New Parent Coaching App Helps Parents with Young Children at Home During COVID Manage Daily Routines and Engage in Activities that Support Child Development and Well-Being

BETHESDA, Md., April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Teaching Strategies, the widely-used and trusted provider of early childhood curriculum, developmental assessment, and resources, announced today the free, early release of ParentPal™, a new holistic parenting app for families of children ages zero to five. The app, developed with Baby Einstein founder Julie Aigner-Clark, is a comprehensive parenting coach and resource providing a daily suggested plan for each child, a vast content repository of more than 2000 research-based activities, milestones and media, data trackers, and memory books -- all in one easy-to-use app.

"As a father of twins, I know parenthood can be challenging to navigate some days. Today, amid the uncertainty of a global pandemic, parents are juggling more than ever, which is why we have accelerated the release of ParentPal and decided to waive subscription fees for any parent who wants to use it through June 30," said John Olsen, CEO of Teaching Strategies. "Every parent of a young child should have the best research-based guidance and coaching at their fingertips -- or literally in their pocket.  People are used to leveraging training, advice, and personal data through sophisticated smartphone apps to prepare them for new challenges in their lives, such as preparing chef-quality meals, training for marathons, or modifying their behavior to meet health goals. Now we have the ability to combine what has worked effectively in these categories with our expertise in early childhood development to help parents tackle the most important challenge of their lives."

The app combines the tracking of daily routines like sleeping, eating, and health checks, with daily roadmaps for facilitating key developmental milestones for babies, infants, and toddlers. It also provides memory books that capture and retain first-did-it moments. The activities delivered through the daily roadmaps are fully aligned with Teaching Strategies' widely used Objectives for Development and Learning (ODLs) and rooted in milestones defined by Dr. Harold "Harry" Ireton and the Ireton Child Development Review -- the gold standard that has defined the field of developmental milestones. These milestones are commonly used by pediatricians across the U.S, and the ODLS are embedded in Teaching Strategies' curriculum used in more than 17,000 child care centers across the country.

"Eighty percent of the human brain is formed by age 3, making the early years incredibly exciting and important moments. But they can also be overwhelming -- every parent wonders whether they're doing it right and how to keep track of everything,'" said Julie Aigner-Clark, founder of Baby Einstein and co-founder of ParentPal. "We designed ParentPal to take the guesswork out of the parenting journey, and to foster high quality engagement between parent and child so critical to each child's development. Together with Teaching Strategies, pediatricians, and some of the best minds in early childhood, we've developed a comprehensive parenting tool for families."

Parents and caregivers can access customized daily plans of play-based and learning-centered activities and routines tailored to each of their children's ages and stages of development. Activities cover a host of developmental areas from cognitive, social, and physical to math and language arts. These activities are designed around everyday household objects as well as curated books and toys.

Teaching Strategies is making the app available for free until the end of June 2020. Parents will then be able to subscribe to the app on a monthly basis. ParentPal is available for download initially on IOS through the App Store only but within a few weeks will also be available for download on Android smartphone devices through Google Play. 

To download ParentPal in the Apple App Store now, visit: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parentpal-my-parenting-expert/id1503751071.

About Teaching Strategies: With ground-breaking solutions and a strong belief that a child's first eight years form a critical foundation for school success, Teaching Strategies has been an advocate for the early education community for over 30 years. Today, Teaching Strategies provides curriculum, assessment, professional development, and family connection resources to programs across the country. Its products, including Tadpoles, the award-winning Creative Curriculum® for Preschool, and widely-adopted assessment solutions like GOLD®, reach over 2 million children each year. To learn why thousands of early childhood programs and many states choose to partner with Teaching Strategies to help ensure children's success in school and in life, visit teachingstrategies.com and follow us on Twitter @TeachStrategies.

SOURCE Teaching Strategies