ChildCare Education Institute® (CCEI), a distance learning professional development and certificate provider, offers CCEI440: Sensational Science as an online no-cost trial child care training course to new CCEI users during the month of June.

There are several reasons to include science activities in the early childhood curriculum. American students continue to lag behind students from other countries in math and science, and research suggests that emphasizing science-related skills and knowledge from a young age can give children an important head-start toward future academic achievement. This course examines age appropriate guidelines and activities for setting up a science center that includes activities that build curiosity. Upon successful completion of this course, participants should be able to define science as it relates to preschool children, identify appropriate materials to include in a science center, identify basic activities for promoting early science skills, and list the main purpose and benefits of science in the early childhood curriculum.

“Introducing science activities in the early childhood setting is a great way to develop critical thinking skills at an early age” says Maria C. Taylor, President and CEO of CCEI. “This course helps to define science and provides multiple activities that encourage science exploration in young children.”

This beginner-level training course is available as a trial course to new users with CCEI account creation in June. Current CCEI users with active, unlimited annual subscriptions can enroll in professional development courses at no additional cost when logged in to their CCEI account. Users without subscriptions can purchase child care training courses as block hours through CCEI online enrollment.

For more information, visit www.cceionline.edu or call 1.800.499.9907, prompt 3, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm EST.