Maryland State Department of Education
Division of Early Childhood Education
Office of Child Care, Licensing Branch
Resource Guide
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What is Curriculum? ………………………………………….3
Program Requirements ……………………………………...6
Language and Literacy ……………………………………….7
Mathematics…………………………………………………... 9
Science……………………………………………………………11
Social Studies ………………….……………………………….13
Arts…………………………………………………………….....16
Room Arrangement …………………………………………..18
Resources………………………………………………………..23
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A curriculum is a plan for your program. It is a
framework for what actually happens in a
planned environment when children interact
with materials, with other children, and with
adults.
THE CREATIVE CURRICULUM FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE
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Is well-planned, prepared, and implemented.
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Helps achieve goals for children’s learning.
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Is developmentally appropriate.
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Allows for individualized activities.
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Plans for adult-led activities as well as childled activities.
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Choose a topic of interest to the children in
care to plan activities around.
Themes typically last from one to two weeks
or up to a month depending on the children’s
continuing interest.
Children can help choose the themes.
Today’s theme: CAMPING
Activities could include:
Cooking smores or making no bake smores;
Creating a camp site in dramatic play;
Reading books about camping;
Making campfire pictures by blowing red and yellow paint
through a straw; and
Taking a nature walk to observe animals and collect collage
materials.
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1. Activities
Each child in care shall be provided with indoor and outdoor activities
that are appropriate to the age, needs, and capabilities of the child.
2. Materials and Equipment
A. Activity materials shall:
(1) Be developmentally appropriate, in good repair, clean, nontoxic,
and free from hazards including lead paint; and
(2) Support learning in:
(a) Language and literacy;
(b) Mathematics;
(c) Science;
(d) Social studies; and
(e) The arts.
B. The variety and quantity of materials and equipment for indoor and
outdoor activities shall be adequate to implement activities.
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Preschool language and literacy is gaining the skills
to become successful readers.
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Increase children’s vocabulary by reading a variety of
books to them and naming objects in the environment.
Encourage print awareness by pointing out and reading
words throughout the children’s environment. Toys and
materials can be labeled in the family child care setting.
Help children increase their narrative skills by allowing
time for them to tell you a story and asking questions
while reading a story to them.
Children can learn letter knowledge by drawing letters and
pointing out letters in their environment. Make the letter
sounds so that children can differentiate between letters.
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Books
Book props
Puppets
Books on tape
Flannel board
stories
Labeled items
Letter
recognition
activities
Writing activities
• Singing
• Beginning letter
sounds activities
• Alphabet puzzles
• Creating “books”
• Matching games
• Dry erase boards
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Preschool math is hands-on activities, not sitting at desks
with worksheets or memorizing.
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Numbers:
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Geometry and Spatial Relations:
counting objects, reciting nursery rhymes with numbers,
reading counting books
constructing shapes,
recognizing shapes in the environment
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Measurement:
comparing sizes, measuring unconventionally (feet,
yarn, blocks)
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Patterns:
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Analyzing Data:
recognizing patterns of different colors and sizes,
reproducing and copying patterns
recording data on graphs and charts, comparing
data results
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Blocks of all different types
Counting songs
Books about counting, sorting, patterning, shapes, etc.
Counting, patterning, sorting, sequencing, stacking
activities
Bucket balance for comparing weights of things
Number recognition activities
Measuring (cups, spoons, rulers)
Money activities (cash register, play money)
Shape activities
Puzzles
Dominoes
Bead stringing
Children’s calculators
Peg boards
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Preschool science is also hands-on activities
that will require minimal adult explanation.
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Science activities will encourage
adventure and curiosity, help children
become problem solvers, and develop
an understanding of the natural
world.
Some examples of science activities
could include planting and growing
seeds, watching the life cycle of frogs
or butterflies, and experimenting with
objects that float or sink.
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Books related to science themes (colors, life cycles, growing, senses, weather, animals,
insects)
Color activities
Sink/float
Senses activities (sound cylinders, smell bottles)
Magnets
Magnifying glass
Toy animals and insects
Bug viewers
Binoculars
Nutrition activities (food pyramid, cooking)
Growing plants
Pictures of animals, weather, etc.
Puzzles of life cycles, animals, etc.
Water/sand table
Musical instruments
Live animals (fish, hamsters, rabbits, butterflies, worms)
Nature items (leaves, pine cones, shells, deserted nests, rocks)
X-rays
Cooking activities
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Preschool social studies helps children gain an
understanding of community outside of their home. Children
begin to make friends and decisions in a group setting.
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In a group setting:
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In the neighborhood:
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On field trips:
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During holidays:
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Having special visitors:
Children learn routines. They interact with other
children of different races/ethnicities. Conflict resolution begins to emerge as well
as a sense of personal responsibility.
Children begin to observe their surroundings
(home, bank, restaurants, fire station, etc.) as well as the stores in the area
(grocery, book stores, barber shops, etc.). They begin to learn why each place is
important.
Children can discuss what was observed and act out the
things learned on trips to local restaurants, banks, fire houses, etc.
Children can learn about cultural history and different
cultural traditions. Children can also learn to respect the traditions of other
religions and ethnicities.
Family members as well as community
helpers can share information with the children.
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Books about community helpers, other countries,
transportation, celebrations
Pictures of families, differently-able people, places,
community helpers, businesses
Flannel boards of different people and community helpers
Map puzzles
Globe
Transportation toys and rugs
Feelings activities
Personal identity activities
Dramatic play supplies
Housekeeping toys
Multicultural dolls and accessories
Doll house with accessories
Different culture toys, clothing, food, and musical
instruments
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A prop box is simply a box filled with objects
that can be used by children to play out a
particular theme.
(The Creative Curriculum)
Examples:
Office: pads of paper, stapler, paper clips,
old typewriter, adding machine or calculator,
telephone, pencils, stamp pad and stamps,
briefcase
Painter: buckets, paintbrushes and rollers,
painter’s caps, drop cloth, paint stirrers, old
shirts
Supermarket: cash register, empty food
containers, plastic fruits and vegetables,
paper bags, scale, baskets to hold food,
play money
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Visual Arts
Music and Movement
(drawing, painting, creating with
clay, etc.)
(singing, dancing, playing
instruments, etc.)
• Children’s creativity is
encouraged through open-ended
art activities.
• Art activities can improve fine
motor skills.
• Hand-eye coordination also
benefits from preschool art
activities.
• Art provides children with another
way to express themselves.
• A variety of supplies should be
available so children can access
them during free play and create
their own masterpiece.
• Singing/chanting can aid in
transitions and routine activities.
• Music can help with mood. Play
soft music at naptime or fast music
for clean-up time.
• It can be used as a social activity.
• Benefits of music and movement
are: group participation, increased
social skills, boosts creativity and
imagination, develops both small
and large motor skills, improves
balance and coordination, helps
express emotions, and betters
listening skills.
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Easel (used indoors or
outdoors)
Variety of paints and brushes
Variety of types of paper
Crayons and markers
Sponge stamps
Playdough and tools
Children’s scissors
Collage materials
Glue
Stickers
Pictures of famous paintings
Cassette players/headphones
Musical instruments
The use of coloring books,
dittos, and pre-cut models
should be limited. They are
not art experiences and limit
children’s creativity.
PROCESS vs. PRODUCT
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Label items with pictures and words for easy
clean up.
Display toys so that children can see what the
choices are and return the materials when
done. Toy boxes are not recommended.
Offer a manageable selection of toys. Too
many toys can be overwhelming and too little
can cause arguments between children.
Rotate the toy selection on a regular basis.
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DRAMATIC PLAY
LIBRARY/QUIET AREA
MANIPULATIVES
(BLOCKS, PUZZLES, TRANSPORTATION)
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LIBRARY AREA
ACCESSIBLE TOYS
CHILD SIZE FURNITURE
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ORGANIZED TOY
STORAGE WITH LABELS
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BLOCK STORAGE
GOOD SELECTION
OF TOYS
OPEN
FLOOR
SPACE
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Visit your local resource and referral office or
contact your local school system to get
additional information and materials to help you
plan your program.
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