Creating Exciting Outdoor Learning Environments
Outdoor play is vital in early childhood education, letting children express themselves and burn energy. Kids explore nature, take risks, and build confidence. Extending classroom centers outdoors develops skills like pretend play. When children invent games, they use imagination and resources to create new realities, enhancing socialization and language as they share ideas with peers. This gives them more control over learning. Join us to discover exciting outdoor learning opportunities for your center.
FLIP IT
Participants will learn the four supportive steps to help young children identify their feelings, learn healthy self-control, and reduce challenging behaviors.
Toddler CLASS Overview
During this training, you will be introduced to the indicators a CLASS assessor will evaluate. The trainer will clarify the criteria assessed for each indicator.
“Men in ECE” Smart Table Talk
Enhanced Focus: Father-Child Wellness & Bonding Experience - Create meaningful connections through structured activities that promote emotional wellness, communication skills, and healthy relationship building between fathers and children in a supportive peer environment.
F.E.L. – Parental Resilience Part 2
Practical Strategies - Implementing concrete tools and techniques for stress management, self-care, and emotional regulation in daily parenting situations.
Pre-K CLASS Overview
During this training, you will be introduced to the indicators a CLASS assessor will evaluate. The trainer will clarify the criteria assessed for each indicator.
Stress Management and Burnout
Learn how Employee burnout in early education has become a big concern. Burnout lowers productivity, leads to poor morale, and ultimately, staff turnover. It can also cause problems in the classroom if not adequately addressed. Therefore, stress management for early childhood educators is crucial. This training will provide ways to identify and assist in this...
Triad Men in Early Childhood Education Conference 2025
Pre-Conference Social Date: December 5, 2025 Venue: Courtyard Marriot DT | 640 W 4th St. Winston-Salem, NC 27101 | Rooftop Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm Conference Date: December 6, 2025 Time: 7:30am-5:00pm Location: Intergenerational Wellness and Arts Center Address:114 30th St, Suite 604, W-S, NC 27105 Theme: Breaking Barriers Ceremony Dinner Date: December 6, 2025 Time: 6:30-8:30pm Location: Intergenerational Wellness and Arts Center...
F.E.L. – Social Connections & Building Resilience
Creating and strengthening supportive networks that provide emotional support, practical assistance, and opportunities for mutual aid among families.
Safe Handling for Child and Early Educator Well-being
This training covers the safe handling of children in childcare to promote child and educator well-being. Participants will learn about safe handling and classroom management strategies that can help reduce the risk of child-handling injuries. They will also be able to recognize and prevent common injuries in children and adults in childcare settings. Register Here!
ITS SIDS
Adults providing care for infants, 12 months or younger, are required to be trained in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Reduction Practices. The Infant/Toddler Safe Sleep and SIDS Risk Reduction in Child Care (ITS-SIDS) is an approved training that provides an understanding of how to implement safe sleep practices. To register, purchase tickets...
Literacy in the Classroom
The literacy standards specified within the Foundation Blocks for Early Learning include oral expression, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, early knowledge, word recognition, print and book awareness, and written expression. These skills should be introduced at all ages. Teachers should provide literacy experiences for children during every part of the day. Join us and learn how to...
Music in the Classroom
The most important reason to provide high-quality musical environments for young children is that this is a critical period for growth in their musical skills and understanding, as it is for other aspects of learning, and children should have the opportunity to develop all their potential skills and talents. Join us and learn about ways...
F.E.L. – Expanding Social Connections
Strategies for building meaningful relationships, accessing community resources, and fostering peer support networks that enhance family well-being.
How to Deal with Child Traumatic Stress
Early childhood trauma affects children ages 0-6. Despite assumptions that young age protects from trauma, research shows infants and toddlers are deeply affected by threatening events, even if they can’t verbalize reactions. Trauma sources include intentional violence (abuse, domestic violence), natural disasters, accidents, war, painful medical procedures, or sudden caregiver loss (including separation, not just...
M.A.L.E. – Leadership Development & Program Ownership
Establish and train a dynamic Parent Committee/Policy Council that gives fathers meaningful voice and decision-making power in program direction, policies, and community impact initiatives.
Art in the Classroom
Learn about the difference between teacher-generated and child-generated art, how to incorporate 3D Art with all age groups in your classroom, and how to improve creativity in the learning environment. Register Here!
Dental
Poor Oral Health can have a detrimental effect on children’s quality of life, their performance at school, and their success later in life. Help Toddlers learn healthy habits for life with the recommendations and general guidelines through this interactive training. Register here!
F.E.L. – The Parent’s Role
Empowering parents to become effective advocates for their children's needs in educational, healthcare, and community settings.
Autism in Early Childhood
In this training, participants will increase their knowledge of the early signs and detection of autism in young children, be able to name supportive ways to share concerns with caregivers, identify resources that support and can assist young children with autism in the ECE setting, and explore developmentally appropriate activities and inclusion practices for young...
M.A.L.E.
Enhanced Focus: Educational Partnership & Child Development Advocacy - Partner with Winston-Salem State University to deepen fathers' understanding of early childhood education's critical importance. Provide tools and resources to become effective advocates for quality childcare and educational opportunities.
Playground Safety
This training addresses playground safety hazards, playground supervision, maintenance and general upkeep of the outdoor learning environment, and age and developmentally appropriate playground materials and equipment. Register Here!
Stay Healthy, Stay Clean
Participants will receive handwashing, diapering, toileting, and sanitation procedures as they are performed multiple times daily. While an early educator may believe they already know how to wash hands properly, diaper children, assist with toileting, and clean, this training can help improve or refine their behavior to keep themselves and children healthy. Reviewing proper techniques...
ITS SIDS
Adults providing care for infants, 12 months or younger, are required to be trained in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Reduction Practices. The Infant/Toddler Safe Sleep and SIDS Risk Reduction in Child Care (ITS-SIDS) is an approved training that provides an understanding of how to implement safe sleep practices. Register Here!
Nutrition
Nutrition can be tied into all aspects of the curriculum. Active, hands-on lessons promote healthy habits and improve attention spans, engage children in learning, and increase understanding of key concepts. In this training, we will discuss strategies to minimize struggles with trying new foods and offer suggestions for fun and engaging activities that promote healthy...
F.E.L. – Essential Advocacy Tools
Learning specific communication techniques, documentation strategies, and resource navigation skills to effectively advocate for children and families.
Self-Care
Self-care is all about caring for your health and ensuring you have everything you need to thrive as a teacher. Without caring for yourself, you won’t have the energy to help your students. Because teaching is such an intensive job, educators can greatly benefit from learning about and practicing self-care at work and at home...
Emergency Preparedness & Response
Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) rules are designed to assist licensed childcare programs in adequately responding to the needs of children and others during disasters and emergencies. The EPR Plan addresses how a childcare center or a family childcare home will respond to natural and man-made disasters to ensure the safety and protection of the...
M.A.L.E. – Casual Connection & Peer Support
Foster authentic relationships and peer mentorship in a relaxed setting where fathers and children can enjoy quality time while building lasting friendships and support networks within the MALE community.
Accessible and Inclusive Environments
Participants will learn about making the child care environment more inclusive for individuals with access, functional, and special health care needs, focusing on infants and toddlers and those who care for them. Register Here!
ECERS 3
Learn what assessors are looking for in the classroom environment as well as the teacher-child interactions that impact infant and toddlers’ developmental milestones. Also, discuss practices that will help increase your scores. Register Here!
Trauma Resilience
During the training, we will discuss the Trauma Resilience Model and the seven commitments, ACES, the science of Trauma, Organizational Chronic Stress, and Professional Quality of Life. Register Here!
ITERS 3
Learn what assessors are looking for in the classroom environment as well as the teacher-child interactions that impact infant and toddlers’ developmental milestones. Also, discuss practices that will help increase your scores. Register Here!
Toddler CLASS Overview
During this training, you will be introduced to the indicators a CLASS assessor will evaluate. The trainer will clarify the criteria assessed for each indicator. Register Here!
Pre-K CLASS Overview
During this training, you will be introduced to the indicators a CLASS assessor will evaluate. The trainer will clarify the criteria assessed for each indicator. Register Here!
First Aid/CPR
Smart Start of Forsyth County is a proud provider of First Aid, CPR, and AED Training. Be sure to register early; spaces are limited. To receive the certificate, participants must attend the entire training session. To register, purchase tickets here.
ITS SIDS
Adults providing care for infants, 12 months or younger, are required to be trained in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Reduction Practices. The Infant/Toddler Safe Sleep and SIDS Risk Reduction in Child Care (ITS-SIDS) is an approved training that provides an understanding of how to implement safe sleep practices. To register, purchase tickets...
Infant CLASS Overview
During this training, you will be introduced to the indicators a CLASS assessor will evaluate. The trainer will clarify the criteria assessed for each indicator. Register Here!
Stay Healthy, Stay Clean
Participants will receive handwashing, diapering, toileting, and sanitation procedures as they are performed multiple times daily. While an early educator may believe they already know how to wash hands properly, diaper children, assist with toileting, and clean, this training can help improve or refine their behavior to keep themselves and children healthy. Reviewing proper techniques...
We’re Moving We’re Learning
Infusing classrooms with physical activity—or at least the option of some movement, at student discretion—isn’t just good for kids’ bodies, it’s also a powerful tool for improving learning and focus and reducing classroom management issues. Physical activity that amplifies learning can have a powerful effect on retention and engagement—it’s also fun. Learn ways to integrate...
Observations and Assessments
This training highlights the essential role of observation and assessment in supporting early childhood development. It outlines key objectives such as understanding different observation methods, documenting and analyzing findings, and applying assessment data to guide instruction. The presentation covers formative and summative assessments, emphasizes ethical considerations like confidentiality and cultural sensitivity, and encourages reflective documentation....
How to Deal with Child Traumatic Stress
Early childhood trauma refers to traumatic events occurring between birth and age six. Since young children may not verbalize their experiences and react differently from older children, people often assume they’re unaffected. However, research shows young children can be deeply impacted by threats to their safety or that of caregivers. Symptoms are well documented, and...
F.E.L. – Influencing Policies that Matter
Understanding how policies affect families and learning strategies to participate in policy discussions and advocacy efforts at local and state levels.
F.E.L. – Strengthening Pathways to Success
Reinforcing the connection between family engagement practices and improved outcomes for children's academic, social, and emotional development.
F.E.L. – Daily Actions that Build Protective Factors
Implementing everyday practices and routines that strengthen family resilience and create positive outcomes for children.
F.E.L. – Supporting Family Engagement Events
Planning, implementing, and evaluating family-centered events and activities that strengthen community connections and celebrate family strengths