Parents as Teachers
You are your child's first and best teacher.
Parents create a strong foundation for their child’s success in school and life.
But who teaches you? That’s where Parents as Teachers comes in. Our program pairs you with a certified Parent Educator for regular home visits filled with fun, educational activities tailored just for your child. Forget guessing games—we help you understand exactly what milestones your child is working toward, strengthening the parent-child connection along the way. We also take care of crucial health and developmental screenings, ensuring any delays are identified early so your child gets the timely support they deserve. We’re here to give you the guidance and confidence you need to rock parenthood.
Parents as Teachers is a free home visiting program offered in English and Spanish that teaches parents about early childhood development, increases their child’s school readiness through play, and provides early detection of developmental delays and health issues.
Free home visits
Available in English and Spanish
Parents as Teachers is a free, at-home program for parents who have a child from prenatal to 48 months of age. Once the family is enrolled, services will continue until the child enters kindergarten.
Want to learn more?
Call (520) 552-4077, email Parents as Teachers Supervisor Irma Marquez, or complete our online referral form below.
Learn, play, grow: PAT activities
Activity idea 1
To help your child’s cognitive and language development, record various sounds around your home, such as running water, a pen clicking, a dog barking, a fan blowing, and other noises you can think of. After each sound, ask your child to guess the sound before showing him/her the correct answer. They will laugh with excitement when they are right and giggle if wrong. If you can’t think of sounds, YouTube has several sound videos for kids!
Activity idea 2
Here’s an easy way to start puzzle play! Cut a picture your child is familiar with into 4 pieces. Have them put the pieces together to make a whole picture. Once your child masters the 4 pieces, cut it into 6 to 8 pieces. The great news is, you do not have to buy puzzles as you can even use a cereal box.
Activity idea 3
All you need is a paper plate and a popsicle stick and markers! Draw different faces on half a plate and have the kids talk about each of those feelings and what makes them feel that way! For example: “I see you have a happy face. What makes you happy? What makes you sad? Mad? Frustrated?” This fun activity teaches you about your child’s thoughts about emotions, and is great for social-emotional development. It also increases fine motor development as the kids draw the pictures on the plate!
Support for Parents as Teachers is provided by a grant from First Things First, which partners with families and communities to give all Arizona children the opportunity to arrive at kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed. Learn more at FirstThingsFirst.org.
Visit the National Parents as Teachers website to learn more about this program.
