BETHESDA, MD--(Marketwired - May 31, 2017) -  Early childhood education pioneer Teaching Strategies announced today the release of the third edition of The Creative Curriculum^® for Family Child Care, designed to support the unique needs of family child care providers by offering a comprehensive suite of daily resources, including practical, research-based, and developmentally appropriate teaching tools that engage and encourage young children to become lifelong learners.

As the number of working parents continues to climb, identifying high quality child care has become a top concern for families. Of the nearly 11 million children under the age of five in child care, three million children are in family child care settings, where child care is provided in a professional caregiver's home. Yet, family child care providers have little access to curriculum tools designed specifically for their needs.

"Family child care provides a nurturing, home-based environment where children, ranging from birth up to age 8, are provided with personalized learning in smaller group settings," said Donna Fowler, manager of Teaching Strategies' Professional Development Network and board member of the National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC). "Knowing how important these early years are for child development, providing caregivers with high quality resources allows them to create a strong foundation for future success with the children and families they work closely with."

As the first and only research-based, high quality curriculum specifically designed for the unique family child care setting, Teaching Strategies' Creative Curriculum^® for Family Child Care enables family care professionals to navigate providing home-based care that's as equally responsive and nurturing for infants as it is for school-aged children.

"Research shows that the quality of interaction between a child and the adults who care for them is critical to strong development, and today, family care providers are playing that invaluable role for millions of children," said Kai-leé Berke, CEO of Teaching Strategies. "We believe strengthening the child-adult relationship in an intentional way is essential for high quality care. We also know the joys and challenges of family care centers are unique, and so we've developed a comprehensive curriculum tailored to their needs."

Early childhood programs have been using Teaching Strategies' research-based curriculum, professional development resources, and observational tools to promote positive outcomes for children for nearly 30 years. The Creative Curriculum^® for Family Child Care, which provides guidance for planning intentionally, promoting learning and development in all core areas, and building partnerships with families, is currently being piloted in family care centers in Florida, Virigina, California, and Maryland. The newest edition includes foundational volumes, Intentional Teaching Cards™, Mighty Minutes^®, children's books with Book Discussion Cards™, Highlights Hello™, Highlights Bilingűe™, and more. Spanish and bilingual editions of the Creative Curriculum for Family Care will be available in Fall 2017.

To learn more, visit http://bit.ly/2qge627.

About Teaching Strategies: With ground-breaking solutions and a strong belief that a child's first 8 years form a critical foundation for school success, Teaching Strategies has been an advocate for the early education community for nearly 30 years. Today, Teaching Strategies provides curriculum, assessment, professional development, and family connection resources to programs across the country. Its award-winning products like The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool and widely-adopted assessment solutions like GOLD® reach over 2 million children each year. To learn why thousands of early childhood programs and many states choose to partner with Teaching Strategies to help ensure children's success in school and in life, visit www.teachingstrategies.com and follow us on Twitter @TeachStrategies.