For people working in the childcare industry, you must be aware of the fact that providing high-quality care for children can be a difficult job. Childcare requires a great dose of commitment and patience. You also need to know how to respond to every situation with empathy, love, and appropriate actions.
Sometimes it can be difficult to teach a subject you are not trained in as a parent when it comes to childcare, especially when you have a full-time job at the same time. Besides, most parents lack the skills needed to care for their children on top of everything else they have going on. For this reason, many have turned and continued to turn to childcare training courses as a way to gain new skills that could help them raise kids.
Regardless of your experience as a babysitter or nanny, there are many things you can do to improve your skills. There are free online childcare training courses that you can take up to achieve that goal. These courses will help you learn more about child psychology and development which will enable you to better understand their needs and behavior.
What Is An Online Childcare Training Course?
The online child care training courses are a great way to begin learning about this challenging and rewarding profession without committing to a full-time degree program. Online child care training courses, which can be completed at your own pace, may help prepare you for entry-level work in the field or act as a stepping stone to an associate’s degree program.
One of the programs that offer certificates includes training on topics such as child development and nutrition. One of the programs that offer degrees includes advanced classes like early childhood education theory and practice or EDUC 508: Education of Young Children with Disabilities (ECED 508).
What Exactly Do You Learn In An Online Child Care Course?
You’re probably wondering what you can learn in an online child care course. What exactly do you learn and how long does it take to complete? These are all important questions to ask before deciding which path is right for you. The curriculum of an online child care course varies from program to program, but generally includes:
- CPR/First Aid certification
- Child abuse prevention and reporting training
- Awareness of human trafficking in the United States and around the world
- Manners training for children aged 0-5 years old; etiquette skills for older children (5-12 years old)
The Benefits of Free Online Childcare Training Courses
Free online childcare training courses are a great way to gain a new skill that can help you enter the workforce. The main benefits of free online childcare training courses include:
- They’re available anywhere you want them to be, so long as you have an internet connection.
- You can take these courses from your kitchen table or at your local library, making them much more accessible than in-person classes.
- You can complete them at your own pace and on your schedule, which means no waiting around for the next class or taking time off work just to get in some schooling.
- Online childcare courses make things much easier if you already have a full-time job and need something in between shifts at work.
Best Free Online Childcare Training Courses with Certificates
There are a plethora of free online childcare courses with a certificate on completion therefore deciding which courses to take may seem to be a daunting task but do not worry, here are some of the best free online childcare courses with a certificate on completion of the course:
- Introduction to Early Childhood Education
- The Science of Parenting
- Everyday Parenting
- Introduction to child psychology
- Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health
- Attachment in the Early Years
- Early Years of Teamwork and Leadership
- Diploma in Special Needs
- Educator Training Course
- Child Development Course
- Special Needs Education Course
Introduction to Early Childhood Education
This introductory course provides an overview of the field of early childhood education and covers topics such as:
- What is early childhood education?
- The importance of positive relationships with children.
- How to use developmentally appropriate practices
You will develop skills in identifying, understanding, and responding to your feelings, as well as those of others. You will learn how to nurture children’s natural curiosity while helping them develop social skills that they will need later in life. This course also gives you a chance to explore the benefits of becoming an early childhood educator through hands-on activities and discussions with guest speakers who are currently teaching or working in this field.
The Science of Parenting
Parenting is one of the most important jobs in the world. It means being there when your child needs you, giving them guidance and advice, disciplining them when they do something wrong, and helping them reach their full potential. As with any other profession, it’s good to get trained before you start practicing.
The Science of Parenting is a free online course that will give you an overview of different parenting styles, skills needed to be a great parent, and advice on how to deal with various situations as they happen in real life.
Introduction to Child Psychology
The field of child development is a broad one that incorporates the theories, studies, and research related to children’s growth and development. Child psychology is concerned with the mental, emotional, and social aspects of children. The two terms are often used interchangeably because there is overlap between their content areas (e.g., child development may include topics such as cognitive development).
The field has many sub-fields including early childhood education, youth counseling, child clinical psychology/psychiatry/psychotherapy (including play therapy), social work with children and families; also known as clinical or school psychology; developmental disabilities (such as autism spectrum disorders or intellectual disability) which includes developmental pediatricians who specialize in treating these conditions; human services practitioners working with young people who have emotional issues such as depression or anxiety disorder.
Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health
In this course, you will learn about the importance of mental health in children and young people. You will be able to understand the impact of mental health on the family and how to support children and young people with mental health difficulties. You will also learn about:
- The prevalence of different types of mental health problems in children and young people
- Evaluating interventions designed to improve outcomes for individuals with a learning disability who have a mental disorder
- Understanding common issues faced by families living with someone who has a learning disability
Attachment in the Early Years
This course deals with the Attachment theory framework which is a framework for understanding the development of children and their relationships with caregivers. The basic idea is that infants have an innate desire to form close, long-lasting bonds with their parents or other caregivers from an early age. According to attachment theory, these bonds form the foundation for all future attachments and relationships throughout life.
If you’re interested in learning more about how attachment works, this course will teach you everything you need to know about building secure attachments with young children through positive parenting strategies. You’ll gain knowledge on topics like:
- The importance of attachment in the early years
- How to build a secure attachment between caregiver and child
- The importance of secure attachments for healthy development
Early Years of Teamwork and Leadership
In this course, you will learn what teamwork and leadership are and how they apply to early years settings. You will explore the skills needed to be a good team leader, member, or coach. You will gain an understanding of how children learn about teamwork and leadership at different ages.
You will develop strategies for supporting young people with their learning through self-evaluation, reflection, collaboration, and goal setting. You will explore ways in which working as part of a team can help you develop an effective practice for child development.
Diploma in Special Needs
The Diploma in Special Needs is a one-year course that gives you an introduction to the main issues related to the care of children and adults with special needs. This could be your first step towards a career working in this field, or it could help you gain more skills for your current job. You’ll learn about:
- Child development from birth to adulthood
- Mental health issues such as eating disorders, self-harm, and substance misuse
- Physical disabilities such as autism and cerebral palsy
The diploma is delivered online by Open College Network (OCN), which means you can study on your schedule while still accessing expert help when needed.
Educator Training Course
The Educator Training Course is designed to give you a thorough introduction to the world of early childhood education and how children learn. You’ll learn about their mental health, how they behave in different situations, how they develop, and how to support them in that process.
The course also covers attachment theory, which is used as a framework for working with young children who might be struggling with their relationships with caregivers or other children due to trauma or abuse.
You can choose from two different paths: Early Years of Teamwork and Leadership covers teamwork skills such as communication and conflict resolution; Diploma in Special Needs focuses on special educational needs such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Down syndrome or dyslexia; both include modules on child development topics like language acquisition or physical growth & development with plenty of opportunities for self-reflection along the way.
Child Development Course
The Child Development course is an online course that is designed to give you the knowledge and skills to be able to work with children in a variety of settings. This course covers topics such as child development, early childhood education, child psychology, and more. You will learn how to work with children in different settings including schools, daycare centers, and camps. Upon completion of this course, you may receive your certificate from Highline College. They offer several other certificates as well including the Early Childhood Education Certificate or Infant/Toddler Care Certificate.
Special Needs Education Course
If you’re looking for a career in special needs education, this course is a great place to start. You’ll learn about the important principles of working with children who have specific learning needs. You’ll also discover how to develop an inclusive environment where all students can thrive and succeed.
The course includes information on how to identify students with special needs, create lesson plans that address these needs, and provide support for both classroom teachers and parents. Additionally, it will give you an overview of laws regarding special education services as well as state-specific requirements.
In addition to learning about legal regulations around educational services for children with disabilities, this course will help you become familiar with common methods used by teachers when working with students who have special needs or physical impairments such as cerebral palsy or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
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Online Platforms that give Free Childcare Training Courses with Certificates
Alison
A platform called Alison Alison offers thousands of free online courses and is constantly adding more. This program is free to study and awards certificates.
They provide three different types of certificates: an online certificate that can be downloaded in the form of a pdf; a physical certificate that is security marked and shipped to your location, free of charge; and, finally, a physical certificate that is shipped free as well but is mounted in a chic frame.
CCEI
To satisfy licensure, recognition program, and Head Start standards, CCEI, short for ChildCare Educational Institute, offers professionals more than 150 online child care training courses in both English and Spanish. The educational demands of practitioners in a variety of settings, such as family child care, preschool, prekindergarten, childcare centers, and more, are met by the coursework provided by this platform.
The CCEI provides online child care training courses that address topics relevant to the child care sector and award certifications upon completion.
Continued
Continued provides courses that cover the fundamental skills as well as other important professional development subjects like lesson planning, family engagement, and parent involvement.
These classes are taught by knowledgeable instructors who are eager to keep you up to date on the finest procedures to use in your classroom, institution, or daycare facility.
H&H ChildCare
A certificate is awarded upon completion of the free online training courses offered by H&H Childcare Training Center. This platform has IACET accreditation, and its diploma is recognized in several states.
Agrilife Childcare
Whether you work with young children in a preschool, Head Start, or other early care and education setting, AgriLife Extension’s Child Care Online Training website offers a wide range of online child care training courses to support your continuing education and early childhood professional development needs.
Important Skills For Working with Children
There are several types of skills you require to successfully work with children. Some of these skills include:
- Patience: You need to have the trait of patience when you’re working with children because sometimes they can get you upset but you have to muster the patience to be able to take care of children.
- Creativity: working with children requires you to have creativity in dealing with children, so that when situations arise you can improvise when needed.
- Flexibility: Working with children requires you to be very flexible especially if such children are already learning how to work or walking already, to avoid the children getting into trouble or getting injured.
- Communication: Communication is very important in childcare because if you do not have the skill of proper communication with the children then you cannot take care of them in the first place.
FAQs
What are the best childcare courses?
There are several childcare courses available online with the best of them including an introduction to child psychology, childcare development course, etc.
What are the best free online childcare courses?
There are several free online childcare courses online that come with a certificate. Some of such free online courses include Introduction to Early Childhood Education, The Science of Parenting, Everyday Parenting, etc.
Can I do a childcare course online?
Yes, you can do a childcare course online and get certified for the course.
Do I need a certificate from my online childcare course
Yes, you need a certificate to practice childcare, teaching, or nurturing children.
Conclusion
You can’t help but feel like a superhero when you save the day. And with your child care training, you’ll be doing that every day, when you begin working with children, Whether it’s picking kids up from school or making sure they eat their vegetables, you can rest assured knowing that you are helping children grow into healthy and happy adults.
These courses will help you learn how to care for children and how to improve your skills as an educator. Childcare is a rewarding career, but it can be challenging at times too. These courses will give you all the tools you need to succeed in this field.
