Resources for Parents and Caregivers
EITC Family Scholarships
Thanks to a generous donation from our friends at Vanguard, First Up can offer PreK (3-5 year old's) scholarships for families attending nonprofit early education facilities. Early education administrators can apply on behalf of families in need by downloading the application here and returning to Drew Martin no later than March 1, 2022.
Child Development
Social Development in 3-5 Year Olds - During the ages of 3 to 5, children learn to become self-sufficient, how to relate and interact with peers, and more!
Childhood Development Milestones: Birth to 4 Years Chart - Reference this handy chart with development milestones in the Physical, Motor, Cognitive, Language, and Social Development domains.
Health and Safety
Lead Poisoning Prevention - Lead poisoning is 100% preventable! Take these steps to make your home lead-safe.
Recommended Immunizations for Children from Birth Through 6 Years Old - Use this reference to determine which immunizations are recommended and at what age.
Eczema in Children: A Guide for Parents - If you have a child with eczema, it’s important that you know how to manage your child’s dry, red, and itchy skin. Because eczema can be hard to control, the American Academy of Pediatrics has developed this publication to help parents and caregivers of children with eczema. It answers many of the most common questions about eczema.
Healthy Breathing at Home - Tips for families from the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness
Family Activities
Helping Children Transition Between Activities - For some young children, moving from one activity to another (e.g., playing with toys to dinner time, playing outside to bath time, watching a movie to brushing teeth), results in confusion, frustration, or challenging behaviors. Adults can help children predict what is coming next which helps make transitions smoother.
Mrs. Farmer Reading (and Zoo) Time in English and Spanish! From Head to Toe / De La Cabeza A Los Pies - Enjoy this wonderful learning experience with one of First Up's Specialists.
Scripted Story: Clean-up - Use this visual story to help encourage your children to make clean-up a part of play!
Parenting
PA Promise for Children – This site includes information on why early childhood education matters, what to look for, what public supports/programs are available, and much more.
National Association for the Education of Young Children – NAEYC offers useful “what to look for in a program” section, information on NAEYC’s 10 quality program criteria, and search function for accredited programs by geography.
Great Philly Schools – Although this site is largely specific to Philadelphia, it does include broad information about how to choose an early childhood education provider, how to pay (with links to public programs), as well as information on individual programs.
The Reinvestment Fund – This site has a very helpful map of child care centers, their exact locations, and demographic data by zip code and neighborhood.
Important Safety Rules to Teach Your Children – Teaching safety, at home or outdoors, is an important part of educating our children. This resource, developed by the Safety, Health and Consumer Council, provides parents with starter ideas to teach young children essential safety rules to help them protect themselves in different situations growing up.
Home Security Systems Comparison – Compare home security companies, pricing and features in one easy place.
Kindergarten Readiness Guide - Study after study shows that early learning of letters and numbers is not enough to help children succeed at school. But there is a lot you can do to increase your child’s chances for success. Check out this guide for more information about what you can do to help your child be prepared!
