Nurturing Readiness in Early Childhood Education: A Whole-Child Curriculum for Ages 2-5

Ellen Cromwell has written a beautiful book and curriculum that captures all that is important for young children in early learning environments. A deep understanding of young children and the uniqueness of this time of life is evident in her writing. I have explored and used many curricula for young children, but none of them is as responsive to the ultimate needs of young learners as this one - based on play, learning (nurturing readiness), the arts and nurture. Her writing is beautiful, and her advocacy for young children is so "right on" it often brought tears to my eyes. I have used this book as the textbook in my community college classes, and my students love it as well. Cromwell clearly and simply presents the essentials of an early childhood curriculum. She cuts through all the rhetoric about early childhood to the heart of what we intuitively know young children need to be "ready to learn".