Planning healthy menus to help ensure healthy children.

One way to ensure those things are happening is to plan a surprise visit to your child’s child-care center to observe the conditions. Here are a few things the LSU AgCenter expert says to consider looking for and inquiring about on such a visit.

Children need to spend time outdoors. This article discusses ways to asses the safety of playgrounds for young children.

Biting is a common behavior for children who are one year to two years old – particularly children in group care.

Shopping for quality child care? There are things you can do to become a better consumer of quality child care and at the same time help your children by providing the very best in caregiving.

Directing a child-care program is exhausting, not to mention complicated, so it is paramount that a dedicated, knowledgeable person oversees these operations. This article will explore some of the many qualifications needed to be an effective child care center director.

Toddlers bite because it is a natural part of their growth and development. This article will look at some strategies parents and caregivers alike can implement to prevent biting behavior.

With more and more parents working and the need for child care increasing, parents need to plan carefully for quality child care for their children. You can do many things to become a better consumer of quality child care, according to LSU AgCenter specialist Dr. Becky White.

(Distributed July 2006) Choosing the right kind of child care is one of the most daunting tasks any parent will ever have to do. Countless emotions flood a new mother at the mere thought of letting someone else care for her tiny bundle of joy.

Early childhood education and quality of child care affect children’s social and cognitive development, and attachment to a caregiver can be a positive factor in that development.

Young children learn from their experiences. That’s why field trips play an important role in the curriculum for young children involved in day care or school.

Summer is here, and outdoor play ranks as a favorite activity for most young children. But that means safety also should be a concern for parents and caregivers, according to LSU AgCenter child-care associate Cheri Gioe.

It’s critical for child-care providers to choose wisely because the right toy can stimulate child development.

Infants and toddlers need environments that are welcoming and responsive.

Child Care Resource and Referral Programs provide free assistance to families who are actively searching for care and need help with making informed decisions about the best care for their children.

Child-care programs have sick child policies in place for the safety and protection of the children they serve.

There is no doubt that children are born risk takers, and that risk-taking characteristic is one of the most frightening aspects of their growth and development, because as children are allowed to take risks, accidents and incidents increase, says LSU AgCenter child-care associate Cheri Gioe.

Programs exist to help families make better decisions about child care, according to LSU AgCenter child-care associate Cheri Gioe. Known as Child Care Resource and Referral Programs, these local agencies provide free assistance to families who are actively searching for care and need help with making informed decisions about the best care for their children, Gioe explains.

To assist in making decisions about quality child care, parents can look for certain personal traits when selecting a caregiver for their child.

Children succeed more when parents are more involved in education.

Early childhood curriculum can involve a variety of activities and specific teaching approach.

Choosing to place your child in the care of someone else while you work often is a decision that comes with a lot of emotion and concern – frequently brought on by unfamiliarity of what happens in the child-care setting.

A look at how early care providers' education levels affect the overall quality of child care.

Choosing to place your child in the care of someone else while you work often is a decision that comes with a lot of emotion and concern – frequently brought on by unfamiliarity of what happens in the child-care setting.

As children grow and develop so do their opinions about foods – what should be eaten, how to eat it and a host of other issues. The challenge is not to panic or worry as these changes occur.

A variety of factors should be considered when parents are attempting to find quality child care for their children. While cost and convenience are important considerations, parents should also consider their children’s ages, abilities, interests and personalities. Beliefs and attitudes about education, training, child guidance, nutrition and health are also major considerations.

A quality caregiver makes all the difference during the early years of a child’s development, so parents need to look for indications of quality when entrusting their children to others, says LSU AgCenter specialist Dr. Becky White.

A variety of factors should be considered when parents are attempting to find quality child care for their offspring.

One of the indicators of quality child care is the educational level of caregivers. Unfortunately, Louisiana child caregivers rank as some of the least-educated providers in the nation, according to LSU AgCenter child-care associate Cheri Gioe.

An increasing body of research shows that quality child-care and educational programs early in a child’s life has a profound impact on their development, says LSU AgCenter child-care associate Cheri Gioe.