Young children are constantly exploring and making sense of their world - whether they are helping you cook dinner at home or engaging with their peers at pre-k. Below you will find a variety of resources that can help you make the most your child's natural inclination to learn. These websites provide tips for how to engage your child in developmentally appropriate activities that you can do together, and provide resources on school readiness.
America Reads
Provides ideas about how to encourage your child's love of reading, including specific activities and national reading initiatives. Also includes resources for parenting a child with special needs.
(Some resources available in Spanish)
Born Learning
Provides a wealth of ideas about how children ages birth through five learn and how you can encourage your child's learning through everyday activities.
Family Communications
Contains a wide array of information related to child development and parenting, as well as specific suggestions about how to promote your child's development.
(Some resources available in Spanish)
Family Education
Great ideas about how to encourage your child's interest in reading as well as a wealth of fun activities that you can do with your child. Also contains resources for children with special needs.
"Helping Your Child"
This series of publications from the U.S. Department of Education is designed to help parents prepare their children for school. (All publications available in Spanish)
Learn More Resource Center
Special section that provides ideas about how to encourage health, safety, and learning through daily activities for parents of children birth through pre-k. Also provides developmental checklists and additional web-based resources.
National Child Care Information Center
Comprehensive resources on early childhood development for parents and teachers, with specific sections focused on early literacy, fatherhood, and health/fitness.
Parents Action for Children
Extensive list of publications and videos related to parenting and early learning that are available for purchase. You can also subscribe to a free, weekly e-magazine that contains parenting tips.
Parent Information Resource Centers
Sponsored by the US Department of Education, these resource centers are located around the country and provide diverse supports and information to parents.
Parents as Teachers
A parent education and family support program with sites nationwide that provide personal home visits, parent group meetings, screenings, and resource networks. The website also has a wealth of parenting tips, an e-newsletter, and suggested reading materials.
Reading Is Fundamental
Contains a rich, parent-focused section that includes tips on how to encourage reading and choose good books as well as literacy activities. Special program, Leading to Reading, is designed especially for children ages birth through five.
(Resources available in Spanish)
Taking a Closer Look: A Guide to Online Resources on Family Involvement
This comprehensive guide, sponsored by the Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) and the Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE), provides a wealth of web-based information about family involvement in education.
Talaris Research Institute
Contains brief streaming videos about early learning, as well as research based information on child development and ways to engage with your child from birth through age five.
Virtual Pre-K
Sponsored by the Chicago Public Schools, this site provides ideas for structured activities, forums with other parents and teachers, and links to other online resources. Also includes tips for how to engage your child with special needs.
(Entire site available in Spanish)
Zero to Three
Contains information regarding child development and tips on how to encourage learning in young children. Also provides an A-Z list of parenting resources and topics.
Pre-K Now held a briefing for congressional staff, cosponsored by Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Kit Bond, on October 1. Hear what a governor, three superintendents, two directors of early childhood programs, and a national teacher of the year think Congress should do to increase families' access to quality, state-funded pre-k.
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Finding High-Quality Pre-K
Encouraging Learning at Home