Supporting Children’s Health and Well-Being
For the benefit of all Alaskan children
Children grow and learn best when they are healthy, safe, and supported in caring environments. Child care programs play an important role in supporting children’s physical health, emotional well-being, development, and learning.
This page provides information and resources to help families understand how child care programs support children’s health and development and where to find additional support if concerns arise.
Physical Health
Healthy routines help children grow strong and stay well. Quality child care programs support children’s physical health by providing nutritious meals and snacks, encouraging active play, and promoting good hygiene such as handwashing.
Programs also follow health and safety standards to help prevent illness and respond appropriately when children become sick. Families can support their child’s health by sharing medical information with providers and ensuring children receive regular checkups and vaccinations.
Alaska offers programs and resources that encourage healthy habits and active lifestyles for children and families.
The Play Every Day campaign helps Alaska families build healthy habits by encouraging children to drink water instead of sugary drinks and to stay active every day.
The Healthy Futures Challenge encourages Alaska children to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day and track their activity to build lifelong healthy habits.
Learn more about supporting children’s physical health at ChildCare.gov.
Well-Being
Children’s emotional well-being is just as important as their physical health. Supportive relationships with caregivers help children feel safe, build confidence, and develop healthy social skills.
Child care programs support well-being by creating nurturing environments where children feel respected, included, and encouraged to express their feelings. When families and providers work together, children receive consistent support that helps them develop resilience and healthy relationships.
Learn more about supporting children’s well-being at ChildCare.gov.
Development, Developmental Screening, and Early Intervention
Children develop skills such as talking, walking, learning, and social interaction at different rates. Developmental screening helps identify whether a child may need additional support.
Families and providers can watch for developmental milestones and use screening tools to monitor progress. If concerns arise, early support services can help children build skills and succeed.
In Alaska, families can access free developmental screenings and early childhood resources that help identify developmental concerns early and connect children to services if needed. Families can also use the CDC Milestone Tracker app to monitor developmental milestones and learn when to speak with a provider.
Alaska resources
- Help Me Grow Alaska developmental screening information
- Free developmental screening services in Alaska
- thread family resources for supporting child development
Learn more at ChildCare.gov and CDC.gov
Keeping Children Safe
Licensed child care programs follow health and safety standards designed to protect children. These standards include requirements related to supervision, safe sleep practices for infants, emergency preparedness, and safe facilities.
Providers also complete training on important safety topics such as first aid, CPR, and child abuse prevention. Families can review licensing and inspection information to learn how programs meet these safety requirements.
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Learning Through Play
Play is one of the most important ways children learn. Through play, children develop language skills, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and social skills.
Quality child care programs create opportunities for children to explore, build, imagine, and interact with others. These experiences support healthy development and prepare children for success in school.
Families can encourage learning through play at home by reading together, exploring outdoors, building with blocks, and engaging in imaginative activities.
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Serving Children with Disabilities (Alaska Inclusive Child Care – Alaska IN!)
All children should have access to high-quality child care, including children with disabilities or developmental delays.
The Alaska Inclusive Child Care Program (Alaska IN!) helps child care providers build the skills and resources needed to support children with diverse developmental needs. The program provides training, consultation, and support to help programs create inclusive environments where all children can thrive.
Families may also receive support through early intervention services and other community programs.
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Responding to Challenging Behaviors
Young children are still learning how to communicate their needs and manage their emotions. Challenging behaviors can be a normal part of development.
Quality child care programs use positive guidance strategies to help children learn appropriate behaviors, express feelings, and build social skills. Families and providers working together can help children develop self-control and problem-solving abilities.
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Preventing Expulsion and Suspension
Expelling or suspending young children from child care can negatively impact their development and learning. Many child care programs work to prevent this by using supportive practices that help children succeed.
Providers may work with families, specialists, and community programs to address challenges and support children’s social and emotional development.
Learn more
Additional Alaska Early Childhood Resources
Families looking for more information about early childhood development and family supports may find these organizations helpful: