Child care director interacting with a little girl in her care

Child Care Resources

Components of a Child Care Business

Child care providers wear many hats. They are caregivers and teachers, as well as small business owners and economic development partners. Learn about the components of a child care program and ways to incorporate best practices that lead to quality care.


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  • Learn about activities that capture children's interest and foster learning.

  • Learn ways to manage budgets, staffing and marketing, plus fulfill state and county licensing requirements.

  • Learn ways to plan, respond and protect the lives of of children and staff before, during and after a disaster or emergency.

  • Learn ways to address challenging behaviors and nurture children's social/emotional development.

  • Get information on ways to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment for children and staff.

  • Learn about the specialized care needs of infants and toddlers and how to create environments that keep them safe.

  • Learn ways to help staff and children interact and communicate with each other.

  • Learn how to incorporate best practices for nutrition and food safety into your child care program.

  • Learn about best practices for physical activity and ways to create opportunities for active play.

  • Learn ways to assess children's growth and strategies to help children meet developmental milestones.

  • Learn how to reduce the risk of sleep-related deaths and accidental suffocation by following safe sleep practices.

  • Learn how ways to plan and create indoor and outdoor environments that make it easier for children to learn, get along with one another, and become independent.

  • Learn how to develop care plans and environments that enable children with disabilities or developmental delays to learn, grow and play alongside others in a child care setting.

  • Hiring and retaining staff is crucial to a child care business. We've gathered these resources to help you meet licensing requirements, fulfill legal requirements and develop a good working relationship with staff.