The Problem:
Many child care resources are available only in English. They are not accessible to the one in five U.S. families who speak a language other than English in their homes.
One Solution:
The Health Tips for Families Series —a collection of fact sheets for families—is now available in nine languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Somali, Hmong, Burmese, and Amharic. The fact sheets allow providers to share information with families on health topics that are considered priorities by the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW). They also may help states and providers meet CCDF health and safety requirements.
The Health Tips series includes fact sheets about:
- Active Play
- Health Literacy
- Healthy Breathing
- Healthy Eating
- Mental Health
- Oral Health, and
- Safety and Injury Prevention
As an example, the Active Play fact sheet contains guidance for parents on why it is important to help children develop healthy activity habits early on, and specific ideas on how to promote activity in an infant, toddler, or school-age child:
- For infants: Give your baby plenty of tummy time and time outside of a swing or bouncy chair. The infant will be able to stretch, reach, and kick, which will help the baby reach developmental milestones such as sitting and crawling.
- For toddlers: Join your child in physical activity like dancing, jumping, and walking together—and limit screen time.
- For preschoolers: Help your child to stay active and learn at the same time by spending time exploring the outdoors.
There are also some useful parenting tips, such as the suggestion that establishing daily routines for playtime, mealtimes, and bedtime can make life as a parent easier.
The NCECHW plans to provide similarly diverse translations of many of its resources. You can find the Health Tips for Families Series, and many other NCECHW resources, on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) website.
