Agrilife Extension Resources

Creating healthy habits is a critical element of quality early childhood programs. This course reviews practices that promote oral health. It is aligned with Texas Healthy Building Blocks recognition criteria and was developed with support from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

One of the most challenging aspects of child care is deciding upon a style of discipline that is appropriate, effective, and in the best interest of each child. Students will learn about the strengths and weaknesses of various disciplinary styles and explore strategies for setting and enforcing healthy limits.

Infants and toddlers engage in challenging behaviors as a way of communicating that they have unmet needs. Enroll in this online course to learn how to recognize, understand, and develop responses to these types of behavior as well as working with a team to fully assess and address challenging infant and toddler behavior.

Early childhood educators strive to establish warm and secure relationships with children in their care. Unfold strategies for building strong relationships with families while supporting social and emotional development. Recognize the importance of responsive interactions, positive guidance, exploration, and play.

Providing a broad overview of 4 main areas of child growth and development, this course offers practical tips on supporting children’s development. Key findings from brain research and its relevance to the care of young children is briefly explored, as well as the principles of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP).

Infants’ experiences early in life literally influence the physical structures of the brain, opening the way for patterns of thought and behavior for the rest of a child’s life. This 1-hour course addresses critical topics related to caring for the youngest and most vulnerable population of children, infants and toddlers.

Abusive head trauma is the leading cause of death in cases of child abuse in the United States. This 2-hour course will help you better understand the dangers of abusive head trauma and how to take steps to protect the children in your care from this type of abuse.

In this course, you will learn all about infant care. We discuss foundations of infant development, the importance of a loving caregiver, infants’ amazing abilities, and best practices for supporting their development. Through an emphasis on daily activities we show how you can build relationships and promote development.

Explore builders and barriers to social emotional development. Review the stages of social emotional development, the types and role of play, strategies for development of pro-social behavior and learn how to integrate songs and music experiences that enhance social emotional development.