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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.

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In home child care provider teaching amids preschoolers standing in a circle

Family Child Care Program Set to Expand to Meet Child Care Needs in Minneapolis

“I fell in love with teaching children,” shares Sally Boyd, director of Personality Childcare Learning Center in North Minneapolis. Boyd has served more than 600 children in the 20 years ...

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Red apple on stack of study books sitting on a table next to colored pencils

Think Small Institute Achieves IACET Accreditation for High-Quality Training for Early Childhood Professionals

Think Small is proud to announce that the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) has accredited Think Small Institute’s professional development in early childhood care and education. This ...

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Cisa Keller Named New CEO at Think Small

CISA KELLER NAMED NEW CEO AT THINK SMALLRespected Early Childhood Leader and Expert Chosen to Succeed Retiring CEO Barb YatesSt. Paul, MN ? Today, the Board of Directors of the ...

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Ramsey County Early Childhood Academy

It?s no secret that Minnesota is in the midst of a child care crisis. Quality child care in Minnesota has become hard to find, hard to secure, and even harder ...

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Candace Yates, Strategic Leader of Equity & Quality Supports

Equity and Inclusion Efforts at Think Small: An Update

My goal is to support the ongoing growth and development of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all Think Small Leaders.

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Think Small: Celebrating 50 Years, Innovating for the Future

?This is the biggest challenge we face: Can we build an equitable system that prepares all children for kindergarten, or will we continue to shortchange those experiencing opportunity gaps? We ...

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Child Tax Credit

Have You Applied to Receive the Child Tax Credit?  

As a parent, you are likely eligible to receive the Child Tax Credit.?If you are not yet receiving this credit, you may be missing an opportunity?to receive?up to $300 per child if you?qualify...

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Coronavirus: Information for Child Care Providers

You are no doubt aware of reports concerning a new respiratory virus that health officials have termed novel coronavirus (COVID-19). You can find the most up-to-date information about what is ...

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The 2020 Census: Why It Matters.

By Barbara Yates, Think Small President & CEO In the coming months you?ll see more from Think Small about the 2020 Census. We will share Census facts and resources on ...

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Think Small Applauds Relaunching the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet

By Barbara Yates, President and CEO of Think Small Today marks the re-launch of the Minnesota Children?sCabinet, and I am excited about the possibilities it presents for our youngestchildren in ...

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Think Small's Publishing Division Wins Big at Midwest Book Awards

Winners of the Midwest Book Awards Gala were announced May 12, 2017, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Think Small?s publishing division, Redleaf Press, took home top honors in three categories: Education/Learning, ...

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Word Pedometers Brought to Minneapolis to Help Close Word Gap

By: Maya Fanjul-DebnamMinnesota is heralding in an innovative program to help close the word gap. The word gap–a 30 million word deficit between children from low income families and their ...

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Minneapolis Launches "Talking is Teaching" Campaign to Close Word Gap

By Maya Fanjul-DebnamBy age four, children from low-income families hear 30 million fewer words than their more well-off peers, setting them on very different trajectories for early literacy. The disparity ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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Quality Child Care Impacts Karen Community in Minnesota

This is the first in a series of?videos showing the impact high-quality early learning has on children, families and child care providers across Minnesota. Check back here for a new ...

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