This collection, which includes both current and older titles, ranges from Lullaby for a Black Mother by Langston Hughes to Firebird by Misty Copeland.

This issue brief offers hope and a way forward so that all children and their families can attain optimal physical, social, and emotional development and well-being. Presented are the latest data documenting the prevalence of ACEs among children in the U.S. This brief also points to strategies that families, caregivers, providers, and communities can implement to reduce the negative health effects associated with ACEs, heal, and help children thrive in the face of adversity.

This video is the second of a two‐part series. The first video, “Family Engagement with TS GOLD,” features a teacher and a parent describing family communication features and benefits in TS GOLD. This video begins with brief interviews with the teacher and parent discussing the importance of parent teacher conferences. The video then shows about ten minutes of an actual parent‐teacher conference. The conference highlights how the teacher uses several features of TS GOLD during the conference and illustrates how the teacher describes the ways that families can participate in TS GOLD.

This February 2022 Child Trends brief explains the importance of developing an applied research agenda on Black children and families and offers a three-step process to carry out this vision. An applied research agenda (i.e., an agenda that establishes research priorities to solve real-world problems, inform decision making, and improve the lives of people across diverse settings) can fuel efforts to address the challenges that Black children and families face and advance their well-being.

This is a brief article that highlights the diversity among Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

Teaching for Change, the project that produced this list, carefully selects the best multicultural and social justice books for early childhood families and educators.

This summary of an informal survey highlights issues of intersectionality among race, disability, and other aspects of identity, with many insights provided in the words of the survey participants.

This 2021 resource provides an overview of the concepts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and childhood trauma, highlights the gaps that remain in our understanding of the impact of childhood trauma and adversity on mental and physical health, and describes how these terms (childhood trauma vs. adversity) differ. This resource also offers providers, family advocates, and policymakers recommendations for ways in which ACEs and other childhood trauma-related concepts and resources can be combined to advance care for children and families who have experienced trauma.

This video reviews the purpose of an IFSP meeting and what should happen in the meeting through the example of Bri and her family. It begins by introducing the family and team members. The team then discusses the family’s priorities and suggests ways to keep the IFSP meeting family-focused.

Chapter 5 defines the service plan and highlights the importance of partnership between the family and service providers and providing services in natural learning environments. The team identifies the resources required to support the development of the outcomes. Different factors are considered when determining the intensity, frequency and duration of intervention.

In the second chapter on Levels of development, this first sub-chapter shows the team’s discussion of Bri’s communication skills. During the discussion, Bri’s strengths are noted, as are the family’s concerns.

Chapter 3.1 explains the purpose and importance of the three statewide child outcomes. The team addresses the questions and concerns voiced by the family regarding the child outcomes. The child outcomes rating scale is reviewed in detail.

Chapter 3.3 covers the third child outcome – take appropriate actions to meet needs. In this discussion, the team members have different opinions but are able to use active listening and various strategies (e.g., restating, validating and reflecting feelings) to come to a consensus.

Chapter 4.2 shows the team discussing strategies for achieving the family outcomes. The team members suggest strategies and simple tips that can enhance family routines.

Funded by Head Start, the Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (CECMHC) was formed to develop research-based strategies that can help Head Start programs build a strong mental health foundation for their children, families and staff. The website contains a variety of resources for families, staff, administrators, consultants and training and technical assistance providers.

The Children’s Defense Fund is a non-profit child advocacy organization. Its website contains information on programs and campaigns, related policies and research, as well as information on how one can be involved in advocating for children.

This report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress provides guidance for pediatricians and other pediatric health care providers in recognizing and managing the behavioral and mental health symptoms exhibited by children who have been maltreated. In addition to summaries of the consequences of maltreatment, the report discusses currently available treatment approaches.

This module discusses ways in which children and families’ transition to new environments can be supported. Through the five steps that come with definitions, information about research findings and policies, students are guided through a decision making with video and audio clips, activities and handouts. A Spanish version is also available.

This module presents effective practices for developing family-professional partnerships in a process of developing rapport, forming shared decisions, and partnering with the family to address challenges. Information on research findings and related policies are provided as well as examples of embedded interventions. Included in the module are suggestions for activities, handouts, video and audio clips.

This publication from Alliance for Childhood highlights evidence of changes in the amount of child-initiated play that occurs in kindergarten classrooms and offers both data and arguments for the importance of restoring that kind of activity. Chapters: Introduction: Crisis in the Kindergarten Chapter 2. The Transformation of Kindergarten Chapter 3. Reassessing Standards: The Need for Realistic Guidelines Chapter 4. Out-of-Control Testing Chapter 5. The Scripted Kindergarten: What the Research Tells Us Chapter 6. Play and Children’s Health: A Vital Connection Chapter 7. The Playful Kindergarten: Ideas for Educators and Policymakers Chapter 8. Recommendations for Creating Effective and Healthy Kindergartens

The STEMIE staff has curated this list of books that embrace and celebrate Asian Pacific heritage in STEM and have lots of engaging illustrations and photos to talk about with young children.

The authors of this resource have very skillfully woven solid evidence together with specific practices that can be used to prepare early childhood professionals to support the full participation of Black children and their families. Recommendations are organized thematically (e.g., culturally-responsive practice, high expectations of children) with specific examples provided for implementation at child/family, classroom, program, and system levels. The interpretation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs vis-à-vis supporting Black children and families is just one of the thought-provoking features of this document.

This short article reviews a study that highlights the importance of children’s home environment and its impact on later literacy success.

This video provides concrete strategies to support children and their families as they transition into kindergarten. It highlights the important role that developing strong partnerships between families, programs, and schools play in making this important transition successful.

This set of guides describes how to share information effectively with families in genuine partnerships. You can use the guides to explore strategies for sharing information about screening and ongoing assessment with families in early childhood programs.

This video, the first of a two‐part series, features a teacher and a parent describing key family communication features and benefits in TS GOLD. The second video, “Aiden's Parent‐Teacher Conference” illustrates the use of TS GOLD during an actual parent‐teacher conference.

This article describes how family-centered practice can be used as a model for engaging in a partnership with families in the care and education of their children. Apart from the key principles of the family-centered practice model, empowerment is highlighted.

This video explains the importance of parent-teacher conferences for parents and for teachers. The clip also shows the actual process of a parent-teacher conference and illustrates a variety of practices such as active listening and focusing on strengths.

In order to support the learning and development of young DLLs, staff need to understand children’s backgrounds and experiences with more than one language or dialect. This resource can help you learn to gather accurate and useful language information for assessment and planning.

If you haven’t seen this charming tribute to Black hair, please prepare to be delighted. And if you’ve seen it before, take 6:47 minutes to be delighted all over again.

This report from Child Trends and the National Center for Children in Poverty includes a definition of early childhood trauma, including different types, a review of the prevalence of early childhood trauma and its effects, and information about the special needs of young children who have experienced trauma. The report offers promising strategies for child care and preschool programs looking to help young children who have endured trauma and presents recommendations of policies that could increase the capacity of ECE providers to help children who have experienced trauma learn and thrive.

This brief summarizes key concepts of self-regulation and stress and presents findings from a literature review on the relationship between stress and self-regulation.

This article presents a chart outlining key issues that support the development of positive relationships between families and early childhood practitioners for both families and practitioners respectively. Examples include relationship development, having a family-centered philosophy, recognizing the child and family’s strengths, communication and paperwork.

This report highlights the diversity among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and details the need for better data collection and reporting of AAPI English learners.

Asian Americans is a five-hour film series that chronicles the contributions and challenges of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing ethnic group in America. Personal histories and research provide a fresh lens on U.S. history and the role Asian Americans have played in it.

This article presents the findings from a five‐day parent Institute where parents from a bilingual community were taught how children learn, followed by an activity with the children and teachers. Parents were also asked to reflect on what they had learned. Through this Institute, parents realized the importance of teachable moments in the home and the teachers learnt to appreciate the strengths of the different families.

This video clip discusses ways of creating a home environment that is rich in early literacy learning experiences through the use of various materials and resources found in the home.

This chart contains information on the milestones of early literacy development in the context of the physical and cognitive developmental stages of children aged 6 months through 5 years. Useful tips and suggestions for parents and caregivers are provided.

Mindfulness is noticing what’s going on outside—and inside—of us with acceptance and kindness. The mindfulness exercises on this webpage are designed to help both adults and young children to experience a sense of calm connection.

NECTC was a five-year research project funded through the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs to investigate and validate practices and strategies that enhance the early childhood transition process and support positive school outcomes for children with disabilities. The project used a multi-method approach to identify state, community, program, family and child factors that lead to positive school outcomes. NECTC products are available as free downloads, and include things like a 2016 research brief on a child outcome framework for the early childhood transition process and many other foundational studies.

This is a collection of free resources about and for fathers. Please note that the use of the term “father” in this document, consistent with Head Start protocol, refers to “fathers and other men who play a significant role in raising a child. This person may be a biological father, adoptive father, or stepfather. He may be a grandfather, another adult male family member, a foster father, a guardian, or a significant other.”

This January issue of Natural Resources opens with a very recent article highlighting that while teacher candidates may have a positive attitude toward trauma-informed practices, they may not be well-prepared to implement them. What comes next is a set of curated resources for learning about and implementing trauma-informed practices that we hope you will use to help address the aforementioned gap.

November 2021 saw the release of multiple resources for learning about and thoughtfully implementing developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), including the 4th edition monograph from NAEYC. This issue of Natural Resources offers information about a few free DAP resources to access, read, and consider using.

Resources for using names (of children or adult learners) to explore issues of identity, culture, family tradition, and more. Ideas for how to use the resources are included.

With the start of the new early education year, it seemed like a good time to acknowledge opportunities to learn outside and the benefits that may come from contact with nature. A talented colleague, Elandriel Lewis (elandriel.lewis@unitedwaygn.org), has assembled resources to support you in doing this.

Free resources for supporting young children with multiple languages and dialects

Free resources for supporting transitions into and between programs.

The 2013 North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development is an updated combination of the 2005 and 2007 Foundations documents. Organized according to five domains of the learning and development of young children from birth through kindergarten, this Foundations document outlines the goals and developmental indicators for each domain. Within each domain, strategies for early educators and families to support infants and toddlers, and preschoolers are provided respectively. Also included is a section on supporting dual language learners.

This document provides tip sheets for principals, teachers, and parents respectively. Educators are provided with ideas for before, during and after the conferences. Parents are provided with pointers on what to expect, what to talk to the teacher about, and ideas for follow‐up.

This position statement from the national Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) highlights recommendations for supporting children who have experienced trauma.

This short position statement presents six key features of organizations that are responsive to the culture, values, and language of families. It also includes a definition of the terms “culture” and “values”.

Follow the links on this Centers for Disease Control site to learn more about a early childhood development, positive parenting, safety, and health. Resources are organized by age, from infants to teenagers.

The DEC Recommended Practices were developed to provide guidance to practitioners and families about the most effective ways to improve the learning outcomes and promote the development of young children, birth through age 5, who have or are at-risk for developmental delays or disabilities. To support implementation of these evidence-based practices, tools and resources were developed and organized around eight topics (e.g., family, environment, assessment). The tools, which include performance checklists, practice guides, and professional development guidance materials, are available in English and Spanish, and in multiple formats.

This 2022 compilation is an example of a set of strategies that can effectively support dual language learners, such as specific environmental supports and materials in the classroom that foster cultural and linguistic continuity between home and school.

This paper summarizes evidence about the participation of young children of immigrants in early care and education programs as well as relevant demographic and socio-economic characteristics of immigrant families that likely influence children’s participation in early learning programs. It then discusses policy recommendations for state and local administrators of pre-kindergarten and other early care and education programs.

To support recognition and use of the DEC Recommended Practices, the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center has supported the development of performance checklists, video illustrations, practice guides for practitioners and practice guides for families, all of which are available at this website.

In this video, a mother reflects on how early intervention has positively impacted her child and her family, as well as how her relationship with the physical therapist, Megan, has benefited them.

Through this set of PowerPoint slides, Dr. Rita Buchoff shares a variety of ideas about family stories. She starts with examples of children’s books that feature the family stories of others, then illustrates different ways in which to capture stories. For younger children, stories may be captured on tape or video; for older children they may be written and illustrated. A delightful option for inviting family members to share their stories (the Family Box) is also included.

The National Wildlife Federation’s Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) program provides a host of free, downloadable resources for building or improving nature space from How-To Guides for schools and Nature Play at Home guides for home. The Nature Play at Home resources are available in English and Spanish.

The Results Matter Video Library contains video clips about early intervention, the use of observation, documentation, and assessment to inform practice, effective applications of technology and more.

Many programs have shifted to hybrid or online teaching models for the foreseeable future. This presents unique opportunities and challenges related to fostering relationships and building community and preparing students for virtual teaching and interactions. This session will open with tools and strategies for cultivating instructor-student and student-student relationships. Significant time will be spent on strategies and opportunities to provide college students with supported practice that will enable them to build meaningful connections with both young children and families. A highlight will be the participation of Marie Kohart, a talented early childhood educator who will share examples of ways in which she builds, sustains, and individualizes relationships in a virtual classroom. Strategies suitable for both synchronous and asynchronous environments will be shared.Presenters: Danielle Savory Seggerson (Lansing Community College, Michigan) and Marie Kohart (University of Kansas, Kansas)

Looking to increase the emphasis on playful and intentional Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning experiences in your early childhood higher education offerings? This webinar will offer ideas for how to systemically bring a STEM lens to any course. Language/literacy + STEM – yes, please! Family engagement + STEM – of course! And wait until you see how nicely STEM can snuggle into child development, health/safety/nutrition, or practicum courses. The presenters will share tools and examples for meaningfully integrating an emphasis on STEM into courses and field experiences in ways that support each and every child and family.

Astro Girl, written and illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max, shares the view of a young Black girl named Astrid who imagines what it would be like to go to space and be an astronaut. Read more about what challenges astronauts face, and imagine what going to space would be like!

This recent report from ZERO TO THREE is designed to reframe the role of child welfare from preventing harm to children toward strengthening families and the communities where they live. The Policy Framework includes eleven recommend-ations for states and communities that aim to advance equitable outcomes supporting the health and well-being of very young children and their families, including those who are in or are at-risk for entering the child welfare system. Even if you are not working at a state level, consider how the ideas in this resource might be used by any program or individual. Both an Executive Summary and the Full Policy Framework Report are available at https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/4434-strengthening-families-with-infants-and-toddlers-a-policy-framework-for-states#downloads

This document presents an annotated guide to online resources on family involvement. The resources are grouped in seven categories: knowledge development, professional development, standards, programs, tools, convening, and special initiatives. An appendix listing relevant organizations is provided.

Research has long underscored the negative effects of spanking on children’s social-emotional development, self-regulation, and cognitive development. But recent findings show that spanking alters children’s brain response in ways similar to severe maltreatment. Learn more at https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/21/04/effect-spanking-brain

Clear evidence indicates that the trauma of separation under highly stressful circumstances can have lasting effects on the affected children. This evidence brief describes scientific evidence on the effects of child separation and the implications for public policy.

The Virtual Laboratory School features an online repository of professional‐development videos and instructional materials designed to empower professionals to build their knowledge and skills around best practices in child‐care and youth development. Start by selecting a track (infants and toddlers, preschool, school‐age), then choosing a course from that track. Each course is divided into topical lessons, each of which includes videos, objectives, content, videos, readings, activities, and assignments.

In this three-part video series, three core concepts of early development are explored and discussed. The three concepts are that early experiences build brain architecture, “serve and return” interaction shapes brain circuitry, and that toxic stress derails healthy development.

Many children (and adults) experience high levels of stress in their daily lives. Research has shown that contact with nature can help to mitigate the negative effects of stress in children and boost resilience. This article from the Fall 2021 issue of NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children provides real-life examples of teachers supporting children through nature.

This set of resources responds to the tendency to group all Asian and Asian American students together under a singular stereotype or narrative. The set includes a recorded webinar, a fact sheet, and a video with the answers of students to “What I wish my teachers understood about me.”

The model minority myth that paints Asian Americans as inherently successful and problem-free, particularly in contrast to other minority groups, has masked an appreciation that young AAPI children and their families are as diverse as any other group. This article shares some of the facts on this topic.

This document outlines recommendations for early childhood programs in working with families and young children from linguistically and culturally diverse background, as well as recommendations for preparing early childhood professionals.