New & Featured

Featured

Latest

  • November 28, 2019

    Investing in Infant and Child Care to Strengthen Working Families

    Last month the Center for American Progress, a national progressive think tank, issued a report detailing the economic challenges facing families with very young children, Investing in Infant and Child Care to Strengthen Working Families. The report’s key observation is that families with an infant or toddler spend about 50% more on childcare than families with a preschooler. 

  • July 19, 2019

    2019 KidsCount Data Shows Bright Spots…and Room to Improve

    This month the 30th annual KidsCount Databook was published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report is filled with information about children’s health, education, and economic wellbeing. Some of the report’s highlights include information about California and about early learning and education.

  • May 16, 2019

    Screen Time Guidelines for Young Children

    The World Health Organization (WHO) issued its first-ever set of guidelines for how much time young children should spend sitting and looking at a screen. The advice recommends parents limit children’s sedentary time on a screen as a way of promoting active play so that children can grow in their physical development.

  • April 18, 2019

    Baby Talk

    If you work with infants, you are probably used to hearing them make different cooing and babbling sounds throughout the day; but did you know that babbling is an important part of language development? Babbling actually means that babies are ready to learn! NPR’s podcast, Hidden Brain, shared an episode entitled “Baby Talk” that looks at babbling and its role in development.

  • February 7, 2019

    Early Learning Impact: What does the Research Say?

    There is a great deal of evidence and consensus that children in quality pre-k programs become adults with more positive life outcomes, including higher incomes and more job-hours worked, less reliance on publicly funded social supports, fewer chronic health issues, and a lower likelihood to be engaged in criminal behavior. 

  • January 10, 2019

    Can Toys Impact Infant and Toddler Development?

    How much consideration do you give to the toys you offer to the children in your care? Do you consider how the toys might affect behavior or development? Do you wonder how many toys you should offer? Research suggests that specific toys, as well as the variety of toys offered, can impact behavior and either help or hinder development.