Great Beginnings: An Introduction to Child Care
Course Description
This introductory course is for those who are new to the early childhood field.
This course covers developmental stages, age-appropriate activities for children, positive guidance techniques, and health and safety practices. In this course you will learn ways to build children’s self-esteem, how to support children’s learning and development, and about the detection and reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect.
See the learning outcomes and topics below for more information on what is covered in this course.
Course formats
This course is offered in both our coursebook (with required online component/testing) and our fully online format. The online format of this course includes audio narration in most course sections. Click here to learn more about Care Courses' training formats.
Listen to this page narrated in a similar format to the online course:
Acceptance information
This course is accepted for annual state training requirements in most states, and for the CDA and for CDA renewal training requirements.
In Nevada this course fulfills the child development/guidance and discipline training requirement.
In Texas this course is part of the 24 clock hour pre-service training training required for all new caregivers [§746.1305]. This course meets the initial eight clock hours of pre-service training that must be completed before the caregiver may be counted in the child/caregiver ratio.
Learning outcomes
After completing Great Beginnings: An Introduction to Child Care you will be able to identify techniques to facilitate young children’s physical, cognitive, and language development; describe the stages of young children’s cognitive development; select appropriate learning activities for young children; and describe the ways in which children’s motor skills develop. Click here to see all of the learning outcomes for this course.
Topics covered
- Typical physical growth patterns of young children
- Ways to facilitate children's physical development
- The stages of young children's cognitive development
- How young children learn
- The adult's role in children's learning and development
- Ways to keep young children safe and healthy, including healthful eating practices, disease control, sanitation practices, safe space and equipment, safety practices, recognizing signs of child abuse and neglect, and helping children who have been abused and neglected
- Guidelines for handling accidents and injuries
- Fire safety precautions
Prerequisites
Must be able to fluently read and write English.
Instructional methodology
Read written material, view videos, listen to audio segments.
Assessment methods
Multiple choice quizzes and written assignments.
What our students say about Great Beginnings: An Introduction to Child Care
"So far I really enjoy this course and I have learned so much more to go along with all of my experience." - Upper Marlboro, Maryland
How Care Courses® Training Works: Details & Support
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Course Details & Support
Prerequisites
- Language: Fluent reading and writing in the language of instruction (English or Spanish).
- Technology: Internet access and a web-enabled device (computer, smartphone, or tablet).
Access & Completion Deadline
- This training expires 12 months from the date of purchase.
- To receive a certificate of completion, you must successfully finish the course before the expiration date.
Learning Methods
- Read instructor-written material
- Watch videos
- Listen to audio segments
Assessments
- Multiple-choice quizzes
- Written assignments
Requirements for CEUs and Clock Hours
To earn CEUs and Clock Hours for a course, you must:
- Agree to and acknowledge our Honor Code & Policy
- Follow all instructions for written assignments
- Demonstrate comprehension of the course content
- Achieve the passing score specified in your course.
Quizzes and Assessments
- If your score falls below the passing mark, a trainer will review your work. If needed, you may be asked to speak with a trainer.
- You will have a second chance to retake any quiz or assessment.
- If you do not pass on your second attempt, contact us at info@carecourses.com. We will review your course and follow up directly.
- All quizzes are open book; all answers are found in the course material.
Certificates
- Official Care Courses certificates of completion record your clock hours and CEUs.
- Certificates are available in the My Courses area of your account.
- Please note: All course and certificate dates and times are on Eastern Time.
Getting Started
- See how our training works on the training process page.
- Watch our course navigation video for a quick tour of the online portal.
- Free Unlimited Assistance
- We’re here to help with training, billing, and technical support questions.
- Phone: 1-800-685-7610 (Mon–Fri, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern)
- Email: info@CareCourses.com or techsupport@CareCourses.com (days, evenings, and weekends)
About Care Courses
- Care Courses offers over 50 professional development courses and one non-credit training tutorial on the CDA process.
- All professional development courses include clock hours, CEUs, and an official online certificate of completion.
- (The free CDA tutorial does not offer clock hours or a certificate.)
Tuition & Bundles
- Course tuition entitles one person to receive the clock hours and CEUs granted upon successful completion.
- Bundle pricing covers tuition for all courses included in the bundle.
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