Resources for Caring Adults

June 2023: It's summertime, and that usually means more time outdoors. But in today's world, it seems that "outdoor time" has come to mean "playground time." I remember reading Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods, and being reminded that there is a difference between "outdoor time with nature" and ...

November 2023: Around this time of year, a number of years ago, I received in the mail a drawing from my 3-year-old granddaughter. It was sent from her child care center. At the top was a note she dictated to her teacher, letting me know that the scribbles, lines and circles said "I love you, Grandma Hedda."

November 2021: The new Mister Rogers sculpture that was recently unveiled at Rollins College is a remarkably fit tribute to Fred. I was delighted to see that the sculptor Paul Day decided to depict Fred with his Daniel puppet talking with children.

Everyday Reminders for Early Educators about Children, Technology, and Learning

Report synthesizing the discussion, research, and practice around technology and media for young children and aligning it to Fred Rogers' ideas about how television could encourage and support whole child development.

Recent conversations in our Educators' Neighborhood community have invited layers of stories about what children are processing right now in their talk, play, artwork, wondering, worries, dreams, and wishes.

Slowness—as both an idea and practice—is a significant layer of what we can learn from Fred Rogers and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. And slowness is about much more than going slowly. Slowness opens a space for what is essential for children and their helpers.

Prompt conversations between children and caregivers with questions on topics such as kindness and movement. Keywords: icebreaker, self-reflection prompt

September 2021: In the midst of all we've been going through in this pandemic time, I've thought about something that Helen Ross, a noted children and family mental health specialist, told Fred...

"A child was having a hard day, slumped in the corner of a classroom, shirt pulled over his head. He poked out of his shirt to yell to the teacher across the room who was engaged with the other children in the class: Hey, can we play that love song again?"

nformed by the teachings and philosophies of Fred Rogers, this teacher's resource draws connections between the work of Fred Rogers and the world of an otter named Frankie. In addition, each section includes thematic concepts, curriculum connections, and activities ideas.

"Play is a child's most important means of communication. Children are not self-conscious about playing. They play out what they think is real. That's the ultimate honesty. Children bring their whole inner drama to any relationship." - Fred Rogers

The factory visits of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood—when Mr. McFeely visits Mister Rogers with video tapes of "how people make things"—are rich with opportunities for wonder, connection, and delight.

October 2021: However you're dealing (or not dealing) with Halloween in your work with children, this holiday reminds us of how much children love to dress up in costumes and how much they get from it.

"I like you as you are" is one of the most salient messages educators name in discussions about how Fred Rogers' work resonates with their practice. It's a message their students need to hear. It's a message their students' families need to hear. And it's a message that educators themselves need to hear.