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More infants and toddlers than ever are spending some portion of their day with adults other than their parents — either a relative, neighbor, babysitter or child care professional. As parents welcome their baby home and plan to return to work, what are the qualities they should be looking for in a child care setting? What is considered a “high-quality” child care setting for infants and toddlers? How do you prepare your baby or toddler for the transition to child care?
There are many questions involved with finding the right child care setting for your child. But there is no question about the bond between you and your baby. Using quality child care and “sharing the care” with others does not take away from the very important, unique, and nurturing bond you have established with your little one.
Preschool Prep: How to Prepare Your Toddler for Preschool
Many two- and three-year-olds are starting preschool programs this fall. Learn what you can do to make this big transition easier for your child. You’ll also find a timeline for all the things that need to be done to prepare for preschool and guidance on saying a “good good-bye” on your child’s first day.
Read more by clicking here.
Choosing Quality Child Care
Provides general guidelines on selecting an enriching and nurturing child care setting.
Matching Your Infant’s or Toddler’s Style to the Right Child Care Setting
Helps parents assess aspects of their young child’s temperament and provides recommendations for child care settings; also offers a healthy and safety checklist for child care settings.
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What I Learned in Day Care
Zero to Three Journal essay by a father highlighting what he learned in his daughter’s daycare program.
Parenting and Professionalism: The Myth of Having It All
Essay from the Zero to Three Journal recounting one mother’s decision to stay at home with her children.
Babysitter Firsts
How can I prepare my 6-month-old baby for her first experience with a babysitter?
Starting Child Care
How can I prepare my one-year-old for child care?
Finding Child Care
How do I start looking for child care?
Socialization for Toddlers
Do you think child care or pre-school is necessary to help toddlers develop social skills?
Twins in Child Care
Should my twins be in the same child care room, or two different rooms?
Love the Lovey?
Does my one-year-old need a special stuffed animal or blanket to help with the transition to child care?
Conversations in Child Care
Zero to Three Journal article suggesting strategies for integrating conversation and literacy skill-building experiences into children's caregiving settings. [289 KB  ]
Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Groups
Zero to Three Journal article outlining the six key components of group caregiving settings for very young children. See also the book titled Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Groups: Developmentally Appropriate Practice (2003), available from the ZERO TO THREE eSTORE.
The Infant-Toddler Set-Aside of CCDBG: Improving Quality Child Care for Infants and Toddlers
[ 125 MB ]
 Developed by the National Infant Toddler Child Care Initiative and released at the June 2005 Birth-to-Three Preconference. They include:
- Financing Infant & Toddler Child Care
[ 310 KB ]
- Early Childhood Systems Planning for Infants and Toddlers
[ 307 kB ]
- A Place at the Policy Table for Infants and Toddlers
[ 293 KB ]
- Evaluation and Infant/Toddler Child Care
[ 311 KB ]
- Infant and Toddler Child Care, Public Knowledge and Engagement
[ 293 KB ]
Bringing Up Baby: Three Steps to Making Good Decisions in Your Child's First Years
Claire Lerner and Amy Laura Dombro (2005)
In this book, parents learn an easy, three-step approach for making child-rearing decisions in the first three years and beyond. Making decisions about your child’s sleep—co-sleeping, “crying it out”, etc.—is discussed as well.
Learning & Growing Together: Understanding and Supporting Your Child's Development
(also available in Spanish)
Claire Lerner and Amy Laura Dombro (2000)
This book explores a number of important parenting issues, including early childhood development milestones and what parents can do to support healthy development.
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