Page 5 – Early Learning Nation

Building Equity by Building Playgrounds (and More)

Part 7 in “Seasons of Play” Series

Mark Swartz·Sep 20, 2023·5 min read

Too many communities of color lack access to the spaces and facilities needed for quality play. And even if those spaces do exist nearby, children won’t play there if they don’t feel safe, welcome, included and comfortable. “Playspace Inequity” is the term that the national nonprofit KaBOOM! has given this phenomenon, and the 25 in 5 Initiative is how the organization aims to solve it in five years.

Eastside Baby Corner: At Work for a World Where All Children Are Safe, Healthy and Have What They Need

K.C. Compton·Sep 27, 2021·7 min read

A visitor looking for Eastside Baby Corner (EBC) might be excused for thinking they were searching for a modest storefront...

The Economic Argument for Child Care Is Urgent. But Is a Child Care System Built for Maximizing Economic Returns Best for the People Involved?

Haley Swenson·Dec 5, 2023·5 min read

Experts say that every dollar invested in care produces $9 in spending. Child care spending in particular both creates jobs...

Home Grown Launches “Leading from Home” Initiative to Support Provider Leaders Nationwide

Natalie Renew·Mar 11, 2021·3 min read

This week, Home Grown launched a new initiative—Leading From Home—focused on identifying and supporting provider leaders across the country. The...

Top Takeaways from the Educare Webinar: Pandemic Responses in Three Cities

Mark Swartz·Aug 6, 2020·2 min read

“We’re not going to grow as a nation without a strong system of care,” Gladys Montes stated at the outset...

Building Young Brains When Schools Are Closed, Part 3: Outdoor Tips and Activities

Our Top Tips for Parents and Caregivers

Mark Swartz and Art Hondros (Illustrator)·Mar 24, 2020·1 min read

This is part 3 of a a three-part series. Read Part 1 (Offline Activities) and Part 2 (Online Tips). In...

Van Johnson: Emphasizing Early Learning Everywhere – Not Just in School

The Editors·Mar 30, 2022·9 min read

Covid arrived and, suddenly, every parent became a teacher. Savannah (GA) Mayor Van Johnson sees the positive: the ability for all of us to better support teachers. Mayor Johnson also sees the need to make up for lost time, and the importance of ensuring that early learning occurs everywhere, from classrooms to churches. That’s why his message to parents is straightforward: childhood learning is “a lifetime investment. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. It's a four-quarter game.”

New Study: Giving Mothers Cash Improves Children’s Brain Development

Bryce Covert·Jan 24, 2022·5 min read

It’s long been clear that children who grow up in poverty struggle later in their lives, experiencing everything from increased...

How a Local Early Learning Collaborative Is Centering Belonging to Better Support Families With Young Children

Through empowering families and cultivating a sense of belonging, the Santa Ana Early Learning Initiative aims to boost outcomes for young children.

Mark Swartz·Dec 5, 2024·6 min read

The Santa Ana Early Learning Initiative (SAELI), a collaborative supporting families with children ages 9 and under in Santa Ana,...

Dr. Kiesha King: Making the Call to Bridge the Digital Divide

The Editors·Nov 8, 2023·5 min read

As Senior National Education Administrator for T-Mobile for Education, Dr. Kiesha King helps oversee T-Mobile’s Project 10Million, a $10.7 billion effort to bridge the digital divide by providing access to devices to “ensure internet access is not a barrier to a child's education.”