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Parenting Blog

Information and inspiration for parents and caregivers of babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

baby girl playing with puzzle together with mom and sister

Pediatricians say simple toys are best

  • play

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends basic toys that encourage imagination and interaction between parent and child.
Premature child at birth and at his second birthday

Why our preemie son’s second birthday was so special

  • child development

With support, most babies born prematurely will catch up to their full-term peers by the time they turn 2.
new tool for parents to find early childhood programs in Arizona

Find early childhood programs in your Arizona community

  • AZ communities

Use our new search tool to learn about and connect with early childhood programs near you.
Baby-Child-Care

Quality First helps prepare kids for school success

  • Quality First

More than 1,000 child care and preschool programs in Arizona participate in Quality First, a voluntary program to improve the quality of early learning in ways…
child crawling

Track your child’s developmental milestones

  • child development

From birth to 5 years, your child should reach milestones in how he plays, learns, speaks, acts and moves. Track your child’s development and act early if…
young child playing with simple toys

Best toys and gifts for young kids

  • play

Check out our interactive guide to free or inexpensive gifts that promote learning for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. (The best gift of all is quality time…
baby girl sitting up looking for a hug

Parenting is hard. Help is a phone call away with the Birth to Five Helpline.

  • parenting

The Birth to Five Helpline is a free service open to all Arizona families of young children. Experts are available to answer any parenting questions.

tummy time tips to help your baby grow strong

Tummy time tips to help your baby grow strong

  • infants

Want to support your baby’s physical development? The answer is Tummy Time!

Start building a love of math and science early in life

  • early learning

Activities such as finger painting, building blocks and baking are fun and interactive ways to build science and math skills in young kids.

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