The Hampton Roads Basics are five fun, simple and powerful ways that every family can give every child a great start in life.

The Basics Principles

The Basics Principles combine scientific rigor with broad coverage of key domains of early-childhood development and are simple enough to commit to memory.

Maximize Love, Manage Stress

Warm and responsive parenting lays the foundation for healthy social, emotional and cognitive development.

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Talk, Sing and Point

Talking, singing and pointing support oral language development and later reading ability.

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Explore through Movement and Play

Movement affects children’s coordination as well as how they relate to their environment.

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Count, Group and Compare

Gaps in mathematical knowledge open up during early childhood, with disadvantaged children often falling behind.

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Read and Discuss Stories

From infancy, frequent and interactive book reading is associated with cognitive and language development

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