The Hampton Roads Basics are five fun, simple, and powerful ways that every family can give every child a great start in life.
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The Basics Principles
The Basics Principles combine scientific rigor with broad coverage of key domains of early-childhood development. They are simple enough to commit to memory for regular use.
Maximize Love, Manage Stress
Warm and responsive parenting lays the foundation for healthy social, emotional and cognitive development.
English version of Maximize love manage stress | Español version of Maximize love manage stress
Count, Group, and Compare
Gaps in mathematical knowledge open up during early childhood, with disadvantaged children often falling behind.
English version of Count, Group, and Compare | Español version of Count, Group, and Compare
Talk, Sing, and Point
Talking, singing and pointing support oral language development and later reading ability.
English version of Talk, Sing, and Point | Español version of Talk, Sing, and Point
Explore through Movement and Play
Movement affects children’s bodily coordination as well as their relationships with their environments.
English version of Explore through Movement and Play | Español version of Explore through Movement and Play
Read and Discuss Stories
From infancy, frequent and interactive book reading is associated with cognitive and language development
English version of Read and Discuss Stories | Español version of Read and Discuss Stories
Building the Evidence Base
The Basics approach is grounded in the latest research in early childhood learning, brain development, behavioral science, and community change.
An ongoing research agenda engages The Basics Learning Network (BLN) communities in documentation and evaluation for continuous learning and improvement. The Basics aims to assess implementation progress against goals; track key outcomes with respect to community saturation, partner organizations, parents and caregivers, and children; uncover areas for improvement and innovation; and identify lessons and principles that can be shared within the multi-city BLN and the field at large.
- Watch the Feb 3 Early Childhood Executive Briefing in Hampton Roads with Dr. Ron Ferguson (click link and go to your download file)
- Watch the Feb 3 Basics Hampton Roads Campaign Launch with Dr. Ron Ferguson (click link and go to your download file)
The Basics HR Partners
For more information or to become a Hampton Roads Basics Partner, contact Beth Lynch.
In 2020, Mr. Robert C. Goodman, longtime supporter and member of EVMS Board of Trustees, committed to supporting the launch of The Basics Hampton Roads – through The Cooke Fund at The Hampton Roads Community Foundation. The Cooke Fund was established by Virginia Glennan Ferguson in honor of her mother and her grandfather. A dedicated hospital volunteer, Mrs. Ferguson found lasting ways through philanthropy to make life better for people in Hampton Roads. Her generosity established the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology at EVMS in 1995 and continues to impact EVMS in many ways.
Minus 9 to 5 is a collective impact initiative of the M. Foscue Brock Institute for Community and Global Health, housed in the Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School.