Resource Review – The Wonder Weeks

I know that back to school season is in full swing, but I thought I’d do something a little different this year.  Instead of sharing tips, tricks, and classroom ideas (because I’ve shared plenty of those already) I thought that I would share some of my favorite resource books.  Everyday this week I’ll do a review of a different book that I have read, loved, and use regularly.

These will be books that are part of my own personal resource library and have helped me in some way – whether they’ve made planning easier, changed my teaching philosophy fundamentally, or helped me understand my students better.  I hope that you will take a few minutes to explore some my favorite resources.  Who knows, maybe you’ll even find one that fills a gap in your own resource library! (All links are affiliate links)

I try to keep this blog focused on preschool, but throughout my career I’ve worked with a variety of ages, and I know that tends to be the case for many of you, so occasionally I share information that is helpful for infant and toddler teachers as well. This particular resource is one that I found as I was looking for developmental information to help me better understand my own daughter – but I would have loved to have it when I was working with infants – The Wonder Weeks

This book was written by a team of behavioral scientists who have identified the developmental leaps that babies experience in their first year.  They’ve pinpointed the weeks in which each of these leaps occur, and the behaviors that are associated with each, helping parents (and teachers) understand why their baby is especially fussy during a particular week, and offering helpful suggestions.

I have been fascinated by how accurate this information is, and it has saved me from a ton of Googling! The Wonder Weeks also includes checklists for specific behaviors and milestones, so I highly recommend ordering the paperback version so that you can track the development as it occurs.