7 Essential Tips for Effective Family Engagement in Early Childhood Programs

A child’s family is their very first experience in learning; they are the first “teachers” that set the stage for the continued learning that will happen throughout the child’s life. As a family they read the child their first book and encourage them to say their first words. They are there cheerleading for the child through each new milestone and are eagerly anticipating the next one. In their homes, with their families, is where a child’s love and excitement for learning are rooted.

High quality early childhood programs utilize that foundation and continue to cultivate it once the child enters their program. By implementing family engagement practices that are intentional, communicative, and respectful programs collaborate with families to ensure continuity of the child’s learning. This has positive effects on the child’s language development, social emotional development, their self-esteem, and their academic achievement outcomes.  

Family engagement in high-quality early childhood programs takes place in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas:

1. Host family events at your childcare center – The events can be focused on celebrating various holidays or whatever you would like.
2. Send home newsletters regularly – Whether you send weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletters this will help families stay connected to what is happening at the center.
3. Celebrate the different cultures and traditions of your families – Celebrate the diversity of the families that are a part of your program. Ask them to share about their cultural heritage.
4. Ask parents to volunteer – There are many talents amongst the families of your programs, invite them to share those talents by volunteering to help with something!
5. Conduct home visits – Coordinate with families to visit their homes. This demonstrates your program’s willingness to put in the effort truly meet them where they are.
6. Offer workshops and trainings for families – Helping your families learn about their child’s development, or current best practices will keep them informed and engaged!
7. Schedule parent-teacher conferences – Shared decision making is important. Meet with the families regularly to discuss the progress their child is making!

It is important to consistently have meaningful interactions with the families in your program. These interactions help to create a program that has open communication, and mutual trust. When families feel included in their child’s education, they are more likely to reinforce what the child is learning in your program when they are at home. The consistency and collaboration communicate to the child that what they are learning is important, and they are more likely to retain those skills, expand on that learning, and thrive. Increasing family engagement efforts is a great way of strengthening the effectiveness of your high-quality early childhood program.