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Building a Brighter Future, One Educator at a Time.

Join a community of dedicated educators and start your journey toward professional growth today.

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Welcome, we offer high-quality, approved in-service training for early childhood educators. Whether you need to meet licensing requirements or want to advance your skills, we have a variety of online and in-person opportunities to help you succeed.

Browse our schedule of upcoming classes or let us create a custom training plan for your program.

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
Date	Time	Topic	Type	Cost	Hours	Recording	Registration
September 23 October 27 November 24 December 3 March 2	1:00 pm Central Time and 6:30 pm Central Time	Sun Safety and Shaded Play This five-part training series equips early childhood professionals with the knowledge and tools to create safer outdoor environments for children. Participants will learn about UV exposure risks, shade effectiveness, outdoor environment assessment, and developmentally appropriate sun safety education. The series concludes with action planning, AAD Shade Structure Grant guidance, and a three-month follow-up to review implementation, update policies, and strengthen practices. All sessions offered at 1:00 PM CT and 6:30 PM CT. You do not have to register for a specific time. Attend the time that works for you. Zoom links are the same for both. Register for one or all of the sessions. September 23: Sun Safety with Young Children October 27: Smart Shade Solutions for Sun Safe Play November 24: Building Sun Safety Into Outdoor Learning December 3: Building a Sun Safety Program March 2: Making Sun Safety Stick: Reflection, Consistency, and Planning	Online	No cost	1.0	No	Register Here
Lunch and Learn Classes 2026 This winter/spring, you can join us live OR get access to the recording for no cost if you register for the class. The recordings will be sent out by Friday each week and you will have until the following Friday to view, complete a quiz and earn your certificate. Classes with multiple dates are designed to be taken together, but you can attend whatever works best for your schedule! You will receive a 1-hour certificate for each class you attend for no cost. Classes are taught by Katie Krause unless otherwise noted.
Beauty of Fall: Mid-September TBA	1:00 - 2:00 pm Central Time	The Seasons of Play - Ideas for incorporating nature following the rhythms of the seasons Seasons of Play will meet seasonally to help you bring fresh, meaningful nature play to your early childhood programs. Each session highlights simple, inspiring ways to engage children with the natural world using seasonal opportunities and everyday materials. We will meet once each season to explore playful, developmentally supportive ideas that work in a variety of settings—indoors and outdoors. Join us as we discover how the changing seasons can spark curiosity, creativity, and joyful learning all year long. The Joy of Spring - March 19 (Thursday) Explore playful, low-prep ways to welcome the season of renewal through seeds, rain, mud, insects, and new growth. This session highlights joyful springtime experiences that spark curiosity and sensory learning. The Glow of Summer (Mid-May TBA) The Beauty of Fall (Mid-September TBA)	Online	No cost	1.0	Yes	Register Here

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Ready to get started? Contact us today.

Email: earlychildhood@unl.edu

Call: 1 (855) 308-8037 (toll-free)