Early Childhood Resources for Massachusetts Families
Parents are their child’s first teacher, and the first years of life are critical in a child’s brain development. There are many, every day, activities you can do with your baby to promote positive growth like
- Talk with your baby, put words to the things they look at or hear;
- Read to your baby, whether it’s the ingredients to their breakfast food, or a bedtime story;
- Sing to your baby, songs with repeating lyrics are fun and predictable; and
- Play with your baby – play is children’s work!
Childcare Resources
Finding Licensed Child Care: https://www.mass.gov/early-childhood-services-and-resources-for-families
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Program Standards https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/10-naeyc-program-standards
School Inclusion in Early Childhood https://inclusiveschools.org/category/resources/early-childhood/
Child Development Resources
Center for Early Relationship Support: https://www.jfcsboston.org/our-services/center-for-early-relationship-support
Small Talks, a newsletter/blog by Isabelle Hau https://isabellehau.substack.com/
Zero to Three https://www.zerotothree.org/
aRPy resources https://ectacenter.org/decrp/type-pgfamily.asp available in English and Spanish
Early Intervention
Every child develops at his or her own pace, even your own two children may not reach developmental milestones at the same time. As you track your child’s development, you can discuss any concerns with your pediatrician. They can help refer you to Early Intervention. You can also self-refer. Find out more by search for your town’s Early Intervention programs in MA https://www.mass.gov/orgs/early-intervention-division
Why Act Early if You’re Concerned about Development https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/whyActEarly.html