For over 134 years, Children’s Home Society of California (CHS) has been committed to helping families thrive. In addition to assisting families with finding quality affordable child care and supporting early educators, CHS continues to provide a vast array of outstanding early childhood education resources, including (but not limited to) child development workshops and early learning brochures, as well as the developmental stages wheel and activity guides. Families, child care providers, and community organizations can easily access these digital and printable resources in multiple languages, free of charge, on the CHS website at their convenience. Incredibly useful to early educators and parents alike, CHS’s Family Education Program (FEP) provides essential information about early learning development and common childhood challenges. Today, we will feature a few of our most popular resources and highlight the benefits of sharing them with families.
Finding Best Practices to Support Parents and Caregivers
Positive Discipline – is one of our most highly selected FEP brochures, presenting best practices to support parents and caregivers in guiding their children toward appropriate behavior. The Positive Discipline: Appropriate Guidance for Your Child brochure provides advice about the differences between punishment and discipline. This colorful resource quickly and concisely discusses how positive discipline encourages self-reflection and long-lasting desirable changes in a child’s behavior when they develop self-control, understand expectations, and are motivated to manage their own behavior. Inside this informational brochure are two columns of categorized easy-to-read lists, titled Setting Limits and Consequences. Each list explains useful advice and relevant examples of what adults can say to encourage appropriate behavior. Additionally, there are tips for teaching problem-solving, critical thinking prompts, and a recommended book list to further explore the topic of positive discipline.
When the Positive Discipline brochure is combined with CHS’s Communication brochure, it reinforces a speaking style and practices that emphasize respectful behavior and support healthy social-emotional development.
Offered as a free digital download and printable, the Positive Discipline brochure is in such demand that the print version can be difficult to keep in stock. Nevertheless, it has been recently restocked and revised to reflect the most up-to-date information. Our updated Positive Discipline publication is now available! The Positive Discipline digital resource is available in multiple languages. Get them today by visiting the CHS website to learn more about developing appropriate guidance for children:
| How to Order | Positive Discipline | Communication |
| English | Spanish | English | Spanish | |
| Digital Downloads | English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog, and Vietnamese | English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog, and Vietnamese |
Access Versatile Tools Digitally or in Print
Development Stages Wheel – is a multi-page document that can be printed or ordered as an interactive tool. It maps a child’s typical development from birth to the age of six. Since all children are unique and progress at their own pace, an introductory note at the top of the wheel provides a reminder that these stages are a general estimate. With color-coded sections that display toys and other early childhood symbols, the Development Stages Wheel helps parents and caregivers understand a child’s developmental milestones and how they can support children’s growth and learning.
One of CHS’s staff members, who has supported families with this resource, notes that there are “easy-to-follow examples of the skills and behaviors within certain age ranges.” She further explains, “alongside these milestones, it also offers everyday suggestions such as play ideas, safety reminders, and communication tips that make it easier for parents and child care providers to support their child’s growth at home.”
In addition to being an excellent tool for parents, the Developmental Stages Wheel supports Early Learning and Education Programs when given away in care packages, offered during community outreach events, or as a handout during workshops. The free print version of this resource, and others like it, are available only in English and Spanish 25-count bundles. Alternatively, the FEP digital versions may be downloaded via the CHS website in multiple additional languages: Farsi, Punjabi, Tagalog, Mandarin, and Vietnamese.
Consider selecting the Stress brochure along with the Development Stages Wheel. They go together well to help adults and children manage stress as they develop. This quick, yet highly informative guidance points out that stress is naturally occurring at all stages of life and can come from both negative and positive experiences. Providing definitions and examples of stress, it encourages parents and caregivers to adopt and model stress-reducing habits.
To access and order the free Developmental Stages Wheel and Stress brochure:
| How to Order | Development Stages Wheel | Stress |
| Print (interactive) | English | Spanish | English | Spanish |
| Digital Downloads | English, Spanish, Korean, Punjabi, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Vietnamese | English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog, and Vietnamese |
Sharing Education Helps Informed Decision-Making
Choosing Child Care -is a comprehensive guide to assist families with selecting a high-quality child care program that fits their specific needs. Bright and welcoming, this brochure outlines the different types of child care environments families can choose, and reviews what a quality child care program looks like. It includes quality child care checklists that parents may want to use when visiting different programs, so it might be helpful to obtain multiple copies. This brochure is an excellent resource for keeping a record of their experiences during visits to potential child care providers.
More than that, the advice offers families tips for selecting quality child care, along with common considerations such as location and affordability. It also includes important health and safety factors such as the maximum number of children allowed in each type of child care setting and how many adults must be present for that group, according to Community Care Licensing (CCL) guidelines. The guidance encourages parents to review other items to consider, such as the caregiver’s early childhood development training, whether nutritious food is served, and how a family can check a licensed caregiver’s background. This brochure offers clear and comprehensive information for visiting and evaluating licensed family child care homes or child care centers so families can thoroughly consider their options and make the best choice for their needs.
Additionally, the Choosing Child Care brochure introduces the basics of CHS’s child care referral policy, showing how CHS can help families each step of the way. We provide child care referrals to families looking for child care in any of our four service areas throughout the state of California. Referrals are confidential and based on the family’s specific needs. While we assist parents with finding child care by providing information and resources, we do not interfere with a parent’s choice by making recommendations. At CHS, parental choice is not only a policy, it is a guiding principle recognizing that parents know their children’s needs and are best suited to choose early learning and child care programs that meet the unique needs and goals of their families.
It’s a good idea to pair the Choosing Child Care brochure with the Parental Choice brochure to simplify reviewing child care options (California-specific services); parents are then well prepared to begin their search and make the right choice for their family.
To access and order the free Choosing Child Care and Parental Choice brochures:
| How to Order | Choosing Child Care | Parental Choice |
| English | Spanish | English | Spanish | |
| Digital Downloads | English, Spanish, Korean, Punjabi, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Vietnamese | English | Spanish |
After trying or sharing these popular FEP resources, we invite you to further explore our free library of helpful topics, including STEM, School Readiness, Toilet Teaching Without Tears, and many more. While browsing the FEP educational publications, look through CHS’s Activity Guides, where you’ll find a treasure trove of support focused on growing and learning through play. You can also sign up for CHS Updates to stay informed about CHS events and training opportunities.
CHS specializes in helping eligible families find and pay for child care. If you or someone you know needs child care assistance, please contact us at our toll-free number: (888) CHS-4KIDS or (888) 247-4543. Or consider applying for the Child Care Payment Program by completing our Eligibility Questionnaire.
References and Resources
Positive Discipline: Appropriate Guidance for Your Child – CHS Family Education Program
Communication: Positive Communication with Your Child – CHS Family Education Program
Developmental Stages Wheel – CHS Family Education Program
Stress: How it Affects You and Your Child – CHS Family Education Program
Choosing Child Care: Making the Right Choice for Your Family – CHS Family Education Program
Parental Choice of Child Care Service – CHS Family Education Program