Early Learning Ventures

09/11/2026

👶💛 Baby Safety Month Reminder 💛👶

This week on Family Engagement Fridays, we're talking about the everyday safety hazards that babies and toddlers can uncover faster than we expect. From unexpected tumbles off beds to creative climbing adventures, little ones often reach new milestones before we're ready for them.

Join us as we share practical tips for spotting hidden hazards, creating a safer home environment, and navigating those inevitable parenting close calls with confidence and compassion.

In honor of Baby Safety Month, this episode of Family Engagement Fridays explores common household safety hazards for babies and toddlers while reminding parents that mistakes and close calls can happen to anyone. From babies rolling off beds to toddlers discovering new ways to climb, children often...

09/04/2026

🚗 Check the Back Seat. Every Time.

This week's Family Engagement Fridays focuses on an important safety reminder for all caregivers: child passenger safety.

Learn practical ways to prevent hot car incidents, create reminder systems, and build routines that help keep children safe around vehicles. Small habits can make a lifesaving difference.

Watch now and join the conversation about keeping children safe through preparation, awareness, and support.

https://www.earlylearningventures.org/check-the-back-seat/

Summer is a great time to review family safety practices. In this episode of Family Engagement Fridays, we focus on child passenger safety and the importance of building routines that help keep children safe around vehicles. Learn practical tips for preventing hot car incidents, creating reminder sy...

08/31/2026

Real feedback from the field. Real results. 💜

“ELV has helped keep our center running smoothly… families love having everything in one place, and our teachers can easily access the information they need.”

This Wisconsin center-based program is seeing firsthand how having one streamlined system can simplify operations, improve communication, and create a better experience for both staff and families. From secure record-keeping to billing and daily logs all in one place. Alliance CORE makes a difference you can feel every day!

When your systems work smarter, your program can focus on what truly matters: quality care and strong relationships.

Want to learn more? Visit our website or reach out directly at [email protected].

08/28/2026

🧩 New Family Engagement Fridays Podcast Episode: Disability Awareness

Understanding available supports can make all the difference for children with disabilities and developmental differences.

In this episode, Petora Manetto-Spratt, PT, DPT, PCS, IMH-E Infant Family Specialist, discusses resources available from birth through age three, including Early Intervention services, what changes when children transition to school-based services after age three, and how families can access individualized support to help children learn, grow, and thrive.

🎧 Listen now for valuable guidance to help navigate the journey with confidence: https://www.earlylearningventures.org/disability-awareness/

In this episode of Family Engagement Fridays, Petora Manetto-Spratt, PT, DPT, PCS, IMH-E Infant Family Specialist, discusses the services and supports available for children with disabilities and developmental differences. Petora explains how families can navigate resources from birth through age th...

08/24/2026

Exciting news! 📱

The Alliance CREDIBLE Mobile App for iOS and Android is now available in a limited beta release for providers using Alliance CREDIBLE (without CORE integration).

Enjoy convenient access to key CACFP features right from your phone—helping reduce paperwork and make daily recordkeeping easier than ever! 🚀

08/21/2026

🌙💙 Rest is a powerful tool for helping children grow, learn, manage emotions, and thrive.

In this week's Family Engagement Fridays podcast, we sit down with Sierra Boone, host and executive producer of The Nap Time Show, to discuss why rest matters for young children and the adults who care for them. Sierra shares practical tips for creating calming routines, explains the difference between sleep and rest, and offers encouragement for caregivers who may be feeling stretched thin.

Whether you're navigating bedtime battles, nap-time challenges, or simply looking for ways to create more peaceful moments together, this conversation is full of thoughtful insights and support.

🎧 Listen now: https://www.earlylearningventures.org/the-power-of-rest-featuring-the-nap-time-show/

In this episode of Family Engagement Fridays, we welcome Sierra Boone, host and executive producer of The Nap Time Show. Together, we explore the important role rest plays in young children's growth, learning, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Sierra shares practical strategies for creat...

08/19/2026

Helping Others Without Burning Out
- Kathy Mangan, MS

When helping others is important to you, it can be an incredibly rich and rewarding experience. Flowing compassion to another person is something most of us are pretty darn good at. What many of us are not so darn good at is allowing compassion from others in AND, sometimes hardest of all, finding compassion for ourselves! During this session we will explore how we can nurture ourselves so we can continue to be a support to those we are helping.

Joining us for this episode today is Kathy Mangan. Kathy is the Founder and Executive Director of Laying Groundwork. Her dedication to trauma resilience work stems from a personal survivor origin story which instilled in her a deep understanding of the process of developing resilience. She has a Master’s of Science degree in Health and Wellness Program Development from the University of Montana.

To learn more visit:
https://www.layinggroundwork.com/

Get in touch:
[email protected]

WUW Description
If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback or suggestions for these What’s Up Wednesday videos, please email Rachel at:
[email protected]

To learn more about Early Learning Ventures and how we can support you in running a successful childcare business, click here: https://www.earlylearningventures.org/about/

To sign up for our free resource platform available to those who are in the ECE field and live in Colorado, click here: https://www.sharedeceresourcesco.org/

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to look out for future videos!

08/17/2026

🌟 Learning through Play 🌟

Our latest blog features six simple, hands-on activities that help young children build important developmental skills while having fun. From pattern play and sticker activities to nature exploration, these ideas are easy to set up and encourage creativity, problem-solving, and learning.

Check out the full blog: 🔗 https://www.earlylearningventures.org/learning-through-play-6-activities-for-young-children/

Looking for fun and engaging activities for your toddler or preschooler? Early Learning Ventures' Bilingual Client Success Specialist created these simple, hands-on activities to help children ages 2-3 build important developmental skills while learning through play. 1. Cut the Paper Grass to See th...

08/17/2026

Shared ECE Resources Colorado is your go-to hub for FREE tools and strategies to strengthen your child care program. 💜

From marketing and financial management to staff support and family engagement, these resources are designed to help you grow sustainably and confidently.

Check out Shared ECE Resources Colorado and take your program to the next level: www.sharedeceresourcesco.org.

08/14/2026

💛 Feeling stretched thin? You're not alone.

In this week's Family Engagement Fridays podcast, we're celebrating National Simplify Your Life Week by exploring ways families can reduce stress, let go of perfection, and make more room for what matters most.

Remember that children don't need perfect parents. They need connected, present, and loving ones. ✨

Tune in for practical tips and a simple family challenge that can help create more breathing room, more joy, and stronger connections at home.

🎧 Listen now: https://www.earlylearningventures.org/simplify-your-life/

Life with young children can feel busy, overwhelming, and sometimes just plain complicated. In honor of National Simplify Your Life Week, this episode of Family Engagement Fridays encourages parents to take a step back and focus on what matters most. We'll talk about letting go of the pressure to do...