The Early Childhood Resources on this page serve as tools to complement a comprehensive early childhood classroom curriculum and behavior support system. They may be used to support all types of classrooms and students with various support needs with the goal of establishing a positive, effective learning environment for everyone.

Expectations

Setting clear expectations helps young children understand what to do, how to be successful, and what will happen next, making the classroom feel predictable and safe. When expectations are consistently taught and reinforced, children gain the confidence and comfort they need to explore, engage, and learn. This shared clarity supports all children and is especially essential for those who need more explicit guidance to navigate routines and interactions.

• START Connecting article - Behavioral Expectations for Early Childhood Classrooms
• Program Expectations Matrix Development Instructions and Template
• Program Expectations Matrix Template and Examples
• Classroom Expectations Development Instructions
• Classroom Expectations Summary Chart Template
• Expectations Poster Templates
• Teaching expectations checklist

Visual Supports

Visual supports provide information so children know what is happening and what will happen next, which helps them follow routines, understand expectations, and complete tasks. They can also reduce anxiety and frustration and increase confidence. Making information visual is effective because many preschoolers with autism and related disabilities have stronger visual processing than language processing, making visual information easier for them to understand and use.

• Visual supports across activities
• Visual support examples

Inclusion

Inclusion is strongly recommended for young children with disabilities because research and national guidance show that learning and playing alongside peers leads to better language, social, and developmental outcomes. Michigan’s inclusion resources emphasize that preschoolers thrive when they participate in the same everyday routines, activities, and learning experiences as their classmates, with supports added as needed. When programs create inclusive environments, children build meaningful relationships, practice important skills in natural settings, and develop the confidence and competence they need for future school success.

Michigan

• MDE Guidance - Preschool in the LRE
• Inclusion Builders 2021 Implementation Evaluation Findings
• Michigan's Implementation Guide for Preschool
• Preschool Inclusion Collective Action Plan

National

• Building and Sustaining Inclusive Educational Practices
• Dear Colleague Letter on Preschool Least Restrictive Environments (January 9, 2017) - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• Policy Statement: Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs
• Preschool LRE Reference Points and Discussion Prompts from ECTA

Learning Opportunities

Children with autism and similar disabilities benefit from many learning opportunities because frequent chances to respond help them practice new skills, stay engaged, and make steady progress. When these opportunities are paired with clear prompts, timely feedback, and meaningful reinforcement, children better understand what to do and are more motivated to keep trying. This combination builds independence, strengthens communication and social skills, and supports success across daily routines.

• 3Rs (request, response, reaction)
• Prompt hierarchy and summary
• Prompt hierarchy visual (with icons)
• Prompt hierarchy visual (no icons)
• Errorless teaching and prompt fading
• Prompting checklist

Circle Time Engagement Activities

Preschoolers learn best when circle time is fun, interactive, and filled with many opportunities to participate, because playfulness keeps their attention and helps them stay motivated. Engaging activities like surprise boxes create excitement and naturally build in chances to practice communication, social skills, early academics, and other goals.

• Preparing for Circle Manual
• Circle time rules
• CLAMS Surprise box at circle time
• CLAMS Surprise box at circle time-oral motor
• OTR data form
• OTR strategies checklist
• Surprise box activity instructions

CLAMS

CLAMS provides a simple way to teach multiple goal domains in activities. Goals include communication, literacy, academic/pre-academic, motor, and social skills. It helps teachers make learning engaging with many opportunities for children to participate, practice, and build skills in classroom and daily activities. 

• CLAMS Skill Targets by Goal Area
• CLAMS Cards for Classroom Activities
• CLAMS Cards blank template

Preschool Life Skills (PLS)

Preschool Life Skills (PLS) is a research based curriculum designed to teach key social and life skills that support school success. Developed by Dr. Greg Hanley and colleagues, it focuses on skills such as requesting, following directions, tolerating delay, and building friendships. Studies show that PLS improves positive social behavior and reduces challenging behavior in a wide range of early childhood settings for children with and without disabilities.

• Preschool Life Skills (PLS) Google Site
• START Connecting - Preschool Life Skills (PLS) - Teaching Foundational Behaviors for School Success

Universal supports help children learn routines, understand expectations, and stay engaged by creating predictable and supportive environments. These strategies benefit every child, and they are essential for those with higher support needs who rely on clear structure and consistent guidance to be successful.

An effective approach to behavior support is the Prevent Teach Reinforce Respond (PTRR) framework that helps adults understand why challenging behavior is happening and create supportive environments and plans that address challenges proactively and build new skills. Prevent strategies focus on adjusting routines, materials, or environments to reduce triggers, while Teach strategies show children what to do instead through clear instruction and practice. Reinforce strategies strengthen positive behavior by acknowledging it, and Respond strategies guide adults in how to handle challenging behavior calmly and consistently. PTRR can be used for individual children or applied at a classroom level to create predictable, supportive routines that help all children succeed.

• Universal Supports for Early Childhood Checklist
• PTRR Behavior Support Planning
• Identifying Interventions
• Behavior Support Tools
  • Counting Chart – “I am Calm”
  • What Do You Need Chart 1
  • What Do You Need Chart 2
  • What Do You Need Charts - Multiple Template and Pictures
  • Behavior Response Script Example
  • Early Childhood Provider’s Guide to Managing Challenging Behavior

Independence

Building independence skills helps children participate actively in daily routines, make choices, and take on new challenges as they prepare for kindergarten. Adults support this growth by offering prompts when needed, gradually fading them, and giving children the opportunity and time to practice skills so they develop confidence and independence.

• Independence data form 
• Independence data form - example washing hands
• Independence data form - example sequenced play
• Independence video examples
• Task analysis checklist
• Prompt hierarchy and summary
• Prompting checklist

These materials will assist school staff and families when teaching toileting behaviors and related adaptive skills that promote independence. 

• Toilet Teaching Protocol - Start here
• Teaching Toileting Checklist for Young Children
• Teaching Toileting and Adaptive Skills Resource Guide for Young Children

State

• Birth through Five (0-5) Child Outcomes Summary Process Manual
• Build Up Michigan - Accessing School Services Early
• Determination of Eligibility for Michigan Mandatory Special Education for Infants and Toddlers, Birth to Age Three Autism Spectrum Disorder Guidance
• Early On Michigan (birth-3 services)
• Great Start Readiness Program
• Key Elements of High-Quality Early Childhood Learning Environments: Preschool (Ages 3-5)

National

• AFIRM Modules for Toddlers
• Autism Internet Modules (AIM)
• Division of Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices
• Early Childhood PBIS
• Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)
• Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) Online
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) - Autism
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) - Developmentally Appropriate Practice
• NCAEP Evidence-Based Practice Report for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism 
• National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

Resources for Parents/Families

• Family Matters Fact Sheets
• Early Childhood Special Education Evaluation and Services - Michigan Alliance for Families
• Center for Parent Information and Resources
• Learn the Signs - Act Early
• First 100 Days Toolkit from Autism Speaks
• After Identification of ASD: What's next?