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.
Milestone Trackers
- Act Early Wisconsin: Tools and resources to track milestones and free materials to aid in 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
- What is Early Childhood Development? A Guide to the Science: The Center on the Developing Child created this Guide to Early Childhood Development (ECD) to help parents, caregivers, practitioners, and policymakers understand the importance of early childhood development and learn how to support children and families during the early years (particularly birth to three). It includes videos, briefs, and reports related to the importance of early childhood. 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
