if you’ve you been moved down to Pre-K from a higher...
05.29.2023
Building a Natural Preschool Math Center
Are you looking for ways to incorporate more nature into your classroom? Bringing the outdoors into your classroom can provide a calmer and more soothing environment for young children. Who doesn’t want more calm and less chaos in their classroom,...
05.22.2023
End-of-the-School Year: 5 Easy and Stress-Free Hacks for Preschool Teachers
Teachers, let’s be honest, the end of the school year is almost as stressful as the beginning of the year, am I right? If you’re not rehearsing for the end of the year “program,” you’re assessing your students, doing report cards,...
05.15.2023
Kindergarten Readiness, Should Preschoolers Read Before Kindergarten?
What does it really mean to be “kindergarten ready?” Should we be teaching kids to read before they enter kindergarten? Are you worried that your preschool or Pre-K kids won’t have all the skills they need to excel in today’s kindergarten classrooms? In...
05.08.2023
Preschool Centers: Puzzle Tips & Tricks
Do puzzles cause headaches in your classroom? Are your kids uninterested in puzzles? Or maybe they’re frustrated because they can’t put them together? If you think puzzles are too much of a hassle, or they’re too old school for today’s...
05.04.2023
6 Learning Center Myths Preschool Teachers Should Stop Falling For
Teachers, have you ever been told by an administrator that centers are “just playing?” Maybe you’re even one of the unlucky ones who have been told by an administrator that you can’t have centers in your classroom because they’re “just for...
04.24.2023
My Ultimate Guide for Setting-Up and Stocking Your Classroom Centers
Centers are an essential part of a high-quality early childhood experience. The issue is that no one ever gives you an actual roadmap to follow when it comes to setting-up or stocking your centers - until today!
04.17.2023
My Foolproof Formula to Improve Cleanup Transitions
Does getting your preschool students to clean up seem like an impossible task? Stop playing whack-a-mole and improve your transitions with this foolproof formula!
04.10.2023
3 Steps to Improve Handwriting Skills in Preschool
Do your students struggle to write the letters of the alphabet? In this episode you'll learn three simple steps you can take to set your students up for success with handwriting.
04.03.2023
Is Your Classroom Too Loud?
Are your students too loud in your classroom? Do they have trouble keeping those outside voices… well, outside? Or maybe your principal has told you that your class is just too loud? I have the solution for you!
03.27.2023
Using ASL in the Early Childhood Classroom
Can ASL be used in the hearing classroom to support learning? Cynthia Long is joining us today to share the many benefits of using ASL in your classroom, so tune in now.
03.20.2023
The Top 5 Playdough Must-Haves for Preschool
Do your students love playing with playdough in the classroom? Here are some of my best tips for setting up and organizing your playdough center in your preschool or pre-k classroom.
03.13.2023
How to Ace Your Formal Observation
Do you have a formal observation coming? If so, this episode is for you!
03.06.2023
How to Create the Perfect Morning Routine for Your Preschool Classroom
Use these morning work activities to create a simple morning routine for your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom with a focus on fine motor skill development.
02.27.2023
What to Do When Parents Don’t Want Their Child to Participate in Holiday Classroom Activities
What should you do if a parent tells you their child can't participate in certain holiday activities? Find out the answer in today's episode of Elevating Early Childhood.
02.20.2023
What to Do When Parents Bring Up Bullying
Nothing strikes fear in a teacher's heart more than hearing from a parent who says their child has been bullied. What's the first thing you should do? What words should you use? Join Dan St. Romain as he breaks it...
02.13.2023
Want More Independent Students? Do This, Not That!
In this episode, Dan St. Romain will help you avoid the pitfalls many teachers make when it comes to fostering independence in the early childhood classroom.
02.06.2023
How to Reduce Interruptions During Small Group Time
Do you struggle to get through small groups due to all the interruptions? Join Dan St. Romain as he shares his best tips for reducing interruptions so you can get through your small groups.
01.30.2023
The Art of Redirecting Preschoolers: What, Why, and How
Why do preschoolers need redirection? And how can you learn the art of redirecting little children? Find out now!
01.23.2023
How to Say “No” to Preschoolers Without Meltdowns
Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green joins us once again to talk about how to say "no" to preschoolers without all the meltdowns. Curious what she has to say? Listen to this episode to find out.
01.16.2023
What to Do When Your Students Wander Around the Classroom and Dump Toys
In this week's episode, Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green is here to answer one of the most asked questions about working with toddlers: why do they wander around the classroom and dump toys? Tune in now to learn more!
01.09.2023
Help! All My Students Want to Go to the Same Center!
What if all your students want to go to the same center? Discover my best advice for managing the number of students in each learning center and more!
01.02.2023
How to Teach Preschool Students Literacy Skills
Teaching young children literacy skills can be tricky. How do you know when to teach letter identification, letter names, and sounds? Find out now!
12.19.2022
[Encore] My Top 5 Small Group Counting Activities for Preschool
Do your preschool students need help learning how to count and develop number sense? In today’s episode, I’m sharing my top 5 fun, hands-on, and engaging math activities for small group time in your preschool classroom, so tune in now!
12.12.2022
The Best Winter Activities for Your Preschool Classroom
12.05.2022
Managing Temper Tantrums in the Preschool Classroom
How can you manage temper tantrums in the preschool classroom? I answer this question in today's episode, so tune in now!
11.23.2022
Amazon Favs for Your Preschool Learning Centers
Cyber Monday is here, and it's the perfect time to get yourself some new preschool learning center materials!
11.21.2022
Teaching Preschoolers to Manage Their Boredom
Why do young children say they're bored in the classroom? And how can you help them through that (dreadful) feeling? Find out today!
11.14.2022
How to Get Your Preschool Students Excited About Your Less Popular Classroom Centers
If your students only want to go to the blocks or dramatic play centers and not math or literacy, then this episode is for you! Tune in now to learn more.
11.07.2022
12 Creative Thanksgiving Ideas To Spice Up Your Classroom This November
Are you looking for ways to make things more fun and engaging in your classroom this November? If so, you're in luck because in today's episode of Elevating Early Childhood, I'll be sharing 12 fun, exciting, engaging, and developmentally appropriate ways...
10.31.2022
Preschool Thanksgiving Activities: 4 Steps Towards Inclusivity
Wondering what to do for Thanksgiving in your preschool classroom this year? Find out today.
10.24.2022
Engaging Restless Preschoolers With Fall Songs, Books, and Games
How can you keep your students engaged and interested in the preschool classroom? Find out in today's episode!
10.17.2022
Top 10 Must-Haves for Your Preschool Art Center
Does your art center need some sprucing up? I've got you!
10.10.2022
Process Art vs. Product Art: Which Is Better for Your Preschool Students?
What's the difference between process art and product art? Find out today!
10.03.2022
What to Do About Kids Who Bite?
How can you prevent biting in your preschool classroom? Find out the answer today!
09.26.2022
Preschool Classroom Centers: To Combine or Not to Combine?
Should you be combining centers in your preschool classroom? Find out the answer now!
09.19.2022
Beginning of the Year Alphabet Favs and Fails
The beginning of the year is tricky, and if your activities and materials are too difficult, you and your students will end up struggling. Here's how to avoid falling into that trap.
09.05.2022
My Top 4 Preschool Transition Tips
Want to start your new school year on the right foot? Discover my top 4 transition tips today!
08.25.2022
Back-to-School: Procedures and Routines Checklist for Preschool (+ Free Download)
What procedures do you NEED to teach your students on the first few days of preschool? Find out the answer in today's episode!

What's Elevating Early Childhood about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Elevating Early Childhood episodes:

Preschool Circle Time Makeover

Preschool Writing Center Do's and Don'ts for the Beginning of the Year

Preschool Circle Time Area Set-Up

Must-Have Sensory Table Tools

Dramatic Play Center Tour

Preschool Power-Up: Setting Up Your Block Center for Success

Mastering Meet the Teacher Night

Feeling Overwhelmed by All the "Non-Teaching" Things?

Do You Feel Like a Failure as a Teacher?

Pre-K Edition: What to Teach and When to Teach it?

Overwhelmed by student behaviors?

Are You New to Teaching Pre-K?

Building a Natural Preschool Math Center

End-of-the-School Year: 5 Easy and Stress-Free Hacks for Preschool Teachers

Kindergarten Readiness, Should Preschoolers Read Before Kindergarten?

Preschool Centers: Puzzle Tips & Tricks

6 Learning Center Myths Preschool Teachers Should Stop Falling For

My Ultimate Guide for Setting-Up and Stocking Your Classroom Centers

My Foolproof Formula to Improve Cleanup Transitions

3 Steps to Improve Handwriting Skills in Preschool

Is Your Classroom Too Loud?

Using ASL in the Early Childhood Classroom

The Top 5 Playdough Must-Haves for Preschool

How to Ace Your Formal Observation

How to Create the Perfect Morning Routine for Your Preschool Classroom

What to Do When Parents Don’t Want Their Child to Participate in Holiday Classroom Activities

What to Do When Parents Bring Up Bullying

Want More Independent Students? Do This, Not That!

How to Reduce Interruptions During Small Group Time

The Art of Redirecting Preschoolers: What, Why, and How

How to Say “No” to Preschoolers Without Meltdowns

What to Do When Your Students Wander Around the Classroom and Dump Toys

Help! All My Students Want to Go to the Same Center!

How to Teach Preschool Students Literacy Skills

[Encore] My Top 5 Small Group Counting Activities for Preschool

The Best Winter Activities for Your Preschool Classroom

Managing Temper Tantrums in the Preschool Classroom

Amazon Favs for Your Preschool Learning Centers

Teaching Preschoolers to Manage Their Boredom

How to Get Your Preschool Students Excited About Your Less Popular Classroom Centers

12 Creative Thanksgiving Ideas To Spice Up Your Classroom This November

Preschool Thanksgiving Activities: 4 Steps Towards Inclusivity

Engaging Restless Preschoolers With Fall Songs, Books, and Games

Top 10 Must-Haves for Your Preschool Art Center

Process Art vs. Product Art: Which Is Better for Your Preschool Students?

What to Do About Kids Who Bite?

Preschool Classroom Centers: To Combine or Not to Combine?

Beginning of the Year Alphabet Favs and Fails

My Top 4 Preschool Transition Tips

Back-to-School: Procedures and Routines Checklist for Preschool (+ Free Download)