Key points
- CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. has FREE research-based, family-friendly resources on child development.
- Use these resources to enhance professional development and family engagement in your program.
Overview
As an early care and education provider, you are a valuable resource to families! They look to you for information on their child, and they trust you. CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. has FREE research-based, family-friendly resources on child development to help you boost family engagement and your own professional development. Read on to learn more!
Using CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. can:
- Help you track and celebrate each child's developmental milestones
- Help you communicate with families about development
- Provide guidance on discussing developmental concerns
- Help families know what milestones to expect next
- Complement and support developmental screening
- Provide professional development with CDC's FREE CEU training, Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns
- Aid in early identification of the 1 in 6 children with a developmental delay or disability
Learn the Signs. Act Early. One Director's Story
Early care and education providers can ensure children with developmental delays and disabilities receive the help they need by:
- Learning how to monitor each child's development with CDC's FREE 1-hour online training, Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns.
- Regularly using CDC's milestone checklists to:
- Track each child's development progress.
- Guide your conversation and support your observations when raising concerns with families.
- Complement developmental screening by engaging families in monitoring milestones.
- Encouraging families to use CDC's milestone checklists or Milestone Moments booklet to monitor their children's development at home.
- Helping families act on developmental concerns by encouraging them to talk with their child's healthcare provider and/or call their state's early intervention program.
- Support them by sharing CDC's How to Get Help for Your Child tip sheet.
- Promote CDC's FREE Milestone Tracker app for families by printing a poster for your classroom and encouraging them to download.
Increase Family Engagement with Learn the Signs. Act Early.
Share Resources with Families
Most resources are available in English and Spanish. CDC's milestone checklists are also available in additional languages. Customize these resources by adding your center's logo and contact information. Request customizable files from ActEarly@cdc.gov and print them.
- Print FREE resources.
- Promote CDC's FREE Milestone Tracker app for families by printing a poster for your classroom and encouraging them to download.
- Use a web button to link your center's website to Learn the Signs. Act Early.
- Show parents photo and video examples of milestones using the Milestones in Action image library.
Resources for Early Educators
Developmental Monitoring Complements Screening
All young children need both developmental monitoring and developmental screening. Together, these help ensure a child’s development is on track and can help children and families get support for concerns. Both involve looking for developmental milestones, which are things that most children can do by a certain age.
Note: In centers that conduct developmental screening, these materials support and complement, but do not replace, developmental screening.
Learn more about developmental monitoring and screening.
Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns
This FREE, one-hour, online training course for early care and education providers, shares tools and best practices for monitoring the development of children in your care and talking about it with families. FREE Continuing Education is available.
Take the training in English | Take the training in Spanish
Tips for Talking with Parents about Developmental Concerns
This tip sheet provides information on how to regularly talk with families about their child's development and also provides tips for talking with families when you have concerns.
Click here to download the tip sheet in English and Spanish!
Milestones in Action
Use the Milestones in Action library as an aid in completing the milestone checklist for your child's age.
Early Care and Education Quick Guide
This one-page handout highlights the benefits of integrating Learn the Signs. Act Early. resources within early care and education settings and provides information on how to access materials.
Click here to download the quick guide in English and Spanish.
Early Childhood Agencies, Training and Technical Assistance Providers, Coaches and Consultants Quick Guide - Coming Soon!
This quick guide highlights how professionals supporting early childhood providers and programs can use the Learn the Signs. Act Early. resources.
Milestones Matter with CDC and Vroom!
Use this poster to encourage families to track their child's development and try brain building tips to promote their child's development. Download, print, and display the poster in your childcare setting.
Click here to download and print the poster in English and Spanish.
Other Resources for Early Care and Education
Provides professionals working with very young children and their families an extensive collection of resources aimed at supporting the work of professionals in a variety of early childhood settings.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
NAEYC provides accreditation for schools that meet certain standards, as well as resources, tools, and information for families and childcare providers.
Child Care Aware is a program of Child Care Aware® of America and helps families learn more about the elements of quality child care and how to locate programs in their communities. Child Care Aware also offers resources for child care providers.