Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series: Part I

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Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Early childhood education plays an important role in the learning and healthy development of young children. However, to best support children’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development, parents, caregivers, and professionals must meet each child where they are at in their personal learning and development. Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP), a practice well-known in the early childhood field, is based on knowledge—not assumptions—of how children learn and develop.

To help guide families in understanding, identifying, and implementing DAP methods, Trying Together developed the following resource content. Use the links below to navigate to each series section and learn more.

Featured Topics

What is Developmentally Appropriate Practice?

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) is a practice well-known in the early childhood field, but what exactly is it? Visit our Developmentally Appropriate Practice post to learn about its benefits and what it looks like in practice.

Early Learning: Myths vs Facts

There are many misconceptions about early learning, especially when it comes to what early learning looks like. Visit our Early Learning: Myths vs Facts post to view answers to common myths.

Creating Play Rich Environments: DAP at Home

As children’s first teachers, parents and caregivers play a vital role in children’s healthy development. Visit our Creating Play Rich Environments post to learn how you can incorporate DAP at home.

Developmentally Appropriate Parenting: Guides for Parents and Caregivers

Early childhood is an important time when children experience rapid development and there are plenty of opportunities for parents to support this growth. To learn more, visit the following posts:

Questions to Ask Your Early Learning Provider

To better understand the type of care and services your early learning program is providing during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important for caregivers to ask their early learning provider questions. For a list of questions, visit our Questions to Ask Your Early Learning Provider During COVID-19 post.