Quality Early Childhood Programs

The National Association of Education for Young Children (NAEYC) says that quality early childhood education programs for toddlers and preschoolers help build the necessary skills to not only be successful in school but also teach them basic things they need to know in life. Things like basic colors, shapes and eye-hand coordination.

NAEYC Approved Programs

The NAEYC approves programs all over the country that meet their very strict requirements. NAEYC programs are required to have all the following criteria: they must teach children about relationships, health, appropriate curriculum and feelings while maintaining a relationship with the child's parents, offering assessment, family interaction and community partnership. Accreditation is voluntary, and since the program's inception in 1985, they have approved over 7,000 locations throughout the United States.

Head Start

Head start programs are federally-funded early childhood education programs that offer a school-like setting for low income families to send their children to learn. Head start programs can be found in public schools, community centers and other approved locations. All head start locations must meet specific requirements such as children's health, educational learning, mental health, nutrition and community partnership.

University/High School Early Childhood Education Programs

Teens and adults taking early childhood education programs at school are often required to have some sort of practical application in their courses by running an early childhood education program on campus. This allows students of the school and community to take their children to the program while they attend classes as well as giving the students a chance to put their learning to the test. These programs are usually run by a child education department or psychology department. Their offerings usually include some sort of research-based educational activities for both the students and the children.