ECFE Classes
Early Childhood Parent Education
The mission of Early Childhood Family Education is to strengthen families through the education and support of all parents to provide the best possible environment for the healthy growth and development of their children.
- ECFE is open to all families in the state of Minnesota. More than 300,000 parents attend each year - more than any other statewide early childhood program.
- ECFE helps to build community by connecting parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
- ECFE is taught by licensed early childhood and parent educators.
ECFE Parent-Child classes include:
Parent and Child Interaction Time: Parents and children explore a classroom filled with developmentally appropriate play and learn activities. The Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota Early Learning Standards provides a framework for these activities which may include sensory, literacy, language, cognitive and physical activities to name a few.
Guided Play for Children: During this time a licensed early childhood teacher, assisted by a teaching assistant, provides an educational playtime as they demonstrate making friends, encouraging socializing, sharing and functioning in a group.
Parent Discussion Time: Parents meet to share support, experiences and information about child development and parenting techniques. The Minnesota Parent Education Core Curriculum provides a framework for topics that may include: routines and sleep, the importance of play, discipline, and balancing parent-child needs and more.
Class Definitions
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Non-Separating: Parents stay with babies the entire class.
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Separating: Parent discussion time is held in a separate room.
Class Location
Classes are located at the Discovery Center (5050 Independence Street) in Maple Plain, MN 55359.
Financial Assistance
We never want fees to be the reason you don’t attend ECFE. Please call if fees are difficult to pay. The Minnesota State Legislature requires all ECFE programs to utilize a sliding fee scale based on household income.