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Picky eating is so common, particularly for toddlers and preschoolers, perhaps, even with adolescents. Feeding toddlers and kids is hard. You haven’t failed as a parent just because you have a picky toddler or child!

Millions of parents come to us every day needing support. It’s stressful, when your toddler is not eating or your child is refusing foods they have always eaten!

We (a team of dietitians, occupational therapists, and more) put together these 11 tips because they actually work! They will help you with your child. Plus, they are backed by decades of research and experience.

We know these tips will put your child on the road to eating more foods.

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11 Expert Tips for Parents of Picky Eaters - Kids Eat in Color

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If you have a picky eater, read our top expert tips on how to reverse and prevent picky eating in kids and toddlers.

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3 Ways Your Child Builds Important Life Skills Through Play

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3 Ways Your Child Builds Important Life Skills Through Play

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Well before a child starts school, they are busy learning about the world around them and how to engage with it. One of the most important ways they do this is through play. Read on for some of the ways different types of play help build different developmental skills that help lay the groundwork for resilient little humans (and parents).

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Well before a child starts school, they are busy learning about the world around them and how to engage with it. One of the most important ways they do this is through play. Read on for some of the ways different types of play help build different developmental skills that help lay the groundwork for resilient little humans (and parents).

Flexible, creative thinking

Pretend play is where this begins. When kids put themselves into fantasy situations, create their own stories, and see things from multiple perspectives, they are less likely to get "stuck" in one way of seeing the world.

Age-by-age tips

Infants: Infants can't pretend yet, but they can copy you in a range of dance moves, new ways of stacking blocks, making cars vroom across the room, or exploring new places. Routines are good, but don't get stuck in a repetitive rut. Change things up a bit so that your infant learns to adapt to new sights, sounds, smells, and people.

Toddlers: Toddlers can start to think in symbols ("This drawing of a dog in a book stands for a dog in real life!")-so play up your pretending at this age. This banana is a phone! This block is a blueberry that your stuffed animal really wants to snack on! Kids who think rigidly may resist this type of play, so try to make it fun or silly.

Preschoolers/little kids: At this age, kids can start to pretend to be a doctor, firefighter, princess-you name it. They can make toys walk around and have experiences they might be afraid of (going to the dentist, first day of school). When they put their mind into a toy or shift into another person's perspective, it builds flexibility. Pretending to be a character in a video game doesn't carry the same experience, because kids don't get the same sensory and social experience. Try letting your child be your teacher, save you from a fire, or give you a check-up-you might get some insight into their thoughts and feelings through pretend play!

Longer attention spans

Think table-top activities (building, puzzles, problem solving) to help your child practice concentration skills.

Age-by-age tips

Infants: You might wonder, what kind of an attention span does an infant have? Infants naturally look at what their caregivers look at-something called "joint attention." By putting a toy (blocks, stacking cups, puppet) in both of your lines of vision, and then talking about it (name it, talk about colors, what it's used for), infants can start learning both language and concepts. If you have an infant who buzzes around the room and only seems to focus on TV or a phone, try to resist the temptation of making that the only way they slow down and pay attention. Start with short bits of shared play with a book or toy every day, and you'll be able to slowly stretch their attention span over time.

Toddlers: By age 1-2 years old, toddlers are proud to DO STUFF with their improved fine motor skills. Simple puzzles, latch boards, or simple pretend routines (like making a pretend meal out of clay and "feeding it" to favorite stuffed animals) can keep a child focused on an activity for 15 or more minutes. You will probably need to help "scaffold" your kiddo by giving them hints of what they could make or do next, or motivate them to try something new that they may shy away from. If your toddler is a sensory-seeker, you'll have better success in table-stop activities if you give them some movement (like a trampoline, chasing game, tickle fight) before sitting down to focus.

Preschoolers: Attention spans start to stretch longer at 3-4 years, but they will still need some parent "scaffolding" to try new things or stay on task longer. At this age, you can try more multi-step projects (like making dinner and dessert out of clay!), longer stretches of pretend play (like designing and playing in a pretend doctor's office), or more complicated puzzles and simple turn-taking board games. Just like toddlers, sensory-seekers will probably need some motor movement before sitting down to play in the preschool years.

Little kids: OK, 5-7 years old is when the frontal lobe and all of its attentional control and planning really start to come on line for most kids. This is a perfect time for letting your child plan out what they want to do, maybe even with a visual checklist of the steps, and carry it out themselves. Board games are great for this age, when kids are more rule-based thinkers, and also need help learning how to be a good winner and loser. Arts and crafts with multiple steps or that require patience and focus on detail are also a satisfying way to see an end product for all that mental work your child put in!

Building a big heart

​​More than ever, we need to raise little humans who are empathic and caring. The world has a lot of complex issues going on, and will need problem-solvers who can hear each other out and collaborate. During the pandemic, it has been hard to find chances to socialize with other kids-but there are other things parents can do to support emotional and social development.

Age-by-age tips

Infants/toddlers: What do different emotions even feel like to babies and toddlers? Like us, they probably feel their body change-heart rate picks up, muscles get tense, stomach feels weird-but unlike us, they don't have complex language to think through their emotions. However, infants and toddlers are always absorbing what we caregivers say, so it's worth it to talk out loud about emotions in a problem-solving way. You can give your little one an emotional vocabulary by labeling what you think they are feeling when they get upset; talk about how you are going to manage it when something frustrates you; and wonder out loud about how other people are feeling. The more young children feel understood by their grown-ups, the more they will be able to understand other people-and that's empathy!

Preschoolers: Young children love stuffed animals, and their relationship with a favorite plush pal can play many roles. They imbue them with magical thoughts, feelings, and personalities-so ask your child about their favorite stuffies sometimes. Wonder what the animals are thinking during a pretend dentist visit or meeting new people (for example, when a new toy comes into the house!). You can do the same kind of wondering about others' perspectives when your preschoolers start to tell you about friends they are making at school: what is their favorite food or toy or TV show? What is their favorite place to travel? What does it feel like to have different types of hair or skin tones? Some children may not naturally do this type of wondering (kids can be very ego-centric, and that's normal), so it helps for you to try to inspire these empathic thoughts.

Little kids: In kindergarten and beyond, children can start to think more about concepts like kindness, rules, and manners, as well as differences such as gender, race, culture, and abilities. Reading books or watching movies about different experiences is one great way to wonder about how life feels for other people. One activity you can try is talking with your child about all the things that they are good at, and the things that are hard for them-and do this for everyone in the family. This can help build insight into the fact that we all have different kinds of minds, and that's OK.

​
More Information

Source

Adapted from Melissa ＆ Doug: Our Blog

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

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play~ power of play~ social-emotional development~ skill-building play~ why play is good for children~ play is how children learn~ play tips~ play ideas~ aap and melissa & doug cause alliance~ help children learn through play

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3 Ways Your Child Builds Important Life Skills Through Play

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power-of-play~Learn about some of the ways different types of play help children build different developmental skills that help lay the groundwork for resilient little humans (and parents).

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Potty Learning - Learning to use the toilet.

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Potty Learning - Learning to use the toilet.

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Key Takeaways

There is not one “right” way or one “right” age to start potty training.

Look for signs that a child is ready to begin potty training

Know when it is not a good time to start potty training

Ensure all caregivers create a supportive environment for success

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Potty Training: Learning to the Use the Toilet

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There is not one "right" way or one "right" age to learn how to use the toilet. Here's what to keep in mind to child approach potty training.

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Do you have a curious child who asks, "why" for everything. Try out this Podcast.

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Do you have a curious child who asks, "why" for everything. Try out this Podcast.

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But Why is a show led by you, kids! You ask the questions and we find the answers. It's a big interesting world out there.On But Why, we tackle topics large and small, about nature, words, even the end of the world.Have a question? Send it to us! Adults, use your smartphone's memo function or an audio app to record your kid's question (get up nice and close so we can hear). Be sure to include: your child's first name, age and town. And then email the audio file to questions@butwhykids.org.

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But Why is a show led by you, kids! You ask the questions and we find the answers. It's a big interesting world out there.On But Why, we tackle topics large and small, about nature, words, even the end of the world.Have a question? Send it to us!

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Free One-to-One or Small Group Tutoring
by Trained Volunteers

Adult & Child Basic Education

English as a Second Language

Citizenship Test Preparation

GED Preparation

Free Community Tutoring Services

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​ Adult & Child Basic Education Help Kern County residents with reading, writing, and math skills necessary to function in society.

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Free One-to-One or Small Group Tutoring
by Trained Volunteers

Adult & Child Basic Education

English as a Second Language

Citizenship Test Preparation

GED Preparation

Free Community Tutoring Services

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​ Adult & Child Basic Education Help Kern County residents with reading, writing, and math skills necessary to function in society.

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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income.

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Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.

Inspired by her father's inability to read and write Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts over 2 million free books each month to children around the world.

"When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer.

The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world."

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Dolly Parton's Imagination Library | USA, UK, IE, CA, AU

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Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children from birth until they begin school in participating areas.

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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.

Inspired by her father's inability to read and write Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts over 2 million free books each month to children around the world.

"When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer.

The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world."

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Dolly Parton's Imagination Library | USA, UK, IE, CA, AU

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children from birth until they begin school in participating areas.

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Access to child care directly affects mission readiness, morale, and retention of defense personnel worldwide. For this reason, the Department of Defense is committed to connecting military and DoD-affiliated families to quality, affordable child care programs.

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Use this tool to explore available child care programs and providers. You can enter a location or simply select Go without entering a location to use our interactive map. Need to place a request for child care? Log in to your account.

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Use this tool to explore available child care programs and providers. You can enter a location or simply select Go without entering a location to use our interactive map. Need to place a request for child care? Log in to your account.

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Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive. As a member of our military family, you are eligible to use this Defense Department-funded program anytime, anywhere. Turn to Military OneSource for tax services, spouse employment help, webinars and online training, relocation and deployment tools, and much more. Learn about some of the ways we serve you.

Need answers for your MilLife? Call 800-342-9647.

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Military OneSource knows that relocation brings changes. You might be looking for a new job, changing careers, transitioning your children to new schools and helping them find new friends. As you face the transition to your new duty station, which of the following topics would be of most interest to help you and your family build community and personal readiness during your PCS?

Thank you for your feedback. We encourage you to keep an eye on the site for updates and new content.

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Support for Military Personnel & Families | Military OneSource

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Active duty military resource website, offering 24/7 support for service members, spouses, their family and survivors on taxes, moving, benefits, MWR and more.

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Quality Counts California - Learning Opportunities

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Quality Counts California - Learning Opportunities

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Learn more about professional learning opportunities for California’s early learning and care workforce! You can visit each of the sites listed here for a variety of professional learning opportunities. If a site requires a login, you can sign up for a free account to access. Some sites also offer resources in different languages.

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Featured Professional Learning Resource

California Early Childhood Online (CECO) offers 400 hours of module training to meet the needs of the early childhood field. Courses cover topics such as trauma-informed care, early literacy, health and safety, responsive relationships, and inclusive environments.

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California Early Childhood Online (CECO) offers 400 hours of module training to meet the needs of the early childhood field. Courses cover topics such as trauma-informed care, early literacy, health and safety, responsive relationships, and inclusive environments.

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Quality Counts California (QCC) provides resources for families in identifying and finding relationship-based nurturing environments for their children. QCC supports early learning and care settings in providing high-quality environments through locally operated quality activities.

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Introducing a new Quality Counts California dashboard for families!

Quality Counts California (QCC) provides resources for families in identifying and finding relationship-based nurturing environments for their children. QCC supports early learning and care settings in providing high-quality environments through locally operated quality activities.

If you are seeking support outside of child care, please visit 211.org for assistance.

Search by county or ZIP code to display your county's child care resource and referral agency.

Quality early learning experiences are your child's key to the future. Quality early learning and care experiences build the foundation for skills your child needs in school, work, and life. ...

Fact: Children who attend a quality early learning and care program are more likely to do well in school and less likely to drop out or need remedial support later in their education. To help ...

Choosing a quality early learning and care environment is critical to your child's future. To help you choose the best program for your family, below are the different types of programs available ...

The Child Care Licensing Program provides oversight and enforcement for licensed child care centers and family child care homes throughout California. The core mission of the Child Care Licensing Program is to ensure the health and safety of children in care.

Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) is an umbrella term that includes the California State Preschool Program (CSPP), Transitional Kindergarten (TK) at the California Department of Education, as well as Head Start, district, and local community-based preschool programs, early learning services for students with disabilities, private-pay preschool, and expanded learning options to support access to a full day of services.

Parents will continue to have the choice to enroll their child, depending on eligibility requirements, in programs including TK, CSPP, and Head Start as well as subsidized programs administered by the California Department of Social Services that offer a preschool learning experience. Families may also choose to enroll their children in private-pay preschool programs or keep their children at home.
Learn more about UPK

An invaluable resource for parents, TrustLine is a database of nannies and baby-sitters who have cleared criminal background checks in California. Call 1.800.822.8490 or visit the Trustline website.

This resource guide from the California Department of Education provides tips, checklists, and vital information to help you find quality child care.

All About Young Children: Information for Families on Children's Early Development is a website that provides resources for families based on the California Infant/Toddler Learning & ...

If you have questions related to QCC, please complete the website contact form, or email [email protected] .

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Quality Counts California (QCC) provides resources for families in identifying and finding relationship-based nurturing environments for their children. QCC supports early learning and care settings in providing high-quality environments through locally operated quality activities. If you are seeking support outside of child care, please visit 211.org for assistance.

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Children's books that provide learning opportunities and lesson in social and emotional development.

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Children's books that provide learning opportunities and lesson in social and emotional development.

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Diverse Book Finder: Identify & Explore Multicultural Picture Books

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Diverse Book Finder: Identify & Explore Multicultural Picture Books

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The Diverse BookFinder is a comprehensive collection of children's picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC). We've cataloged and analyzed trade picture books fitting this criteria, published since 2002, to surface and create:

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Diverse BookFinder | Identify & Explore Multicultural Picture Books

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Are you looking for multicultural children’s books? We’ve got you covered! You can search our circulating collection of picture books (2002-present), explore our quick lists, then borrow our books from your own library through interlibrary loan. We believe that too many children are left out of main…

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Books

Gain inspiration to be the most effective teacher you can be using the best possible books and resources to support children's learning and development.

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NAEYC is committed to providing the best possible resources to support effective teaching and learning for children.

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Distinctions in Practice:
Mentoring and coaching are increasingly seen as key strategies for supporting teachers at any stage of their careers, and for improving teacher practice (Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2015). Both are relationship-based, adult learning strategies intended to promote and support an educator’s awareness and refinement of his or her professional learning process and classroom effectiveness.

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Center for the Study of Child Care Employment

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While the terms "mentoring" and "coaching" are often used interchangeably, there can be significant distinctions between these two roles. Mentors tend to focus on the development of an individual teacher, and goals for the mentoring process are typically agreed upon mutually between the mentor and teacher with whom she works-although mentoring relationships may differ, depending on the structure and intention of the particular mentoring program. In contrast, coaches may work either with individuals or with classroom teams as a group, and/or may have a set agenda for classroom improvement. Often, however, the distinctions between mentoring and coaching become blurred in practice.

Mentoring and coaching are both practical and supportive ways to support teacher learning and growth on the job. Ideally, mentors and coaches are skilled in the craft of teaching, creative in problem-solving, keenly observant, able to reflect on their practice, and flexible in relating to other adults. Like the teachers with whom they work, they should be receptive to learning new information about the process of teaching, and willing to take risks in order to grow. Mentors and coaches serve as guides and role models who talk openly and directly with teachers about their work, help them improve their skills in interacting with children and families, and provide information and feedback. Ideally they should have significant experience in teaching young children, with a command of relevant skills and knowledge to share with their protégés about pedagogy and how children learn. Preparation for either role should include education and training not only in child development, and the care and teaching of young children, but also in adult learning, culture, teacher development and reflective practice.

Typically coaching and mentoring take place within the context of a formal program, however, teachers can form mentoring or coaching relationships on their own, perhaps with a trusted director or other colleague. But neither coaching or mentoring is the same as supervision. Supervisors can be pedagogical leaders for teachers, and they can apply many of the strategies used by coaches and mentors. But a supervisor also has roles and responsibilities that interfere with a purely mentoring or coaching relationship-namely, the authority to fire, promote and make other decisions about a person's job status and livelihood. Mentors often do some assessment and evaluation of teachers, but not in a way that is linked to the protég&eacute's continued employment.

The primary role of a mentor or coach is to provide support and encouragement so that a teacher has someone to rely on and turn to. Trust is essential for a close relationship, along with willingness by both partners to reveal themselves and to risk making mistakes.

The goals and structures of a mentoring or coaching program can have implications for responsibilities of mentors and coaches, including who the teachers are, and why they are participating. This chart below looks at a number of ways in which these programs can differ.

Mentoring/coaching programs can vary in overall purpose:

To provide collegial support through informal peer relationships

To support the attainment of higher education (e.g., as a student teaching placement) and/or teacher certification

To support protég&eacutes who are new to the field

To improve retention of new and/or experienced teachers

To help translate coursework theory into classroom practice

To further a quality improvement initiative, such as a Quality Rating and Improvement System or the pursuit of program accreditation

To help implement a curriculum or training model

The program's desired outcomes may be to:

Achieve higher quality ratings or classroom assessment scores

Improve specific instructional practices (such as those focused on early literacy)

Improve specific child outcomes (such as language development)

Mentors/coaches have varying work settings and job descriptions. They:

May work within the same organization as protégés (for example, as a Head Start mentor-coach or within the same school district) or in a different organization

May or may not be currently employed as classroom teachers

May visit protégés' classrooms, or have protégés visit their classrooms

May work with individual protégés or with classroom teams (the latter generally being a "coaching" model)

May work with one protégé or with multiple protégés at a time

May work with protégés who teach a variety of age groups of children within the birth-to-age-8 spectrum

May work with protégés within a wide variety of time frames, from a matter of weeks or months to a year or more

May be expected to include directors in various mentoring activities, or may have little involvement with directors

Individual mentor-protégé goals and activities may be:

Collaboratively developed by the mentor and protég&eacute, or prescribed by the mentoring initiative

Wide-ranging in scope, or focused on particular content areas or skills

Protégés may have varying reasons to participate in mentoring:

By choice, or as a required part of the job

As a component (required or not) of a degree or training program

As a mandate because of classroom quality ratings or other assessments

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Mentoring and Coaching - Center for the Study of Child Care Employment

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This post originally appeared at Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Technical Assistance (TA) Quarterly Newsletter. Mentoring and coaching are increasingly seen

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Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK)

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Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK)

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Our Mission

Community Action Partnership of Kern will address underlying causes of poverty, alleviate the effects, and promote dignity and self-sufficiency in the communities we serve.

Our Vision

At CAPK we envision communities where all people have equal opportunities to achieve greater self-sufficiency and attain their version of the American Dream.

Our Promise

Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

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CAPK | Community Action Partnership of Kern

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Through a variety of divisions and their respective community programs, and in collaboration with other community service agencies, Community Action Partnership of Kern helps participants help themselves and each other. Click on a category or individual program below to see how.

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Community Programs | CAP K | Community Action Partnership

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Find community programs designed to help you sustain you & your family live in collaboration with other community service agencies.

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Kern Regional Center’s purpose is to provide supports and services to individuals with developmental disabilities to help them achieve an independent, productive, and satisfying life. This link provides a list of services that may be provided: https://www.dds.ca.gov/rc/rc-services/

Any person suspected of having a developmental disability (intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism or other handicapping condition found to be closely related to intellectual disability or to require similar care) is eligible to receive free diagnosis and assessment services.

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Kern Regional Center's purpose is to provide supports and services to individuals with developmental disabilities to help them achieve an independent, productive, and satisfying life.

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Great resource for families to receive free testing and services for their children. Services include: therapy, psychiatric services, Medi-Cal Insurance Enrollment, In-home treatment, Wraparound services, Adult services.
https://www.childguidance.org/resources/

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NAEYC’s Professional Learning Institute is designed for all early childhood professionals, including leaders who prepare, mentor, and support early childhood professionals, as well as program administrators, teacher educators, trainers, teachers, preschool teachers, and researchers.

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Thank you for joining us at the 2023 Professional learning Institute!

Check back soon for more information on how to register or sign up to present at next year's event!

Download the Whova App!

To access materials from the event, be sure to download the Whova app, now available on the App store and the Google Play store. Click to learn more!

The Event Invitation Code is: naeycPLI2023

What is the Professional Learning Institute?

NAEYC's Professional Learning Institute is designed for all early childhood professionals, including leaders who prepare, mentor, and support early childhood professionals, as well as program administrators, teacher educators, trainers, teachers, preschool teachers, and researchers.

Attendees can expect:

Nearly 200 sessions: With sessions featuring the latest information and research in the field, you can tailor your agenda to specific professional development needs.

Unlimited networking opportunities: Connect with peers, advocates, leaders in the field, and some of your favorite authors.

NAEYC Shop and Exhibit Hall: Stock up on the latest award-winning publications, early childhood resources, and classroom supplies.

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Empowering early childhood professionals with fresh ideas and insights to participate in and facilitate the highest quality professional development.

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Webinar Training on Executive Functioning

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Webinar Training on Executive Functioning

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Join Hatch Early Learning for our webinar Executive Functioning in Early Learning: Navigating Impulses, Responses, and More!

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Teaching Social-Emotional Skills at Home:

-Social-emotional skills can be categorized into four types: behavior regulation, friendship skills, emotional literacy, and problem-solving skills.
Building Relationships:
-Family-Child Relationship,

-Teacher-Family Relationship
Family Handout Collections:

-Making Life Easier

-Backpack Connection

-Family Articles
Related Resources:

Infants & Toddlers

Schedules, Routines, and Transitions

Videos & Webinars

General Resources

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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At every tier of the Pyramid Model, practitioners and programs should consider what strategies might be used to welcome and support diverse families; how to create opportunities to learn from families; strategies for partnering with families to promote child outcomes; and providing the supports and services that families might need to promote their child's skill development.
(Fox & Swett, 2017, p. 86).

Fox, L. & Swett, J. (2017). Implementing partnerships with families to promote the social and emotional competence of young children. In Weist, M. D. Weist, S.A. Garbacz, K. L. Lane, & D. Kincaid, D. (Eds), Aligning and integrating family engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS): Concepts and strategies for families and schools in key contexts (pp. 84-97). Center for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education). Eugene, Oregon: University of Oregon Press. https://www.pbis.org/Common/Cms/files/pbisresources/Family%20Engagement%20in%20PBIS.pdf

Guidance on Family Engagement

On May 5, 2016, the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a statement on the implementation of effective family engagement practices from the early years to the early grades. This statement offers a review of research, legal requirement, and best practices related to family engagement. Included in the statement are recommendations and resources for states and programs.
ED-HHS Policy Statement on Family Engagement: From the Early Years to the Early Grades
Executive Summary
ECTA Family Engagement Broadcast Series

We strongly recommend that you find the time to explore the importance of family engagement and the development of trusting partnerships with families by viewing this four-part web broadcast hosted by the ECTA Center in partnership with the DaSY Center, Ann Turnbull, and Rud Turnbull.
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Teaching Social-Emotional Skills at Home

Social-emotional skills can be categorized into four types: behavior regulation, friendship skills, emotional literacy, and problem-solving skills.

Scripted Stories for Social Situations are short PowerPoint presentations consisting of a mixture of words and pictures that provide specific information to a child about social situations such as going to preschool, sitting in circle time, staying safe and using words. When children are given information that helps them understand expectations, their problem behavior within that situation is reduced or minimized. These stories provide examples of how scripted stories are worded and illustrated for a child. Teachers and families should modify the story to be meaningful for the child they are supporting and the unique context of the social situation.
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Building Relationships

Family Handout Collections

The Backpack Connection Series was created by TACSEI to provide a way for teachers and parents/caregivers to work together to help young children develop social emotional skills and reduce challenging behavior. Teachers may choose to send a handout home in each child's backpack when a new strategy or skill is introduced to the class. Each Backpack Connection handout provides information that helps parents stay informed about what their child is learning at school and specific ideas on how to use the strategy or skill at home. This series was developed in collaboration with Pyramid Plus: The Colorado Center for Social Emotional Competence and Inclusion and Bal Swan Children's Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

The Backpack Connection Series includes handouts in four categories: Addressing Behavior, Emotions, Routines and Schedules, and Social Skills.

Other Languages

Looking for Backpack Connection or other Family Materials in Spanish or Chinese? Our resources have been translated. Click below to explore additional materials on cainclusion.org.

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Family Engagement - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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At every tier of the Pyramid Model, practitioners and programs should consider what strategies might be used to welcome and support diverse families; how to create opportunities to learn from families; strategies for partnering with families to promote child outcomes; and providing the supports and services that families might need to promote their child's skill ...

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This resource provides classrooms/families with instructions and resources to develop and use visual schedules, routine cards, and first/then boards.

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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Visual Supports for Routines, Schedules, and Transitions - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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This resource provides families with instructions and resources to develop and use visual schedules, routine cards, and first/then boards.

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This resource provides classrooms/families with instructions and resources to develop and use visual schedules, routine cards, and first/then boards.

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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Visual Supports for Routines, Schedules, and Transitions - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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This resource provides families with instructions and resources to develop and use visual schedules, routine cards, and first/then boards.

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Explanation of First-Then Boards

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First Then Board - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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Steps to introduce and teach problem solving.

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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Problem-Solving Steps - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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Problem solving steps strategies and poster. Includes boy and girl versions.

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Problem Solving Social Story - Classroom

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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We Can Be Problem Solvers! - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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Scripted story to help children understand the steps to problem solving. Includes problem scenario cards to help children practice finding a solution to common social problems.

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Use this when we need to have a better understanding of getting to know a child and what the family sees at home.