Best Practices for Infant and Toddler Care

This resource explains that all children—especially infants and toddlers—need a child care setting where they can thrive with caregivers who understand how to promote their healthy growth and development.

This page describes Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) for infants and toddlers and provides resources for providers.

This brief describes relationship-based care practices and the research support for a focus on relationships in infant and toddler care. It emphasizes two specific relationship-based care supports – primary caregiving and continuity of care.

This advocacy tool gives quick facts on infant-toddler child care, including defining access, quality, and affordability, summarizing research findings and giving policy recommendations.

The following resources, tools, and process suggestions which are intended to assist states and territories in engaging in a strategic planning process to support the implementation of Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers.

This fact sheet describes common elements found in the core knowledge and competencies for infants and toddlers of 36 states, including age ranges, core knowledge categories, competency levels, and special considerations for children with special needs and cultural diversity.

This booklet describes how child care providers can support families whose children may be eligible for, or are enrolled in, the early intervention program.

This explains that the quality of infants’ relationships forms the foundation for their social and emotional health.

This resource notes specific elements of a high-quality environment for infants and explains how caregivers plan learning experiences for infants.