Blog, News & Events
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.
Putting Technology in the Hands of Child Care Providers and Children
Access to technology is important to those working in the early childhood field. Laptops and tablets help small business owners, like child care providers, improve their skills, grow their business, ...
From the Front Lines of Child Care: Wendy's Story
?I?m exhausted. But I love my job and my families. I?m blessed to be an educator and care provider for the youngest Minnesotans.? Wendy Dewall used to have eight to ...
From the Front Lines of Child Care: Britney's Story
“I’m doing everything I can to ensure the families in my child care program have the financial stability they need right now and to keep everyone enrolled for the future.” ...
From the Front Lines of Child Care: Jean's Story
“I just ask that you realize we are essential business owners ALL the time, not just during the pandemic.? When Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued the stay-at-home order, Jean Mathison ...
Child Care Provider Sanitizer & Bleach Give Away
Nearly 300 child care providers in the metro area picked up hand sanitizer & bleach beginning in April. The hard-to-find products were made available to child care programs at no ...
Tell Your Early Learning Story: Why It's Important
By Kristie Thorson, Communications Specialist Whether you?re a family child care provider who wants to share a program success or a parent who is struggling to find high-quality care, your ...
Early Learning Scholarships Change Lives
“This opportunity wasn’t just good for her, and amazing for her, but it was also amazing for me. And if it’s amazing for me, it’s amazing for our little family.” ...
Early Education Spotlight: People Serving People
Early Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in high-quality child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early learning programs to parent perspectives on ...
Early Education Spotlight: The Teddy Bear House
Early Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in high-quality child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early learning programs to parent perspectives on ...
Early Sprouts: Growing Great Gardeners
By Kristie Thorson, Communications SpecialistThere is much more ‘being planted’ in this backyard then simple seeds and seedlings.? These Minnesota children, along with their family child care provider, are also ...
Early Education Spotlight - Here We Grow
By Marie Huey, Public Policy & Advocacy CoordinatorVideo by Kristie Thorson, Communications SpecialistEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in high-quality child care and preschool ...
Early Education Spotlight: Stepping Stones Childcare Learning Center, Inc
By: Marie HueyEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in high-quality child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early learning programs to parent ...
Early Education Spotlight: Little Angels Child Care
By: Marie Huey, Public Policy and Advocacy CoordinatorEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early ...
Early Education Spotlight: Little World of Angels
By: Marie Huey, Public Policy and Advocacy CoordinatorEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early ...
Early Education Spotlight: Daryeel Group Home Daycare
By: Marie HueyEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early learning programs to parent perspectives ...
Early Education Spotlight: Bloom Early Learning and Child Care
By: Marie HueyEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early learning programs to parent perspectives ...
Early Education Spotlight: Little Learners
By: Marie HueyEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early learning programs to parent perspectives ...
Early Education Spotlight: Achcha's Daycare
By: Marie HueyEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work happening in child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early learning programs to parent perspectives ...
Early Education Spotlight: Country Kids Childcare
By: Marie HueyEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases great work going on in child care and preschool settings across Minnesota. From innovative early learning programs to parent ...
Early Education Spotlight: Kris Larson's Family Child Care
By: Marie HueyEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases the great work happening in quality child care and preschool settings across Minnesota.Kris Larson?s Family Child Care program in ...
Early Education Spotlight: Aldrich Memorial Nursery School
By: Marie HueyEarly Education Spotlight is an ongoing series that showcases the great work happening in high-quality early learning?settings across Minnesota. The first?installment features Aldrich Memorial Nursery School and its ...
White Earth's Story: Building an Early Learning Landscape for Kids and Families
Fifteen years ago, families in White Earth, Minnesota didn’t have access to early learning programs. Families were lucky to get a spot in a Head Start program, one of the ...
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 ...
Partnership Brings Reading Corps into Child Care Settings
We are very proud to partner with Minnesota Reading Corps to bring early learning experts into family child care settings to work directly with children and child care providers on ...