Early Childhood Customized Training

Thank you for your interest in Early Childhood team.

Customized training is available for staff development days, evening programs, family events, conferences or any other type of large or small group seeking to learn more about quality care and education for young children. The training can be held at the Douglas County Extension office or at another location of your choice. Training is also available in all of the Nebraska Department of Education Early Learning Guidelines Domains.

Training Examples

Examples of some of the training topics you can chose from, or request to have modified to fit the specific needs of your group, is listed below.

  • The Cure for Cabin Fever: Indoor and Outdoor Activities for Young Children in the Winter

    Learn about the importance of indoor and outdoor play during the winter months. Explore and try out activities that you can use in your center or home-based programs. Participants will go home with great ideas, as well as a ‘make and take’ activity the children in your care will love!

  • Gardening with Young Children

    Gardening with young children is a wonderful experience for children, teachers and families. Participants will learn how to incorporate a garden into their curriculum throughout the growing season. Grant opportunities to help offset cost will also be offered. We highly recommend taking the online course ‘Growing Together’ prior to attending this course. Take Growing Together free online and receive a certificate when you come to the in-person course at no additional charge!

  • Handling Difficult Behaviors

    Having a child who has behaviors that are difficult to handles causes stress for you, the child, and the other children in your program. This session will help you understand these behaviors and give you practical strategies to use to give these children the help they need so they can be better engaged in your program.

  • Look Who’s Hatching: Exploring Oviparous (egg laying) Animals with Young Children

    Hatching out chicks is a wonderful experience for young children. During this session, we will review the new curriculum from Nebraska Extension: Look Who’s Hatching, and learn how to implement the curriculum in your program. Participants will have the opportunity to hatch chicks in their own program for a small additional cost.

  • Week of the Young Child Celebration

    The Week of the Young Child is an annual week long celebration of young children. During this session, you will learn tips and techniques to help communicate the importance of Early Childhood Education and the work you do with families and your community.

  • STEM in Early Childhood

    STEM is all the rage, and for good reason! During this training you will learn what STEM is, why it is important, and what it looks like in an early childhood settings. Most importantly, you will take home some great ideas for implementing STEM concepts and activities into your program.

  • Documenting Children’s Learning: Creating Meaningful Portfolios with Limited Time

    Documenting children’s learning experiences in your program can be used in a multitude of ways: communicating with families, tracking children’s progress, assessment, extending learning, showing accountability, and many more. However, this useful tool is very time consuming! During this hybrid training you will work at your own pace through an online course to learn the basics of documentation, then bring supplies with you to the in person session to work on creating class and individual portfolios.

  • Real Colors®, for the Early Childhood Educator

    Presented in a fast, fun, interactive format, Real Colors® participants learn to quickly identify their own temperament –or “color”- and that of others. Using this powerful knowledge, participants develop more effective communication skills and build better relationships with adults and children in and out of the workplace.

  • Follow the Leader: Rethinking Children’s Role in the Classroom

    Learn how to identify the interests of the children in your classroom and discover how tailoring your curriculum to follow children’s interests will help create a higher quality learning experience as well as reducing problem behaviors and your stress level! Come prepared for a great discussion with your fellow participants.

  • Extreme Makeover: Classroom Edition!

    In this interactive workshop you will learn the important role your classroom environment plays in your classroom culture. Be sure to bring a sketch of your classroom’s floor plan and pictures of your classroom. We will work together to help you figure out your ‘trouble spots’ and give you great ideas to try to have your environment help you.

  • Explore the Outdoors Through Your 5 Senses

    This training, also known as the Outdoor Skills Program, is a collaboration between Nebraska Extension and Nebraska Game and Parks. Not only will you have a blast learning some fun and interactive hands-on activities for young children, you will also go home with a binder full of ideas and have access to FREE classroom kits!

Program fees vary depending on the topic and supply needs, but typically range between $50 and $75 per hour.  Mileage is included for any programs within Douglas, Sarpy and Cass counties.

Please feel free to contact Katie Krause with any additional questions at (402) 444-7804, katie.krause@unl.edu, or complete the form below if you are interested in more information.


Customized Training Information Form
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