Nebraska Extension Early Childhood Team

Seed Tape Fun! Create seed tape by carefully placing seeds on paper towels. This simple planting activity builds fine motor skills while teaching children how seeds need space and care to grow.

Book suggestion: A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis pairs perfectly with planting together.
Download the guide at – go.unl.edu/lgo_seed

Its week 1 of our Let's Go Outside - We Can Dig It! Summer Series!
🪏Dig Into Soil! - Scoop, sprinkle, and explore soil layers to discover what lives underground. Children use their senses to compare textures, colors, and materials while learning how soil supports life.

Book suggestion: Dirt: The Scoop on Soil by Natalie Rosinsky helps children understand why soil matters.

Download the guide at – go.unl.edu/lgo_soil

Looking for outdoor learning activities for kids? 🪴
Follow along with us this summer as we step outside and start digging! Join us in the "Let's Go Outside - We Can Dig It" series starting in June!

We'll have weekly guides designed specifically for families, caregivers, and early childhood providers working with children ages 0–5. These easy-to-use guides offer simple, hands-on activities that take less than 30 minutes and come with book recommendations.

Each guide focuses on a fun topic like soil, seeds, water, worms, fruits, and vegetables, while building important school readiness skills through play.

Check back the first week of June for our first topic!

Take a walk down memory lane with this heartwarming episode featuring Nebraska fathers Troy Branch and Calvin DeVries. They share their perspectives on modern fatherhood, highlighting the importance of being present, communicating with their children, and navigating everyday challenges like balancing work, family time, and technology use.

We are revisiting one of our most popular podcast episodes featuring Dr. Ciera Kirkpatrick and her research on the idealization of motherhood in the media. She explores how social media can negatively impact mothers’ well-being and shares insights from both her research and her own experience as a first-time mother. This episode offers an honest look at the challenges of motherhood and the pressures created by social media.

Co-parenting can be challenging, especially after divorce—but you don’t have to figure it out alone. In one of our most popular podcast episodes, UNL experts Dr. Cody Hollist and Dr. Holly Hatton answer real questions from parents and share practical tips for communicating effectively, navigating life after divorce, and keeping children at the center of co-parenting. Tune in for guidance you can use right away.

What if science, math, and creativity felt more like play than pressure? In this episode, host Emily Manning and the Nebraska Extension Early Childhood team explore the 2026 STEAM Imagination Guides. These free resources turn children’s books and everyday moments into hands-on STEAM learning. Parents, caregivers, and educators will find simple ideas to spark curiosity, confidence, and big thinking in young children. Give it a listen!

Our latest episode of The Good Life in Early Life focuses on the benefits of companion animals for young children. So, in the spirit of the episode, we want to see YOUR pet. Share a picture of your animal in the comments below!