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The first years of life are critical to a child’s healthy development. The AAP encourages parents to proactively nurture their childrens’ social-emotional-language skills through the “5 Rs” below to optimize healthy brain development:
- Read together every day with your child
- Rhyme, play and cuddle with your child every day
- Develop Routines, particularly around meals, sleep, and family fun
- Reward your child with praise for successes to build self-esteem and promote positive behavior
- Develop a strong and nurturing Relationship with your child as the foundation for their healthy development
Learn the Signs, Act Early
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 you have a concern. As part of their Learn the Signs, Act Early initiative, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide free materials to help you track a child’s development and act early if you have concerns.
Act EarlyProvide a rich home environment
Promote reading and early literacy
- Reach Out and Read Washington – Early learning resources for families
- AAP Literacy Resources – Includes handouts for parents geared to each well child check
Promote enriching early brain development at home
- Love. Talk. Play. – Resources and activities for parents of children ages birth-3 years
- Talaris Research Institute – Parent materials at ParentingCounts.org including a fabulous online developmental timeline for parents
- Zero to Three – Many parent and caregiver resources, plus handouts for pediatricians to give at each well child check called Healthy Minds and wonderful booklets called The Magic of Everyday Moments
- Pathways – Educational brochures and videos pertaining to infant and child development
Quality out-of-home care
- Find childcare – Child Care Resource and Referral – Our state office, but they can also link you to your local office
- Evaluate/improve your child’s early learning setting – National Resource Center For Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education – Very rich website, includes suggestions for for how parents can help improve their child’s school
- Get a head start – Head Start Resources
- Learn about subsidized child care/preschool – Parents Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program – Washington State’s subsidized child care/preschool program