ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

Child fun
http://www.childfun.com
Childfun has an abundance of developmentally appropriate preschool age activities, recipes, and games.   

Crafty Crow Blog
http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow
The Crafty Crow Blog specializes in crafts found on weblogs of many creative people who either parent or work with young children. 

Kid’s Craft Weekly
http://www.kidscraftweekly.com
Each week, Kid’s Craft Weekly posts new craft ideas that are inexpensive, educational, child-friendly and fun.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT / PARENTING PRESCHOOLERS

The Child Development Institute
http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com
The Child Development institute offers information on many topics relating to children including stages of development, child psychology, learning styles, and parenting techniques/strategies.

Early Childhood Research and Practice
http://ecrp.uiuc.edu
Early Childhood Research & Practice covers topics related to the development, care, and education of children from birth to approximately age 8.

The National Parenting Education Network
http://npen.org
The National Parenting Education Network (NPEN) hopes to provide parents and families with the information, resources and support needed to encourage each child’s healthy growth and development.

Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners
http://www.collaboratingpartners.com
The Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP) works to positively impact the lives of young children and their families encompassing the areas of early care and education, health, mental health, parent education and family support. This site lists the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards, which are the guiding principles used for the preschool curriculum at ORNS.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE FOR PRESCHOOLERS

The Cooperative Children's Book Center
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc
The CCBC is a unique and vital gathering place for books, ideas, and expertise in the field of children's and young adult literature. The CCBC is part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education and receives additional support from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

The Literacy Web
http://www.literacy.uconn.edu/pkchilit.htm
The Literacy Web contains booklists for young children and links to websites of famous children's book authors.  

Read with Me!  Books to Read to your Child
http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/open/psreading.cfm
A web resource developed by teachers for children and their parents, Read with Me! includes a long list of recommended children’s books and a synopsis for each book.

MADISON AREA ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS

City of Madison – Children and Youth
http://www.cityofmadison.com/residents/residentsYouth.cfm
This City of Madison website features activity ideas and resources for parents of children in the Madison area.  

City of Madison Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Family Fun
http://www.visitmadison.com/visitors/play/family-fun
With kids in mind, the Family Fun site highlights many of the kid-friendly places and fun things to do in the greater Madison area.

Kids in the Rotunda
http://www.overturecenter.com/community/kids-in-the-rotunda
Each Saturday from October to May, Overture Center presents Kids in the Rotunda, a series of FREE artistic programs designed for children and families.  

Moms in Madison
http://www.momsinmadison.com
In addition to listings of playgroups, events, and fun things to do with children in the area, the Moms in Madison website provides parenting ideas, book recommendations, resources and more.

Mayor Dave’s Top 10
http://www.cityofmadison.com/summeractivities.cfm
This website features the top 10 fun things to do with children in Madison in the summer, according to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

Preschool Life

http://www.preschoollife.com
Preschool Life is an online resource for parents of children under 6 in the Madison area.