• The Indiana Core Knowledge and Competencies (CKC’s) identify the core knowledge and competencies needed by professionals who work with infants, children and youth.  The CKC’s are an essential component of Indiana’s comprehensive statewide professional development system.
• The Division of Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices were developed to provide guidance to educators and families about the most effective ways to improve the learning outcomes and promote the development of young children, birth through five years of age, who have or are at-risk for developmental delays or disabilities.
• The WIDA Early English Language Development (E-ELD) Standards were specifically developed to help support the unique language needs of DLLs, ages 2.5–5.5 years, who are in the process of learning more than one language prior to kindergarten entry. The connection between the WIDA Standards and Indiana Early Learning Foundations may be helpful to educators.
• The Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center is designed for Head Start programs; however, there are a number of helpful resources for providers and families.
• If your program is interested in Technical Assistance, please contact SPARK Learning Lab. For information on how to get started, see their website.

Family Engagement

• Brighter Futures Indiana is a resource to support families in understanding and enhancing a child’s learning at home and while in care. This resource was created through a partnership between The FSSA Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning and Early Learning Indiana. This can be shared with families for even more strategies on how they can support their child’s development at home. On Facebook
• The Indiana Early Childhood Family Engagement Toolkit is intended to support programs along a journey toward new heights of engagement.
• The WFYI Bright By Text Service is for parents and adults who care for young children newborn through age 5. When parents register for the service using their child's birthdate, direct text messages will provide developmentally appropriate information, activities, and more from trusted national and local resources.
• Families look to early educators and programs for information about their child. The CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” (LTSAE) has FREE research-based, parent-friendly resources on child development to help programs boost family engagement and professional development. Act Early Indiana.

Community Resources

• We encourage educators to contact their local library for developmentally appropriate book suggestions and other learning resources. Please see the Public Library Directory to locate the nearest public library.
• We encourage early educators and program administrators to identify and form relationships with agencies and organizations that provide support services to children and families including (but not limited to):
  • 2-1-1
  • Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
  • Eligibility Offices
  • Early Learning Indiana’s Solution Center
  • Early Childhood Coalitions
  • Shelters/food pantries
  • WIC offices
  • Community or Neighborhood Centers
  • Public schools
  • Pediatricians
  • First Steps Providers
  • Community Mental Health Centers
  • Federally Qualified Health Centers
  • United Ways
  • Community Foundations

Trauma Informed Care

• Early educators will most likely work with children and families who are experiencing or have experienced trauma. Below are a number of resources and articles that early educators may find helpful.
  • https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/blog/supporting-children-experiencing-trauma
  • https://www.nctsn.org/resources/child-trauma-toolkit-educators
  • https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/mental-health/article/understanding-stress-resilience-young-children-video-series
  • https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2015/trauma-sensitive-classrooms

Approaches to Play and Learning Specific Resources

• Indiana’s PK-12 Social Emotional Competencies can be used to reference what the expectations are of children later on in school. The PK-2 Grade Band also has several resources that may be helpful to early educators working with Pre-K children.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has several resources and articles available for educators and to share with families.
• Zero to Three has resources and articles related to the development of children under the age of three.

Creative Arts Specific Resources

• The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has resources and articles available for educators and to share with families.
• Zero to Three has resources and articles related to the development of children under the age of three.
• This blog post provides a great overview of process and product art and how to transition into more process based art activities.

English Language Arts Specific Resources

• IDOE Early Literacy Modules 
  • Module 1 - Reading Aloud to Young Children: An Introduction (278.7 MB) provides a basic level of introduction to the Read Aloud process for families and care givers.
  • Module 2 - Intentional Instruction: The Interactive Read-Aloud Process (93.6 MB) focuses on the importance of providing intentional instruction of robust vocabulary and emergent literacy skills as part of an Interactive Read-Aloud. This is designed for use by families and care givers.
  • Module 3 - Dialogic Reading: A Systematic Shared Reading Experience (64.9 MB) focuses on a process for reading aloud to young children. Although Dialogic Reading was first developed to increase oral language skills with children from poverty homes, these research-based techniques work for ALL children. This is designed for use by families and care givers.
• The IDOE Literacy Framework is a resource for K-12 Educators translate academic standards into high quality instruction. Early educators may find helpful as they look to differentiate instruction.
• The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has several resources and articles available for educators and to share with families.
• Zero to Three has resources and articles related to the development of children under the age of three.
• Phonological Awareness, Phonemic Awareness and Phonics: What You Need to Know

Mathematics Specific Resources

• The IDOE Math Framework is a resource for K-12 Educators translate academic standards into high quality instruction. Early educators may find helpful as they look to differentiate instruction.
• The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has several resources and articles available for educators and to share with families.
• For Infants and Toddlers.
• Zero to Three has resources and articles related to the development of children under the age of three.

Physical Health and Growth Specific Resources

• The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has resources and articles available for educators and to share with families.
• Zero to Three has resources and articles related to the development of children under the age of three.
• The World Health Organization has physical activity guidelines that may be helpful to programs and families.
• Mayo Clinic has a resource on screen time that may be helpful to programs and families.
• The CACFP Provider Handbook has a great supplemental resource on how to prevent choking hazards in early education programs.
• Healthy Kids, Healthy Future has recommendations and information on best practices for various age groups related to physical activity.
• Indiana Grown 4 Schools provides resources for early childcare educators to increase access to healthy environments, improve early eating habits, and promote nutrition and agriculture education through project based learning.

Science Specific Resources

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has several resources and articles available for educators and to share with families.
• Zero to Three has resources and articles related to the development of children under the age of three.
• The National Science Teaching Association has curated over 800 resources with coherence across lessons and units, includes several instructional supports, and provides methods to monitor student progress. Below is the position statement on Early Childhood Science Education.

Social Emotional Specific Resources

• Indiana’s PK-12 Social Emotional Competencies can be used to reference what the expectations are of children later on in school. The PK-2 Grade Band also has several resources that may be helpful to early educators working with Pre-K children.
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is a source for knowledge about high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional learning.
• Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) has many resources for educators including already created printables items.
• The CSEFEL Solutions Kit Specifically can be found here.
• The Head Start Center for Inclusion has many ready made tools for early educators that can be printed and used across all early childhood settings.
• National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations provides a framework of evidence based practices for promoting positive social and emotional development in young children. Their website contains a number of resources and training opportunities.
• Hands in Autism has toolkits, templates, and resources that early educators may find helpful.
• The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has several resources and articles available for educators and to share with families.
• Zero to Three has resources and articles related to the development of children under the age of three.

Social Studies Specific Resources

• The Indiana Academic Standards have several links included for educators that may be helpful to educators of young children.
• The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has resources and articles available for educators and to share with families.