Family Resources

The Transition:
Adjusting to a new school can be challenging to any child— especially preschoolers. Learn what you can do to make this big transition to preschool easier for your child. You’ll find a timeline for all the things that need to be done to prepare for preschool and guidance on saying a “good, good-bye” on your child’s first day.

Zerotothree.org
How to prepare your toddler for preschool.

Books you can read that talk about successfully transitioning to preschool and kindergarten:
The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing
First Day Jitters by Judy Love, Julie Danneberg
Llama Mama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Arkansas residents, did you know that you may be eligible for free or reduced child care? The state of Arkansas offers assistance for working and/or student parents who meet certain criteria. Click here to learn more about the requirements, or click here to fill out the short questionnaire we created to help families learn if they may qualify.

Better Beginnings
A program of the Arkansas Department of Human Services connects Arkansas families with information and care that helps their children experience a safe, happy, healthy childhood. Better Beginnings is designed to improve the level of quality in childcare and early childhood education programs across the state. Better Beginnings distinguishes the quality of each Arkansas child care facility by a 1, 2 and 3-star rating system. (Bright Ideas Bryant is a 3-star facility)

Child Care Aware
Child Care Aware of Central and Southwest Arkansas is a resource and referral source that is designed tohelp families identify and locate high-quality child care that is affordable, accessible and available. We will help you find the child care resources to meet your individual needs.

Arkansas Head Start
The standards are to be used to assist in developing age-appropriate learning goals for children, tosupport the developmentally appropriate curriculum and assessment, and to outline a progression ofdevelopment and learning that supports success in school and in life.

CDC - Healthy Development Basics
The early years of a child's life are very important for his or her health anddevelopment. Healthy development means that children of all abilities, including those with specialhealth care needs, are able to grow up where their social, emotional and educational needs are met.

The Parent Center at Centers for Youth and Families
This center provides parenting classes and resources related to improving child care in Arkansas.

Florida residents, did you know that you may be eligible for free or reduced child care? The state of Florida offers assistance for working and/or student parents who meet certain criteria. Click here to learn more about the requirements, or click here to fill out the short questionnaire we created to help families learn if they may qualify.

Tennessee residents, did you know that you may be eligible for free or reduced child care? The state of Tennessee offers assistance for working and/or student parents who meet certain criteria. Click here to learn more about the requirements, or click here to fill out the short questionnaire we created to help families learn if they may qualify.

Kid CentralTN.com
Great resource for parents about child health, education and development, as well as available state services.

TN Childcare Resources for Parents
Wonderful go-to about how to look for high-quality childcare and early childhood education providers. Resources for early intervention, finding child care, safe sleep practices, and much more.

TN Early Learning Development Standards
Review these standards, which are directly aligned with the content areas found in Tennessee’s state English language arts and mathematics standards as well as the Tennessee state standards for kindergarten. This page also includes birth-48 months standards for educators and families with children in this age range.

TN Star Quality: Report Card and Star Quality Program:
This site includes parent information on Developmental Monitoring and Screening Information. (Lighthouse Learning Academy has the highest rating achievable!)

Understanding Your Child’s Development
Describes important milestones for childhood development.

Child Savers
Our mission is to guide our community's children through life's critical moments with trauma-informed mental health and child development services. Our vision is for all children to be safe, happy, healthy, and ready to learn.

Virginia Head Start Association, Inc.
The Head Start community in Virginia is a close, supportive network. We like to think of our fellow Head Start administrators, teachers, family advocates, home coordinators, mental health consultants, bus drivers, cooks, and HR staff as part of a diverse team working together to provide the very best early childhood educational experience for Virginia's children.

Child Development Resources in Virginia (CDR)
Child Development Resources believes every child deserves the best start in life. Whether a child is facing developmental delays, a lack of resources, homelessness, or other special needs, CDR is there to provide the resources necessary for that child and family to succeed.