The Cooperative Extension system is part of the state landgrant university system and has a presence in all states and most counties across the country. Programs and resources may be different in different states and counties because most of the funding for Cooperative Extension comes from state and county governments and are based on the needs in the particular area.
Child care providers may find many resources to help them learn about child development, serve nutritious snacks and to create interesting learning programs for children.
For example, Deidra Hicks, a 4-H Systems Manager from Burke County, North Carolina reports that her county has free training opportunities, a 4-H club program for children 5 to 19 years, and lots of curriculum and educational kits on loan.
Cooperative Extension has also funded the National Network for Child Care. If you have access to the internet, you can find many resources at www.nncc.org.
If you are interested in additional resources check out your local Cooperative Extension office. While we can’t promise what you’ll find, we are quite sure there will be something of interest for everyone!