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Handout

Caregiver Handouts: Games and Activities that Build Brains and Executive Function Skills

Here you’ll find handouts with suggestions for games and activities to do with children of different ages. They can be shared at well child visits or when caregivers are looking for support with behavior. These activities can promote child-caregiver bonding, executive function skills, and build children’s brains through play.
Caregiver Handouts: Games and Activities that Build Brains and Executive Function Skills
Handout

Executive Function: Information for Providers

This handout helps explain what executive function skills are, why they are important and how supporting their development can promote healthy child and adolescent development.
Executive Function: Information for Providers
Reading

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Increasing attention is being placed in the medical and public space on the mental health of infants and young children. Among mental health providers, infant mental health generally refers to children 3 years of age and younger, while early childhood mental health refers to children ages 3-5. This contrasts…
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
Third Party Link

How to Motivate Children: Science-Based Approaches for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers

How to Motivate Children: Science-Based Approaches for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers…
How to Motivate Children: Science-Based Approaches for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers
Third Party Link

A Guide to Toxic Stress

This area of the website for the Center on the Developing Child provides a collection of resources for understanding toxic stress and resilience. A Guide to Toxic Stress…
A Guide to Toxic Stress
Building Core Capabilities for Life
Reading

The Foundations of Lifelong Health Are Built in Early Childhood 

This report from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs explains how the earliest years lay the groundwork for lifelong health. When children have positive early experiences, they strengthen their developing biological systems and are more likely to thrive and become…
The Foundations of Lifelong Health Are Built in Early Childhood 
From Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts
Working Paper

Maternal Depression Can Undermine the Development of Young Children

This working paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs examines why addressing the consequences of serious depression in parents and caregivers could support the future prosperity and well-being of both children and society as a whole.
Maternal Depression Can Undermine the Development of Young Children
Reading

Strategies for Effectively Communicating about Toxic Stress

This guide from the Frameworks Institute provides suggestions on how to frame conversations with caregivers who may have experienced toxic stress themselves.  It makes 5 key framing suggestions that can help providers to highlight resilience, reduce caregiver guilt and raise the public health nature of the problem of toxic stress.
Strategies for Effectively Communicating about Toxic Stress
InBrief: The Impact of Early Adversity on Children’s Development Moving Upstream: Confronting Racism to Open Up Children’s Potential The Lifelong Effects of Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science into Lifelong Health Capitalizing on Advances in Science to Reduce the Health Consequences of Early Childhood Adversity Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Impacts of Racism on the Foundations of Health Excessive Stress Disrupts the Architecture of the Developing Brain Persistent Fear and Anxiety Can Affect Young Children’s Learning and Development InBrief: The Science of Neglect The Science of Neglect: The Persistent Absence of Responsive Care Disrupts the Developing Brain InBrief: Applying the Science of Child Development in Child Welfare Systems  Applying the Science of Child Development in Child Welfare Systems InBrief: Understanding the Science of Motivation Understanding Motivation: Building the Brain Architecture That Supports Learning, Health, and Community Participation   InBrief: Executive Function: Skills for Life and Learning  Building the Brain’s “Air Traffic Control” System: How Early Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function  Building Babies’ Brains Through Play: Mini Parenting Master Class
Third Party Link

Stress and Resilience: How Toxic Stress Affects Us, and What We Can Do About It

Stress and Resilience: How Toxic Stress Affects Us, and What We Can Do About It…
Stress and Resilience: How Toxic Stress Affects Us, and What We Can Do About It
Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development How Children and Adults Can Build Core Capabilities for Life 8 Things to Remember about Child Development FrameWorks: Effectively Communicating about Toxic Stress FrameWorks: Reframing Childhood Adversity FrameWorks: Framing the Overload Metaphor 5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return What We Can Do About Toxic Stress What Is Inflammation? And Why Does It Matter for Child Development? How Racism Can Affect Child Development ACEs and Toxic Stress: Frequently Asked Questions What is Executive Function? And How Does it Relate to Child Development?
Reading

Special Considerations for Children in Foster Care

Children in foster care commonly face adversity far exceeding that of typical childhood. All children experience tolerable, temporary stressors as a normal part of learning and growing, such as a first day in a new school or performing on stage in front of an audience. These experiences are healthy and…
Special Considerations for Children in Foster Care