Ready by Five
PARENT EDUCATION AND SUPPORT builds the knowledge and skills of parents and caregivers to support their children’s health, development, and learning.
Many of these programs use a home visiting model, in which a parent educator, nurse, or other early childhood professional regularly visits families in their home or another comfortable setting to provide one-on-one, customized education and support. In 2024, there were seven home visiting programs supported by Ready by Five, each with a slightly different focus or serving a different
One example is Baby Scholars, which offers families a series of weekly sessions with a certified parent coach over a period of two and a half months. The program emphasizes how positive parent and child interactions can help a baby’s language, social, and brain development.
Parents report it helps them provide their babies the start they need,
"I learned many things about responsive parenting. I was lost as a mother, and you (Baby Scholars) helped me a lot with my depression. I met other moms with babies. I am grateful for this opportunity." K.R.
"This program is literally a life saver especially for people who didn't have a good example growing up." B. F.
EARLY LEARNING supports children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development while increasing the knowledge and skills of parents and caregivers so they can nurture learning at home. Play is the work of young children, and it is the core of this programming. Play and Learn Communities are facilitated play groups that guide adults and kids through group and individual activities that model learning opportunities and build understanding of child development.
Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) offers Play and Learn through the school’s Phyllis Fratzke Early Childhood Learning Laboratory. Playgroups are offered around the county at libraries, schools, and other community facilities. They are an opportunity for children from diverse neighborhoods and backgrounds to play with and learn from each other.
GRCC staff shared the story of one family that had only lived in the United States a few months and spoke limited English. The family was unsure what to expect at their first playgroup but felt warmly welcomed and have become regulars who go twice a week. One especially meaningful moment came when they met another family that spoke their home language–offering a comforting connection in an unfamiliar place. That experience is a reminder of two important truths: Play is a universal language where all children can learn and thrive, and parents who feel welcome and supported are better able to nurture their child’s development.
"I learned many things about responsive parenting...I met other moms with babies. I am grateful for this opportunity.