Family & Child Development
Welcome to the Family and Child Development page for K-State Research and Extension - Wildcat District! Our goal is to provide research-based educational resources to help enhance the quality of life for you and your family, both in Kansas and across the nation.
We invite you to explore our web pages and discover helpful tools and information that can support you in your daily life, whether with family, friends, co-workers, or others in your community. We're here to help you build stronger, healthier relationships.
Resources
Here are some valuable resources on family life and child development. If you're interested in attending or hosting a class on any of these topics or have specific questions, feel free to reach out to Michelle Broxterman, Family and Child Development Agent, by phone (620) 724-8233 or by email mbroxterman@ksu.edu .
Better Brains for Babies: Brain development and the healthy growth and development of infants and young children is so important. There are many things that can be done to support growth and development. You can make a difference!
Building Baby's Brain Fact Sheets
- What to Eat When You're Expecting
- The Basics
- Is Breast Milk Best?
- Prime Times for Learning
- Creating Consistency
- Nurturing Positive Relationships
- The Importance of Play
- Learning Language
- Buffering the Brain from Toxic Stress
- The Role of Music
- What Parents Can Do
- What Child Care Can Do
Emergent Literacy: Helping Young Children’s Development Through Reading: You can build pre-reading skills intentionally by the way you interact with children through reading and other activities. Helping Young Children’s Development Through Reading Fact Sheet
Suddenly In Charge: This is a great resource to help teens and tweens with their roles in taking care of younger children. https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/families/suddenly-in-charge/index.html.
Programs
Bonding Thru Board Games: This one time or series of classes promotes family quality time and face-to-face interaction. Board games help develop the six traits of strong families around the world and vital interpersonal skills needed at home, school and workplace.
Strengthening Families Program (SFP) (ages 7-17) - This family skills training program effectively addresses two of the largest predictors of juvenile delinquency. Parents and youth attend weekly SFP skills classes together, learning parenting skills and youth life and refusal skills. https://strengtheningfamiliesprogram.org/