Supporting Children & Families

Child Growth & Development

Child Development information is often divided into five areas:

1. Social/ Emotional - how children feel about themselves and how they learn to relate to others
2. Cognitive - how children think, develop understandings about the world, and problem solving skills
3. Language - how children communicate their needs, and learn sounds, words, and sentences
4. Physical - how children develop large and small muscle skills.
     » Gross motor or large motor skills- skills that allow a child to sit, crawl, walk etc.
     » Fine motor or small motor skills- skills such as pinching and holding things etc.
5. Sensory - how children hear, see, taste, smell and feel

These five areas often overlap with one another and do not occur in isolation. Development in one area is often influenced by development in other areas.

North Dakota has established Early Learning Guidelines (ELG)as a way to define the developmental and learning outcomes for our children across all care settings, including home, relative care, child care, preschool, and Head Start. Every state, the District of Columbia, and the federal Head Start program have early learning standards or guidelines.  Early Learning Guidelines are defined as research-based, measurable descriptions of the things we expect young children to know and be able to do at each age and stage of development. They are the “roadmap” for planning, carrying out, and evaluating an early childhood environment to ensure that it supports children’s development and learning.  Learn more about North Dakota’s Early Learning Guidelines.

Timeline of Typical Child Development

This research-based timeline is organized by a child's age. It serves as a general guide to the five amazing ways a child grows, from birth to 5. Click here

• Developmental Milestones for children
  • 3 Months
  • 7 Months
  • 12 Months
  • 24 Months
  • 3 Years
  • 4 Years
  • 5 Years

Interactions with Children

Responsive and Respectful Caregiving pdf

Guidance Tips

Young children are learning to regulate their behavior in appropriate and acceptable ways and this takes time and patience.  Most of the time, children are not able to stop and think about how to express their feelings in ways that are acceptable.  They often need the help of a caring teacher/caregiver to help them understand and practice ways to positively manage their feelings and behaviors.
CCR&R child care consultants are available to help you out with challenging behavior issues that may arise.  Contact a CCR&R child care consultant in your area. 

• Some frequently asked behavior/guidance tip sheets and/or website links are listed below: 
  

  • Aggression pdf
  • Biting pdf
  • Temper Tantrums
  • Tattling pdf
  • Time Out Alternatives pdf
  • Super Hero Play | Power Play
  • Setting Limits pdf | Providing Guidance pdf
  • Picky Eating
  • Cursing/Swearing pdf | Read more
    
    

Families

Good working relationships with families allow providers to really get to know the children in their care and to be more responsive to each child’s strengths and needs.  Your interactions, as well as the environment and organization of your program, can foster relationships with families which ultimately benefit .

Welcoming Families

Families that feel welcome in your child care program are more likely to become involved.  Take time to look at whether or not you and your child care setting are conveying positive messages. 

• Greet families personally and by name.  Tell them about your plans for the day or comment on something or someone that the child care been interested in or a new skill that is advancing.
• Ask parents to share advice with you on their child.
• Listen- Good listening skills tell parents that their concerns and ideas are important and valid. 
• Create a welcoming entrance that allows parents to help their child get settled.
• Invite family members to participate (read a book to the group, share a skill, bring family photos etc.)
  

Communicating with Families
The foundation for good relationship is strong communication. Developing strong partnerships and communication between you and the parents of the children in your care is key to the quality of your child care program.  Everyone involved benefits when strong communication is developed and maintained.

• Daily communication techniques
  • Verbal communication
  • Written daily communication forms pdf
• Ongoing communication techniques:
  • Periodic letters
  • Informal newsletters
  • Web pages
  • Bulletin boards
  • Parent mailboxes
  • E-mail
  • Voice mail
• Formal communication techniques
  • Parent conferences- a scheduled (at least twice a year) and formal strategy to develop goals and ensure that the child and family experience is satisfactory.

Involving Families
Child care programs should try to offer a range of opportunities to allow parents to match their involvement with their interests and time.  Parents who are involved become better informed and feel a part of the child care program; caregivers who receive help from parents can offer a more varied program; and children benefit from seeing that the key adults in their lives are closely connected.  There are a variety of ways to try to involve families in your child care program. 

• Open door policy so parents feel comfortable dropping by
• Assistance with field trips
• Parent Events (potlucks, children’s programs, etc.)
• Helping with fundraising events
• Parent Education
• Contribution of Parent Skills (carpentry work, sewing, etc.)
• Donation/collection of materials (scrap materials for art projects, dramatic play prop box materials, picture books, etc.)
• Parent evaluations and suggestion boxes to allow for feedback on your program
• Participation on parent board

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