Nurturing Young Minds For a Bright Future
✦Little Roots Pocket Guide✦
All About
Little Roots Pocket Guide is a trusted early years resource hub designed to support both parents and educators in navigating the developmental journey of young children with confidence and clarity.
Grounded in child development, inclusive practice, and strength-based support, this platform brings practical tools and professional guidance into one accessible space. Whether you are monitoring development, supporting emotional regulation, or responding to emerging needs, Little Roots Pocket Guide offers ready-to-use resources that fit into real-life routines.
Little Roots Pocket Guide is built on the belief that when adults feel informed and supported, children are empowered to thrive. By bridging home and early learning environments, the platform promotes consistency, collaboration, and responsive caregiving.
Because strong beginnings, start with nurturing little roots.
✦Membership Premium Access✦
One-year subscription • Full access to ALL downloads • Immediate access • No ongoing fees • No updates needed
Little Roots Pocket Guide is a one year membership subscription with full access to all downloadable content in the member’s site. Your subscription provides immediate access to all content—no ongoing updates, no additional fees—just comprehensive support resources available for the entire year.
Get started today. Join hundreds of parents and educators using our resources daily.
Discover everything that’s included with your membership. Explore all the features and benefits available to you.
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Milestone monitoring: Clear, easy-to-follow developmental checklists to help track growth across cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical domains. Designed to support early identification while focusing on strengths.
Gross motor milestones
1st year
2nd year
3rd year
4th–6th year
Social emotional milestones:
Stages of development
1st year
2nd year
3rd year
4th–6th year
Signs of autism in early childhood
School entry milestones
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Speech milestones: Age-based speech and language development guides, including red flags, support strategies, and when to consider referral pathways.
Developmental milestone by age
Infancy 0-6 months
Infancy 6-12 months
Toddlerhood 12-18 months
Toddlerhood 18-24 months
Toddlerhood 2-3 years
Preschool 3-4 years
Preschool 4-5 years
Speech and language tools
Engaging speech and language development
Ear infections on communication
Understanding stuttering
Strategies for second language learning
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Strategy consult notes: Structured support notes offering practical strategies for common early years concern, written in a professional yet easy-to-understand format.
Self regulation and sensory support
Sensory and self-regulation strategies
Sensory processing strategies
Heavy work strategies
Overstimulation management strategies
Co-regulation strategies
Calming strategies
Calm-down corner strategies
Waiting tolerance strategies
Routine-building strategies
Behavior and guidance strategies
Compliance and instructional control strategies
Positive reinforcement strategies
Planned ignoring strategies
Using positive rules strategies
Removing access strategies
Preventing elopement strategies
First/then board strategies
Choice-making strategies
Functions of behavior strategies
Social-emotional development
Building emotional literacy strategies
Entering and engaging in play strategies
Separation anxiety strategies
Attachment-building strategies
Turn-taking and cooperative play strategies
Safe body and personal boundaries strategies
Conflict resolution strategies
Self esteem building
Communication and learning
Toy talk strategies
Following instructions strategies
Transition strategies
Visual schedule strategies
Social story strategies
Small group instruction strategies
Joint attention and attention-building strategies
Imitation skills strategies
Functional use of symbol strategies
Aided language stimulation strategies
Daily living and independence skills
Eating strategies
Packing lunch for school
Picky eating strategies
Sitting posture for eating
Dressing strategies
Sleep/nap strategies
Sleep guide 0-6 months
Sleep guide 6-12 months
Toileting strategies
Understanding toilet readiness strategies
Daytime wetting
Bed wetting
Promoting self-help skills strategies
Motor development
Fine motor strategies
Gross motor strategies
Building core strength strategies
Tummy time strategies
Crawling and bum scooting strategies
Shoes for beginner walker strategies
W sitting strategies
Environmental and classroom supports
Environmental modification and classroom layout strategies
Preparing for entry to school strategies
Outdoor play strategies
Trauma informed care in childcare strategies
Selfcare and wellness for caregivers’ strategies
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Visual supports: Printable visuals including first/then boards, visual schedules, emotion charts, calming strategies, and communication supports to encourage independence and regulation.
Daily living & self-help visuals
Bathroom schedule
Handwashing routine
Dressing routine (summer)
Dressing routine (winter)
Schedule and transition visuals
Daily activities (childcare)
Daily activities (home)
First/then board
Transition warning (3, 2, 1 countdown)
Choice and independence visuals
Choice board (2, 4, 6 options)
Choice board activities
Choice board snacks
Coping strategies choice board
Behavior and expectation visuals
Positive rules
Reinforcement star board
Stop sign
Stop, wait, go
Personal space bubble visual
Functions of behavior visual
Self regulation and emotional awareness visuals
Zones of regulation
Emotions board
Feelings thermometer
Breathing visuals
Personal space and boundaries visual
AAC communication board visuals
Action words, pronouns/ prepositions, social requests and descriptors visual
Placemat visual
Weather and season visuals
Weather visual
Seasons visual
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Social stories: Child-friendly social stories that help explain routines, transitions, emotional experiences, and social situations in ways that build understanding and confidence.
School and learning routines
Back to school
Going to kindergarten
Taking the bus to school
Fire drills
Transitions between activities
Changes to the day are okay
Summer vacation
Winter break
Feelings and self regulation
I can share my feelings
Separation anxiety
How to calm my body
Deep breathing
Using a calming corner
It is too loud — what can I do?
Social skills and friendships
Being a good friend
Making friends
How to ask someone to join play
Turn taking
Giving personal space
Treating toys with respect
Diversity and getting along
Bullying
Safe behavior and self control
Following rules
Positive rules and expectations
Interrupting
Using appropriate language
Gentle hands
Keeping spit in my mouth
Head banging
Screeching and screaming safely
Biting
Pica (keeping unsafe items out of my mouth)
Holding hands and staying with an adult
Family changes and life events
New baby in the family
When someone dies
When parents divorce
Moving to a new home
Community and daily outings
Car rides
Busy bags for waiting times
Mealtime and healthy habits
Eating at the table
Trying new foods
Healthy food choices
Hygiene and self care
Washing my hands
Brushing my teeth
Going to the dentist
Getting a haircut
Wearing clean clothes and keeping clothes on
Using the potty
Wiping after using the bathroom
Rest and comfort
Being quiet during rest and nap time
Wearing and keeping my shoes on
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Coloring sheets: Coloring sheets support children’s learning in vocabulary building, emotional awareness, and routines. Simple illustrations help children understand concepts, express feelings, and connect learning to everyday experiences.
Emotions
Happy
Sad
Angry
Scared
Surprised
Disgust
Shy
Calm
Tired
Confused
Hygiene practices
Brushing teeth
Washing hands
Combing hair
Bathing/showering
Washing face
Clipping nails
Using a tissue
Putting on clean clothes
Flushing the toilet
Tying shoes
Positive behaviors
Sharing toys
Saying “please” and “thank you”
Helping friends
Listening attentively
Waiting their turn
Cleaning up after play
Using gentle hands
Showing empathy
Using kind words
Apologizing
Calming strategies
Deep breathing
Counting to 10
Sitting quietly
Stretching
Hugging a soft toy
Listening to music
Using sensory fidgets
Asking for a hug
Drawing/coloring
Blowing bubbles
Transportation
Walking
Riding a bike
Scooter
Bus
Car
Motorbike
Train/subway
Airplane
Boat
Wheelchair mobility
Animals
Farm animals
Sea animals
Forest animals
Jungle animals
Insects and bugs
Flying birds
Household pets
Safari animals
Desert animals
Arctic animals
Play choices
Pretend play
Block building
Puzzles
Painting / art
Sensory bins
Water play
Gross motor riding toys
Music and instruments
Outdoor play
Reading and quiet corner
Songs
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
The Wheels on the Bus
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
If You’re Happy and You Know It
Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Five Little Monkeys
London Bridge
Ring a Ring o’ Roses
Following Rules
Walking, not running
Sitting while eating
Listening to others
Sharing
Lining up
Taking turns
Using indoor voice
Keeping my hands to myself
Help tidy up
Being kind
Activities at home
Mealtime
Brushing teeth
Bathing
Getting dressed
Tidying up toys
Reading a book
Playing outside
Going into the car
Playing with pets
Sleeping / naptime
Holidays
Canada day
Thanksgiving
Christmas
Easter
New year
Halloween
Truth and reconciliation
Lunar new year
Diwali
Valentines’ day
Mothers’ day
Fathers’ day
Earth Day
Kwanzaa
Holi
Ramadan
Number and letter recognition
A-Z coloring book
1-10 coloring book
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Activity ideas: The Activity ideas offers practical, engaging activities that support children’s development through play and everyday routines.
Fine motor activities
Gross motor activities
Sensory activities
Song boards
Twinkle twinkle little star
Old Macdonald had a farm
Wheels on the bus
Itsy bitsy spider
Five little monkeys
Baby shark
Head and shoulder, knees and toes
If you’re happy and you know it
Row row row your boat
Sticky sticky bubble gum
I know an old lady who swallowed a fly
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Weekly Tracker: The Weekly Tracker is a simple tool for documenting observations, strategies used, and a child’s progress over time to help caregivers and educators in identifying patterns, strengths, and areas needing support.
Weekly tracker
✦Testimonials✦
“I pair the social stories with the coloring sheets, and it gets my children engaged.”
★★★★★
"These resources have transformed how I support families in my early intervention practice. The visual supports are my go-to recommendation."
★★★★★
“Super easy to navigate. Great resources, my children really enjoyed it! It made it easy for me to make connections.”
★★★★★
“Such a great resource, I’ve recommended it to all my friends and family with young children.”
★★★★★
Nurture Little Roots
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