Know and Grow Oklahoma

There are so many ways to foster a stronger, more resilient community for children to grow up in. You can start with yourself: take care of yourself and others. Practice patience, kindness and mindfulness and encourage others to do the same.

How a child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offers important clues about that child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children (75% or more) can do by a certain age. Here are some important milestones for children who are five years old.

For young children, play is serious business! From The Johns Hopkins University: Play will help babies develop their fine and gross motor skills. From an emotional development perspective, more play has been shown to help babies learn to cope with stress and develop their emotional intelligence, resiliency and social skills. All those things are important for our babies and then our kids, and in the end, for us as adults. So the benefits of play are tremendous.

Curious about what Know and Grow OK is all about? Watch our video for info and inspiration. We hope you'll join our mission.

By the age of four, 75 percent or more of children have reached these developmental milestones - if your child, or a child you care for hasn't, don't panic. But do consider checking in with their pediatrician or caregiver.

Do you know a parent or caregiver of a young child who could use some support? Tell them about the OK Warmline, a program for families, child care providers, and other caregivers where callers can receive consultation and support around the difficult job of caring for and nurturing infants, toddlers, and school-aged children birth to 13 as they grow and develop.

When a child reaches three years old, most children have reached a particular set of milestones. Whether or not a child has reached age-appropriate milestones can offer important clues about that child's overall development. A developmental milestone is something 75 percent of children (or more) can do by a certain age.

How can you become more engaged in the well-being of the youngest people in your community? You could volunteer at the library, host a park clean-up day, or join Know and Grow OK's Early Relational Health Corps. Feeling extra motivated? Do all three!

Join Oklahoma's Early Relational Health Corps (ERHC)! Early relational health is a framework for understanding the importance of safe, stable and nurturing relationships in the lives of infants and toddlers to help them thrive. The building blocks for strong early relational health are the responsive and supportive daily interactions that help children feel safe, connected and competent, and set them up for a lifetime of health, educational achievement and social connection. Join the Early Relational Health Corps to learn more about simple steps you can take in your everyday life to support infants, toddlers and their families. Early relational health is everyone’s business.

Everyone can do a little bit to make life a little better for everyone. That includes you!