Exploring the Internet

 The Council for Professional Recognition

This is the organization that awards the CDA Credential. Here you will find additional information about the CDA, the National Directory of institutions providing CDA training, downloadable forms, a  state-by-state listing of what positions an individual can hold with a CDA, and an online bookstore for purchasing materials, including the Competency Standards books and Renewal packets.

The National Association for the Education   of Young Children

Founded in 1926, NAEYC is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children, with nearly 100,000 members, a network of over 300 local, state, and regional affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations. Are you a member yet?

The SOHO Center

For 32 years, children's literacy initiatives have been an important part of the Soho Center's activities. Enhancing that skill is at the heart of the Soho Center's National Children's Literacy Initiative, which includes the wonderful national Children's Literacy website. The Soho Center is committed to promoting children's literacy in both child care settings and home settings. Whether you are a family child care provider or teach in a preschool or daycare center, this website will provide you with a rich array of literacy ideas and worthwhile information.

Child Care Online

Here is a multi-purpose website supporting parents and child care providers. Their mission is to empower parents to become effective consumers of quality child care, to help family child care providers to start, run, and grow successful child care businesses, and to provide all caregivers with information and tools to promote excellence and professionalism to the benefit of young children. This website has many helpful links and a wealth of information.

Early Childhood News

This is an online resource for teachers and parents of young children, birth to age 8. It provides articles of interest on many topics, a teacher sharing board, classroom ideas, and even a place to listen to professionals in the field of early childhood education, child development, neuroscience, play, and more in a radio format!

National Network for Child Care

This website offers an incredible number of resources including:                                                             

>Access to over 1,000 publications and resources related to child care.                                                           >An Email listserv that enables providers to communicate with others in the field both nationally and internationally.                                               >Person-to-person support from experts in child care and child development.                                 >Informative newsletters on a variety of current topics of interest.

Punky's Child Care Chat

Here is an informal place to chat with early care and education providers about whatever might be on your mind! If you have a question about children or need an activity idea or some advice, you can post to this forum and get scores of replies from experienced providers. What a great place!

Zero to Three

Zero to Three's mission is to support the healthy development of infants and toddlers. If you work with these age groups, you will want to take some time exploring this website! There are lots of current articles to read on a wide variety of subjects, aimed at supporting your professional development.

The Perpetual Preschool

This is a website for and by early childhood care providers. It has a huge listing of activity theme ideas, good articles, a discussion forum, and even a page of online games for children.

Center for the Child Care Workforce

This organization's mission is to improve the quality of early care and education for all children by promoting policy and research to ensure our workforce is well-educated, receives better compensation, and has a voice in their workplace. These people are truly in our corner!

Early Childhood Educators and Family Web Corner

 This website has a huge listing of informative articles on many topics, as well as an incredible number of links to resources related to early childhood. Have fun exploring!

 National  Association of Child Care Professionals

NACCP is an organization that supports child care and the professionals who work in child care. Visit their Online Professional Education Center to learn about the online CDA training that is offered.

 Eager to Learn

Eager-to-Learn is a program of the Minnesota Child Care Resource & Referral Network. It is designed to provide high quality, affordable in-service training opportunities using E-Learning technologies and experienced, well-trained instructors. The goal of this program is to provide viable alternative for delivering rich learning experiences in a setting that reduces geographic and other barriers of traditional professional development. This program offers online CDA training to satisfy the 120 required clock hours, as well as a CDA Process course (designed by myself), using The CDA Prep Guide) which helps the student prepare for the Verification Visit. These courses are for students anywhere!