Early Childhood
The Early Childhood Team with Nebraska Extension supports adults who play a role in young children’s lives by providing information and resources about early child development. Adults play a significant role in setting the stage for young children's lifelong learning, discovery and success.
FEATURED PROGRAMS
Babysitting Training Clinics
These are one-day workshops for all youth ages 10–15. Dates for 2026 are to be determined. Participants will learn about child development, learn about safety and basic first aid, design a business card, enjoy a healthy snack and receive a babysitter’s workbook.
Join the Waitlist
Look Who’s Hatching
This program brings a hatching experience into early childhood classrooms during spring and summer months. Extension provides all of the supplies needed for a 3-week hatching experience, as well as materials to support young children's exploration of hatching animals in a play-based way.
Sign-Up for a Hatch
Healthy Habits: The 8-Dimensions of Wellness
Healthy Habits supports early childhood educators through collaborative professional development, peer mentorship and community resources. This program helps to normalize wellness as part of professional practice because wellness is not optional. When educators thrive, children thrive. Participants will have access to the learning live on zoom or on-demand and some sessions may be held in-person. This program is delivered over 12 months.
Cultivating Healthy Intentional Mindful Educators (CHIME)
The CHIME Program provides education and guidance on how to incorporate mindfulness and reflective practice into your daily routine, teaching and caregiving.
Learn More About CHIME
Healthy Habits: Digital Wellness Journals
These monthly fill-in PDFs offer daily prompts and quotes to support your wellness journey. Ideal for early childhood professionals aiming to develop sustainable, healthy habits all year long.
Professional Development & Individualized Coaching Opportunities
We offer in-classroom coaching opportunities for early childhood educators. We also provide individualized professional development sessions for early childhood centers and organizations.
Topics covered include, but are not limited to:
- Challenging Behaviors
- Child-Led Teaching
- The Importance of Play
- Emotional Well-being
Rates for coaching start at $75/hour and rates for individualized professional development start at $85/hour.
If you are an early childhood educator and are interested in individualized coaching or professional development sessions with an Extension educator, please contact us!
MEET YOUR LOCAL EXPERT
Jaci Foged
Extension Educator, Early Childhood
Jaci is an Extension Educator on the Early Childhood Team leading a multi-state grant focusing on the Cultivating Healthy Intentional Mindful Educators (CHIME) program. Jaci holds a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Doane University in Crete, NE. Jaci provides training to childcare providers and families in the Southeast area of Nebraska. Jaci is the Program Coordinator for a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families grant on Head Start University Partnerships: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-being. Since the fall of 2000, Jaci has been working with children birth to 8 years of age, including eight years of center-based childcare director experience.
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Knowledge Base & Help Center
Do you have questions about statewide Early Childhood educational programs? Want to learn more about Early Childhood? Need help finding resources that are available to you?
Find information about
Read for Resilience
Choosing Quality Childcare
Co-Parenting
Family Relationships
Family Meals
and much more!
This program is eye-opening, helping me build a stronger relationship with my own well-being while giving me practical strategies I can use in my classroom and daily life.”
— Mindful Self-Care Class Participant
This [training] was HIGHLY beneficial to my own mental health and the longevity of my career in early childhood!’
— Training Participant