The following links are Web sites Best Beginnings believes may provide useful information to families interested in ensuring their child has the best beginning for a successful future.
This list is as an informational resource only. Best Beginnings is not involved with the creation or maintenance of these sites. Inclusion on this list does not constitute an endorsement.
A Place of Our Own
A Place of Our Own (and Los Niños en Su Casa in Spanish) is devoted to the unique needs of people who care for children. Through a daily television series, a Web site, and an extensive outreach program, they share ways to help children acquire cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills, as well as language and literacy development.
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
ALSC is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of service to children in all types of libraries. Their Web site includes notable and recommended reading lists as well as helpful content including How to Raise a Reader.
Born Learning
Born Learning is designed to support parents in their critical role as a child's first teacher and uses the Your Child @ Series to provide information on ages and stages from birth to 5 years. Check out the Learning on the Go program with learning activities parents can add to everyday moments. Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL)
CELL has published 70 new practice guides to help practitioners and parents promote the early and emergent literacy skills of young children with disabilities or delays. Organized by age and skill, there are 31 infant, 22 toddler, and 17 preschool practice guides.
Child Care Aware
A program of the National Association of Child Care Resource Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), Child Care Aware provides tools and resources to parents making decisions about child care.
Count Down to Kindergarten
Simplify the transition into kindergarten with resources gathered by Scholastic.com, which include a step-by-step countdown and kindergarten readiness quiz, as well as helpful informaton for selecting a program and teacher. Another article to check out at Scholastic.com offers concrete – but occasionally surprising – advice: "Five teachers tell you what preschoolers really need for next year."
Getting School Ready
A free guide for parents, families and caregivers.
Read more or download the booklet to ensure that your child is ready for kindergarten.
HealthyChildren.org
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides advice and guidance
regarding up-to-date child health information, segmented by age group
from prenatal through young adulthood. Includes an "Ask the
Pediatrician" feature.
Just In Time Parenting eNewsletters
Sign up for a series of age-paced "newsletters" containing research-based information about child development, parenting, health, nutrition and the prevention of childhood obesity, safety, and providing stimulating, age-appropriate experiences. Newsletters are also translated into Spanish.
Language is the Key
Language is the Key is an evidence-based program that helps teachers and parents encourage young children (birth to five) to talk and build the foundation for literacy. Print and video materials available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, and Filipino. Each version features parents and children who are native speakers of each language.
Languages from the Cradle
This is a European Union Lingua project to compile the most common lullabies in seven European languages – Czech, Danish, English, Greek, Italian, Romanian, and Turkish – in order to promote language awareness at a young age. The lullabies will be available soon as a DVD, CD, and book, with relevant language awareness activities, translations, and explanations, which can be used within preschools or by individual families with babies.
Lee y serás
Lee y serás is an early literacy initiative that empowers and supports
Latino families and communities to foster children’s literacy
development, providing resources and tools to help create literacy-rich
environments for Latino children.
PBS Parents
Get information about child development from birth through the early school years, including fun educational activities that prepare children for school. PBS Parents Guides address important aspects of a child's early years such as school readiness and social and emotional development. Also find information about favorite PBS KIDS programs including local, educational activities related to the programs, explanations of educational goals, and even help throwing a birthday party!
Nature Rocks
Find activity suggestions for your child by clicking on time available, location (whether you're in your backyard or a park), and your child's age. A Summer Activity Guide is available for downloading, and you can "Find Nature" by entering your zip code.
Parenting Counts
Parenting Counts offers parent education kits that focus on the important things parents can do every day with their kids. Each kit contains an enjoyable and informative DVD, featuring real parents dealing with real-life parenting moments. Parenting Counts is a product of Talaris, a Seattle-based non-profit organization that helps parents understand the importance of parenting in the first five years.
¿Habla Español? Aquí encontrará información acerca del desarrollo de su hijo, desde su nacimiento hasta sus primeros años escolares. Guías de PBS Padres tocan aspectos importantes relativos a los primeros años de vida de su hijo tales como el hecho de estar preparado para la escuela y su desarrollo social y emocional. Usted podrá también encontrar información acerca de los programas favoritos de PBS Kids de sus hijos: los horarios de la programación en el área de su localidad, actividades educativas relacionadas con los programas, explicaciones de las metas educativas e inclusive – ¡ayuda para hacer una fiesta de cumpleaños!
Reading Rockets
A national multi-media project offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help. Reading Rockets is an educational initiative funded by a major grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
Ready to Learn Initiative
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, initiative programs and materials incorporate the latest research about the most effective ways for kids to build reading skills, with a special emphasis on the needs of children from low income families.
Talaris Research Institute
Talaris' work focuses on translating early brain and behavioral development science into easy-to-understand tools and information for parents and anyone who regularly interacts with parents and their children. The Web site provides a developmental timeline covering five ways a child grows within six age groups: birth-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months, 2-3 years, and 3-5 years. The site lists books for parents and for children. View 60-second videos aired on television, and print the research papers to explain the science behind the information.
WY Quality Counts
24 More is a Wyoming campaign to promote quality interactions with children. Includes activities sorted by age, developmental focus, and length of time.
Zero to Three
Find science-based information and tools designed to help parents nurture their young children's development. The site uses a multimedia approach to providing information on 17 major topic areas, including brain development and child development to play and sleep.
