By Jaci Foged, Extension Educator in Lancaster County; and Holly (Hatton) Wilhite, Associate Professor and Early Childhood Extension Specialist
Early childhood typically refers to the period from birth to age 8. It is a magical stage of human development because growth happens at lightning speed. You blink and a child goes from being held in arms to running, from babbling to full sentences, from helplessness to an “I can do it!” attitude.
CHOOSING CHILDCARE IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2023, 74.6% of children under age 6 in Nebraska had all available parents in the workforce. This means many children need care outside the home while families are at work.
• A child’s early relationships, environments and experiences in the first five years of life affect all aspects of their development moving forward.
• Science and research are clear: the first 1,000 days of life are the best time to build a healthy brain. The brain physically and functionally changes with experiences. This is known as “brain plasticity.”
Nebraska Extension’s Early Childhood Team has resources to support parents as they search for quality childcare. We recommend considering five key areas when choosing a program:
• Relationships — Warm, caring interactions; positive language; teachers engaged with children in play and learning.
• Health & Safety — Secure entrance; licensed program; staff trained in emergency preparedness.
• Curriculum & Approaches to Learning — Consistent routines; responsive environments; children actively engaged.
• Learning Environment — Child-sized furniture; pictures of families; age-appropriate materials; outdoor playtime.
• Policies & Administration — Compliance with regulations; positive discipline policy; parent advisory board; clear daily procedures (meals, potty training, etc.)
Nebraska Extension is aware of the childcare shortage, and we are incredibly concerned about it. That is why we are strong partners with the economic drivers in our communities who are working hard to expand access to high-quality childcare. We work closely with Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and their Communities for Kids initiative, as well as the Six Regions. Extension is at the table, helping to ensure that as new childcare programs are created or expanded, they are supported with high-quality early childhood education from our team.
This is an incredibly complex issue — it takes strong local investment and coordination across many systems: business planning, building or remodeling, licensing, funding and more. No matter where a community is in that process, we encourage them to connect with local leaders at the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, First Five Nebraska or Communities for Kids, who are deeply engaged in addressing this challenge.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
• Nebraska Extension’s web resources about choosing quality childcare at https://child.unl.edu/choosing-quality-childcare
• First Five Nebraska’s website at https://firstfivenebraska.org
• Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s website at https://nebraskachildren.org
• Communities for Kids’ website at https://communitiesforkids.org