Understanding child development from birth through age 3
In order to support development, it is important for all members of the Birth to 3 Program workforce to have in-depth knowledge of developmental milestones across all areas. The following resources can help providers enrich and maintain a foundation in the current expectations for developmental milestones as the children they work with grow and change from birth to 3 years old.
HOMEGROWN RESOURCES
NEW! Know Before You Knocks: Early intervention professionals support a wide range of children and families. Sometimes, there are complicated diagnoses to navigate. Know Before You Knocks are designed to give you important information in a quick and easy to read one page format so that you are prepared before you even knock on the door! New editions will be added regularly.
Milestone Trackers
Act Early Wisconsin: Tools and resources to track milestones and free materials to aid child learning.
Developmental Milestones for All Ages: A resource from Pathways.org that breaks milestones down into categories of Motor, Communication, Feeding, and Sensory. Content is laid out with easily digestible bulleted lists and videos to support learning.
Learn the Signs. Act Early: A digital toolkit that includes some of the most popular resources for tracking child development.
Brain Development and Early Learning
DEC Recommended Practices (Interaction: pg 14): The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices provide guidance to practitioners to help bridge the gap between research and practice by highlighting those practices that have been shown to result in better outcomes for young children with disabilities, their families, and the personnel who serve them. Practice Guide – Read time for section: 5 minutes
Why 0-3?: Materials from Zero to Three about brain development between birth and age three, why the early years matter, and how babies and toddlers benefit from family and community connections. Infographic – Read time: 5 minutes with additional resources to explore at your own pace
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University: Video playlist from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University whose mission is to drive science-based innovation that achieves breakthrough outcomes for children facing adversity. Videos explain how stress and trauma can affect a child’s development. Videos – Watch time: ranging from 2 and ½ minutes to just over 5 minutes
