RESOURCES

• Watch the full webinar here
• Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week
• Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software

Are you considering starting an early childhood business? Let's learn how to take your small business from the idea phase to launch.

In this session presented by business consultant, website designer, and trainer, Chelsea Denny from Early Childhood Creative, you’ll learn the steps required to set up your for-profit business and make it official. Topics covered include business entities, insurance, financials, marketing, and more.

You'll leave this session with a better understanding of what is required to form your for-profit business legally and how to protect yourself from liability. You'll also understand what is considered best practice in operating a new business and what the most common mistakes are.

The content covered will be most applicable to for-profit, service-based businesses operating in the United States, including childcare, private schools, coaches, consultants, and trainers. If operating outside of the United States, there may be different names and terminology, but the general information will still apply. If operating a non-profit, the general best practices will still apply.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Participants will be able to outline the process required to start a legal business in the United States.
2. Participants will be able to discuss common terminology related to starting a business.
3. Participants will be able to identify three components to consider when developing a business plan.
4. Participants will be able to name and describe the legal structures of for-profit businesses and how they generally relate to taxes, liability, and strategic planning.

All content shared is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.

RESOURCES

• Watch the full webinar here
• Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week
• Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software

Leadership isn’t positional—it’s relational. Whether you’re a president, owner, principal, director, teacher, counselor, parent, or the person responsible for making sure lunch arrives on time—if you work with people, and especially with children, you lead. Leadership is not defined by a title; it’s expressed through presence, listening, and creating space for others to thrive.

In this session, Kimberlee Burt Hendricks, The Play and Learn Leader at A Child’s Space 2, will guide participants through an exploration of how play is not just for children, it’s a vital practice that nurtures creativity, connection, and emotional well-being for adults as well. Through stories, research, and reflective experiences, Kimberlee will illuminate how neuroscience and well-established leadership models reveal that play is not a distraction from leadership, but a catalyst for it.

As early learning environments continue to evolve, embracing play, both personally and professionally, has never been more important. Participants will engage in reflective discussions and playful moments that highlight how curiosity, imagination, and laughter strengthen leadership at every level.

Because when we understand the power of play, we lead and live with greater joy, empathy, and purpose.

Learning Objectives

After this session, participants will be able to:

• Explain how neuroscience supports the role of play in fostering creativity, focus, and well-being for both children and adults.

• Identify leadership models—including servant, whole, transformational, and psychological safety frameworks—that align with playful, human-centered practice.

• Reflect on strategies for integrating play into everyday professional interactions to enhance connection and trust.

RESOURCES

• Watch the full webinar here
• Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week
• Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software

What if strengthening self-regulation could transform not only children’s behavior—but your entire classroom experience?

In this research-informed session led by Dr. Carrie Comer-Yates, you’ll explore how young children’s self-regulation skills directly influence teacher practice, classroom expectations, and student success. Dr. Comer-Yates is deeply committed to helping educators build foundational skills in social-emotional development, differentiate classroom supports, and care for their own social-emotional well-being alongside their students’.

Drawing from a comprehensive study of early childhood classrooms, this webinar examines the shared responsibilities between children and educators, the role of the learning environment, and the levels of support needed for children to thrive. You’ll gain practical, actionable strategies grounded in real classroom data—highlighting the critical roles of professional development, family engagement, and intentional instructional practices.

The session also explores how factors such as culture shape self-regulation and influence classroom expectations. By strengthening your understanding of self-regulation, you’ll be better equipped to foster positive social, emotional, and academic growth—creating more responsive, supportive, and successful learning environments, even within complex early childhood systems.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify how children’s self-regulation skills impact teacher practice and classroom dynamics
• Examine the shared responsibilities between educators, students, and the learning environment in supporting self-regulation
• Describe effective instructional strategies that strengthen self-regulation in early childhood settings
• Recognize the influence of culture and other contextual factors on self-regulation and classroom expectations
• Apply research-based approaches that support positive social, emotional, and academic outcomes for young children