QUALITY MATTERS IN
CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL
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90% of a child’s brain develops before they start kindergarten. And research shows that the quality of a child’s experiences in their first five years helps shape how their brain develops.
Kids with positive, stable relationships with parents and caregivers, as well as quality child care and preschool experiences, go on to do better in school and in life. They’re more likely to read at grade level and graduate from high school. They are more prepared for college and career. They also tend to be healthier and demand less from the public welfare system. These are better outcomes for kids that also save taxpayers money.
New research shows that reading a story book with pictures sparks more brain activity in young children than watching a cartoon or reading a book without pictures.
Being ready for school is about having the foundations for language, social skills, persistence, curiosity and more. So what can you be doing to help your…
New research from Harvard highlights that early childhood brain development is interconnected. Social-emotional skills, language and physical skills all…
Check out the video highlights! Play is one of the best things you can do to support your child’s development and learning.
From the parent of an almost-first grader, here are some things to check out ahead of time, before your child’s big day.
The first day of kindergarten is a big step for young kids. Families can use the summer to help make the transition to kindergarten easier.
Read the story of how an unexpected car repair bill led a single mom to realize that the best we can give our children starts with ourselves.
Rochelle Kennedy enrolled in the Maternal Child Health program two years ago when she was pregnant with her daughter, Mia. Kennedy learned so much from her…
When Erica Sarmiento learned about Kindergarten Bootcamp, a Phoenix Public Library program funded by First Things First, she put it on the top of her…
When Elizabeth Goings first moved to Phoenix with her husband, she did not have a lot of options for her young son, Joshua. With limited ability to speak…
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