Think Small

Services, resources and advocacy for early childhood care and education in Minnesota.

Our mission is to advance quality care and education of children in their crucial early years.

10/12/2026

Some children carry more than we can see. Trauma-sensitive practices help early educators look beyond behavior to understand what a child may be experiencing.

Think Small Institute helps early childhood professionals strengthen the essential skills to build connection, trust, and safety.

Browse trauma-sensitive care courses: https://loom.ly/Cro5DVA

10/09/2026

Children come from every community and background. Indigenous stories, history, and traditions are too often left out of that picture. Children absorb the world's stories long before they can evaluate them critically. That's why it matters what stories they hear, and who's telling them.

Learning about the history, values, and traditions of American Indigenous communities, told by the communities themselves, gives children a fuller, more accurate picture of the world they're growing up in.

See Book Recommendations from American Indians in Children's Literature:
https://loom.ly/YLAOISQ

10/06/2026

🌟Curious about earning a Star Rating for your child care program?
Join a free Parent Aware information session to learn how the process works.

Sessions cover the history of Parent Aware, pathways to a Star Rating, required training, key deadlines, and the grants available once you're rated.

FREE Parent Aware Sessions Available in 3 Languages
Choose language and preferred time to register at the following links:
🗣️ English: October 8 and November 12, & November 17: https://loom.ly/skNBbXk
🗣️ Español: October 14 and November 11, https://loom.ly/NsUroBE
🗣️ Af-Soomaali: October 13 and November 10, https://loom.ly/0R5K72I

Questions?
✉️ Email [email protected]

09/24/2026

You may have heard of Parent Aware, but what does it actually do?

Parent Aware is Minnesota's quality rating and improvement system that gives child care providers the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to high-quality early learning. Programs receive coaching, professional development, and guidance as they work toward quality goals that support children's development.

🌟At Think Small, our Quality Coaches and Professional Development Advisors help providers navigate Parent Aware every step of the way.

Discover what being Parent Aware-rated means to this family child care provider and her families: https://loom.ly/p0_qEds

09/23/2026

When we talk about high-quality early learning, we're talking about much more than supervision.

High-quality programs create safe, engaging environments where infants, toddlers, and preschoolers can learn through play, build relationships, and develop the social, emotional, language, and cognitive skills that support lifelong learning.

Quality also means supporting the educators who make those experiences possible through coaching, professional development, and evidence-based practices, something Think Small is committed to every day.

See what this looks like in practice: read one family child care provider's story of what's possible: https://loom.ly/G5Syx-k

09/21/2026

The early years of a child's life are a critical period for brain development, learning, and healthy relationships.

That's why policies supporting access to quality early childhood education have lasting benefits, not only for children, but for families and communities as well.

Every child deserves the opportunity to build a strong foundation from the very beginning.

See more of how Think Small is advocating for children in Minnesota: thinksmall.org/advocacy

📖 Source: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (n.d.). Brain architecture. https://loom.ly/tW62dIA

09/18/2026

📣 Last call for Regional Grant applications.

If you run a child care program that serves children, birth to school-age, are currently licensed by the State or Tribal Government, or are legally license-exempt in Minnesota and haven't applied yet, now's the time. Apply through your organization profile on Develop.

❓Questions before you submit?
More info at https://loom.ly/QGFD7gI

Or check the application guide here: https://loom.ly/lOhG6XM
Navigate to Grants and Financial Support > Regional Grants

❗The window for applications closes Friday, September 25.

09/16/2026

"I know how to recognize when a child's behavior may be a response to trauma rather than bad behavior." That's what one family child care provider said after this training. That shift in perspective changes how a child is seen and supported.

Our six-session Trauma-Responsive Care for Infants and Toddlers series starts September 29 in Rochester, MN. You'll walk away from every session with strategies you can use right away, whether or not you're currently caring for a child who's experienced trauma. Stress and hard life events can show up for any family, at any time.

Register for the full series for $60 (a $30 savings) or pick the individual sessions that fit your schedule.

🙋‍♀️ Not in the South/Southeastern Minnesota area? We have trauma-responsive care trainings open to early childhood professionals across Minnesota. Ask us about what's available near you.

✔️Register for Session 1 by September 24: https://loom.ly/iHKCSpQ

09/15/2026

🌟Curious about earning a Star Rating for your child care program? Join a free Parent Aware information session to learn how the process works.

Sessions cover the history of Parent Aware, pathways to a Star Rating, required training, key deadlines, and the grants available once you're rated.

Upcoming sessions:
👉 Sunday, September 21: 6:30-8:00 PM
👉 Thursday, October 8: 1:00-2:30 PM
👉 Tuesday, November 17: 1:00-2:30 PM

See more on our flyer : https://loom.ly/sMrjvTk

Interested in scheduling a time to talk with the Parent Aware Recruiter one on one? Reach out to Theresa at [email protected].

09/12/2026

Happy Grandparents Day to every grandparent who shares story time, snack time, and the everyday moments that help children grow.

Consistent, caring relationships help build the foundation children need to thrive.

Tag a grandparent who makes a difference in a child's life.

Address

10 Yorkton Court
Saint Paul, MN
55117

Telephone

+16516410305

Website

http://www.thinksmall.org/

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