Welcome to the…
Professional Standards & Competencies Resource Library
The Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators outline the essential knowledge, skills, and practices that are foundational to high-quality early childhood education. These standards define what early childhood educators should know and be able to do in order to support the learning and development of young children from birth through age 8. They serve as a guiding framework for professional development, practice, and evaluation within the field of early childhood education.
Understanding and implementing these standards is crucial for educators as they help ensure the delivery of equitable, inclusive, and high-quality education that promotes the well-being and success of all children. By adhering to these standards, educators also contribute to the profession's commitment to continuous improvement and accountability.
Please note that while the collection of resources has been organized and tagged according to the Professional Standards and Competencies, only the most applicable competencies have been prioritized for searching and tagging purposes.
For NAEYC resources in the library, you can find policies related to reproducing, distributing, or otherwise using content here. For all other resources, please follow appropriate practices for using/citing sources.
Directions for Using the Professional Standards and Competencies Resource Library
Check out the resource library tutorial here!
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The PS&Cs Resource Library allows you to peruse ALL of the many resources available (by default) or you can utilize the provided filter and narrow down your search to target specific resources.
Check out the resource library tutorial for more info.
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By using the filtering categories, you are able to narrow your search to particular professional standards, one or more of the 22 key competencies, various ECE topics, a variety of age ranges, specific types of resources such as articles or videos or even find resources available in languages other than English.
The robust filters even allow you to choose multiple choices across categories or within the same category to further narrow your search!
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Once you have opened the various filter categories provided in the filter tool, you will notice that “all” is highlighted and checked in each category by default. This means the filter tool will not filter out any of those options within that category. If you wish to narrow your search, you simply click on one or more of the other options within the various filtering categories. Clicking will check that option. Checked options will be utilized for your search!
To remove an option, simply click it again to remove the check from the checkbox.
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The search feature is similar to any other search engine on a website. It can be used for a specific key word or phrase. Although the search may be helpful and is provided, the more robust filter tool may ultimately be more helpful in focusing and narrowing your search for resources.
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Naturally, broken links will occur. Sometimes the resource has been moved to a new web address and other times it has been temporarily or permanently removed. We welcome you to report any broken links you find here. We will do our best to replace the link when possible or remove the resource if it is no longer available.
**As of Feb. 2025, certain webpages and resources, particularly from agencies/organizations/projects that receive federal funds, have been at least temporarily removed in order to comply with federal mandates related to the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders. We will continue to monitor these resource links and update them if and when new links are available.
Start Your Search--Resource Library
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Start Your Search--Resource Library *
Sort quickly through the hundreds of available resources by using the filter tool on the left to populate the specific resources you need!
New to Teaching ELLs?
https://go.colorincolorado.org/new-teaching-ells
A comprehensive set of videos and resources that helps students who are new to teaching multilingual learners. Topics include building relationships with students, creating a welcoming classroom, what you need to know about your students, tips from veteran teachers, building an ELL network, and learning from special populations of students.
Organization/Author: Bernadette Pilar Zermeño, Colorin colorado!
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: 2025
Family Literacy at Home: Videos in English and Spanish
https://go.colorincolorado.org/family-literacy-home-videos-english-and-spanish
All families can help their children become readers! These videos offer practical tips for all families on how to support reading at home. These videos are available in English and Spanish and feature early literacy expert Bernadette Pilar Zermeño.
Organization/Author: Bernadette Pilar Zermeño, Colorin colorado!
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: 2025
What Works for Multilingual Learners: 7 High-Quality Preschool Practices
This article outlines seven research-based practices for supporting young multilingual learners (MLLs) through play-based, child-led learning. By prioritizing two-way conversations, hands-on 3D materials, and home-language support, educators create an inclusive environment where children can connect new English vocabulary to their prior knowledge and cultural experiences.
Organization/Author: Karen Nemeth, Colorin’ Colorado!
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: 2025
Creating Boundaries in a “Yes” Environment
https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/creating-boundaries-in-a-yes-environment
This article explores creating a "yes" environment by replacing restrictive rules with flexible, developmental boundaries that support safe risk-taking. By focusing on "reasonably safe" spaces and child "buy-in," educators can shift from constant correction to intentional facilitation, fostering a classroom culture of trust and autonomy.
Organization/Author: Teresa Parlan Gonsoski, Community Playthings
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: Feb. 2023
Outdoor Play for Toddlers Through a Teacher's Eyes: What I've Learned From Two Decades Teaching Toddlers
https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/outdoor-play-for-toddlers
This insightful piece offers a teacher's perspective on the power of nature-based learning for toddlers. It outlines how intentional environments and flexible routines allow children to explore their curiosity, develop sensory awareness, and find emotional regulation through the great outdoors.
Organization/Author: Sara Ruiz, Community Playthings
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: February 2025
Message in a Backpack™. Strategies Families Can Use for Dealing with Stress
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/eyc/summer2025/message-in-a-backpack
This "Message in a Backpack™" article provides practical guidance for families on managing stress to support both adult well-being and child development.
Organization/Author: Ingrid Anderson, Educating Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: Summer 2025
Topic of issue of EYC: Educator Well-Being: Supports Across the Early Childhood Ecosystem
Communicating with Clarity: Helping Children Understand the What, Why, and How of Their Learning
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/summer2024/communicating-clarity
This article explores "clarity for learning," which helps children understand the what (goal), why (relevance), and how (success criteria) of their daily activities. It suggests that by using visuals, think-aloud modeling, and metacognitive questioning, educators empower children to take ownership of their learning and self-monitor their progress across play and academic tasks.
Organization/Author: Kateri Thunder, John T. Almarode, Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Alisha-Demchak, Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: Summer 2024
Topic of issue of YC: Self-Regulation and Executive Function: Responsive and Informed Practices for Early Childhood
Innovations in Higher Education. Including Black Language in Early Childhood Education: Addressing Linguistic Diversity in Teacher Preparation
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/winter2024/including-black-language-ece
This article explores how teacher preparation programs can challenge "anti-Black linguistic racism" by teaching educators to value Black Language as a sophisticated, rule-governed system rather than "broken English." It suggests that by examining personal biases and learning the historical roots of the language, teachers can transition from correcting children to affirming their bilingual identity. This shift is presented as a critical step in creating equitable classrooms where African American children can express themselves authentically without fear of judgment or unfair discipline.
Organization/Author: Taajah Witherspoon and Teaira McMurtry, Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: Winter 2024
Topic of issue of YC: Creating and Supporting High-Quality Early Learning Programs
The Power of Child-Created Texts and Puppetry: Nurturing Preschoolers’ Social and Emotional Development (Voices)
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/winter2024/child-created-texts-and-puppetry
This teacher research article explores how using puppet-making and child-led storytelling helped two multilingual preschoolers build social skills and confidence. It suggests that these creative tools allow children to express themselves beyond language barriers, fostering a sense of belonging and community. By researching their own practice, the educators demonstrate how honoring a child's unique cultural identity can transform their social and emotional development.
Organization/Author: Kiyomi Umezawa and Emiko Kurosawa Arakaki, Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: Winter 2024
Topic of issue of YC: Creating and Supporting High-Quality Early Learning Programs
Message in a Backpack™. Benefits When Families Speak Their Home Languages
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/summer2024/message-backpack-speak-their-home-languages
Also available in Spanish: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/summer2024/message-backpacktm-los-beneficios-de-hablar
This article is a resource written specifically for families to explain why speaking their native language at home is so beneficial for their children. It suggests that using a home language doesn't slow down English learning, but instead builds a child's brain power, strengthens family bonds, and creates a proud sense of cultural identity. By sharing stories and songs in their own language, parents provide a "secret ingredient" that helps their children succeed both at home and in school.
Organization/Author: Rica Ramirez, Teaching Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: Summer 2024
Topic of issue of TYC: Nurturing Multilingual Learners in Preschool
Six Ways Educators Can Honor Home Languages
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/summer2024/educators-can-honor-home-languages
This article explores practical ways educators can value and incorporate children's home languages into the classroom, even if the teachers are monolingual English speakers. It suggests that by engaging families, using multilingual greetings, and affirming home languages during play, educators create a more inclusive environment that strengthens a child's cultural identity. These strategies help build a caring community where diverse linguistic backgrounds are recognized as valuable assets to learning.
Organization/Author: Angele Sancho Passe, Teaching Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: Summer 2024
Topic of issue of TYC: Nurturing Multilingual Learners in Preschool
A Guide to Developmental Environments
A Guide to Developmental Environments
Learn how the conditions in places where children live, grow, play, and learn shape their developing brains and other biological systems, with lifelong implications. This is a set of resources, including working papers, infographics, and policy briefs, all which shed light on this topic.
Organization/Author: Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Publication Date: Various
The New Ecology of Early Childhood: Revisiting Bronfenbrenner’s Theory in the Context of Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities
The New Ecology of Early Childhood: Revisiting Bronfenbrenner’s Theory in the Context of Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities
This working paper from the Stanford Center on Early Childhood revisits Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory in light of present day conditions and challenges.
Organization/Author: Philip A. Fisher, PhD & Joan Lombardi, PhD, Stanford Center on Early Childhood, Stanford University
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: 2025
Building Executive Function Skills Through Games: The Power of Playful Learning
Building Executive Function Skills Through Games: The Power of Playful Learning
This article discusses the importance of executive function to children’s learning and development, exploring the connection between EF and playful learning through games.
Organization/Author: Cynthia A. Wiltshire and Molly Scott, Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: 2024
Individualizing
Learn about individualizing to support individual learning outcomes and goals for children with disabilities. Materials include Adapting the Curriculum: Supervisors Tool, a guide for observations in the classroom; the Classroom Quality Indicators Checklist—a checklist to help supervisors determine that foundational elements of a quality classroom are in place; and Supervisor’s Guide: More About the Quality Indicators.
You’ll find practical strategies for educators and other caregivers in the Classroom Quality Indicators Checklist; Individualizing Within a Group Activity; and the Planned Instruction Form—to use when planning for an individual child in your program. The Arts & Crafts signs can be posted throughout the learning spaces to give staff ideas about what to work on while engaging with children.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Training
Publication Date: Unknown
TEDTalk: What we learn before we're born
It all begins with an idea.
TEDTalk: What we learn before we're born
When does learning begin? Answer: Before we are born. In this 20 minute Ted Talk, science writer Annie Murphy Paul talks through new research that shows how much we learn in the womb -- from the lilt of our native language to our soon-to-be-favorite foods.
Organization/Author: Annie Murphy Paul, TED Talk
Type of Resource: Video
Publication Date: 2011
Crying and Laughing: The Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers
Link: https://media.edweb.net/edWebinar/?view=20201028edweb32
A 60 minute recording of an overview of the book, Crying and Laughing: the Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers.
Organization/Author: Dr. Donna Sasse Wittmer, Gryphon House Webinar
Type of Resource: Webinar
Publication Date: 2020
Rocking and Rolling. Nurturing Infants and Toddlers with Diverse Language Experiences
Link: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2020/rocking-and-rolling
Rocking and Rolling, edited by Rebecca Parlakian and her colleagues from ZERO to THREE, focuses on supporting infants, toddlers, and their families. Each column offers instructional insights and suggestions that are grounded in research yet presented through real-life examples.
Organization/Author: Karen Nemeth, Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: 2020
NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Position Statement (full document)
NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Position Statement (full document)
This position statement, one of five foundational documents developed by NAEYC in collaboration with the early childhood profession to advance high-quality early learning for all young children, defines the term, “developmentally appropriate practice.” The definition emerges from a set of evidence-based core considerations and principles of child development and learning, all of which are explained in the principles section of this statement. To support educators’ use of developmentally appropriate practice, this statement also identifies guidelines for decision making in six key areas of responsibility that correspond to the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators.
Organization/Author: NAEYC
Type of Resource: Position Statement
Publication Date: 2020
NAEYC’s Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators: (full document)
advancingequitypositionstatement.pdf
This position statement is one of five foundational documents NAEYC has developed in collaboration with the early childhood profession. With its specific focus on advancing equity in early childhood education, this statement complements and supports the other foundational documents that (1) define developmentally appropriate practice, (2) set professional standards and competencies for early childhood educators, (3) define the profession’s code of ethics, and (4) outline standards for early learning programs.
Organization/Author: NAEYC
Type of Resource: Position Statement
Publication Date: 2019
Additional Resources
