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 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.
Count, Group and Compare
Gaps in mathematical knowledge open up during early childhood, with disadvantaged children often falling behind.
Talk, Sing and Point
Talking, singing and pointing support oral language development and later reading ability.
Explore through Movement and Play
Movement affects children’s coordination as well as how they relate to their environment.
Read and Discuss Stories
From infancy, frequent and interactive book reading is associated with cognitive and language development
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, 2021 Early Childhood Executive Briefing in Hampton Roads with Dr. Ron Ferguson
- Watch the Feb. 3, 2021 Basics Hampton Roads Campaign Launch with Dr. Ron Ferguson
The Basics HR Partners
For more information or to become a Hampton Roads Basics Partner, contact Beth Parker: ParkerEK@evms.edu
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 in 1995 and continues to impact EVMS in many ways.