• Good Starting Points
• Adoption
• Buying Guides and Entertainment Reviews
• Caregiving
• Child Care
• Child Safety on the Web
• Children with Disabilities
• Health
• Local Area Information, Programs and Services
• Military Family Support
• Parenting
• Safety
• Summer Camps and Programs

• BabyCenter
  Information on pregnancy, babies and toddlers.

• FamilyFun
  Lots of activities, food, health, local resources and travel ideas and tips.

• Family Education Network
  Ideas on things to do and science fun.

• Great Web Sites for Kids
  The American Library Association offers these well-organized lists of selected sites for children, parents, caregivers, homeschoolers, teachers and librarians.

• Naming Your Baby

• Baby Names Finder
  Search through BabyCenter's database of names by sex, ethnic origin, beginning letter, number of syllables and more.

• Baby Names
  This useful site from Baby Zone provides lists of names, articles about naming your baby and statistics on the most popular baby names.

• Nuttin' But Kids
  Songs, fingerplays, crafts, and other activities for preschoolers. Though this site is designed for child-care providers, anyone who works (or plays) with preschoolers will find good ideas here.

• Adoption — Virginia Department of Social Services
  The site provides information on adoption procedures governed by the Code of Virginia. It also includes a photo listing of Virginia children living in foster care or group homes who are waiting to be adopted.

• Child Welfare Information Gateway
  Adoption resources including databases of adoption literature, experts, agencies, support groups, law and more. Provided by the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Fairfax County Adoption & Foster Care
  Information and resources offered through Fairfax County's Department of Family Services.

• Intercountry Adoption
  The U.S. Department of State provides a variety of resources for those interested in adopting a child from another country.

• Common Sense Media
  This national, independent organization reviews books, music, games, Web sites and movies. Ratings are based on age level and use "on," "off," or "pause" buttons to indicate whether the media is appropriate for that age group. Adults and children may register with the site to contribute their own reviews.

• Dr. Toy
  Find information about selecting the best toys and educational products. The site includes several lists including a holiday gift guide and the best children's products of the year.

• Kids-In-Mind
  This movie review site assigns scores based on three categories: nudity/sexual content, violence and profanity. Detailed explanations indicate why a film rates high or low on a certain category. The site has two versions: one is free and is supported by ads; the other is paid for by subscriptions.

• Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
  An independent guide to consumer reviews of children's toys, books, videos, computer games (Windows and MAC), audio material and more. The reviews are grouped initially by a child's age — infant to late elementary — then by medium and subject. Most of the items included in the reviews meet the Oppenheim standards defined on the Web site and bear the Oppenheim gold or platinum award of excellence.

• Parents' Choice Awards
  Reviews children's media and toys, and honors the best material for children in the following categories: audio, DVDs, books, magazines, television, toys, video games and Web sites.

• Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents
  Provides in-depth movie reviews. Rates current movies and even soon to be released movies, videos, music, and DVDs on various aspects such as violence, sexual content, profanity, imitative behavior, etc.

Child Care

• Good Starting Points
• Child-Care Centers and Family-Based Providers
• Home Care
• Preschools
• School-Age Care

• Good Starting Points

• Child Care Aware
  Offers publications written for parents seeking child care. Some of the issues addressed include finding care for children with special needs, selecting an after-school program, finding help paying for child care and guidance on matching a child's style to the right child- care setting.

• ChildCare.gov
  This federal government Web site provides child-care information for parents, child-care providers, researchers and policymakers.

• National Network for Child Care
  Full-text publications and fact sheets that will be of interest parents as well as child-care providers. The section on child care information by state provides links to child-care licensing information, statistical data and program resources for each state.

• Child-Care Centers and Family-Based Providers

• Child Care Central
  Find names and contact information for Child-Care Centers and Family Child- Care providers in Fairfax County. Select providers based on location, type of care, age of the child needing care, language spoken or special needs. All of the providers listed in the database have a valid county permit or a state license on the day the search is performed.

• Infant Toddler Family Day Care
  A network of family child-care providers in Northern Virginia who are licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia and participate in ongoing training. The program offers flexible scheduling options and approved substitute care.

• Licensed Child-Care Facilities
  Search for a licensed child-care facility in Virginia and view inspection records, dating from July 2003, from the Virginia Department of Social Services. You can browse through all of the facilities or search by facility name, zip code, location or type of care offered. You can also search for unlicensed child-care facilities; however, inspection records are frequently unavailable.

• National Association for the Education of Young Children
  Search by zip code or state to find child-care centers, preschools and kindergartens that meet the standards of excellence required to attain accreditation by NAEYC.

• Home Care

• International Au Pair Association
  The IAPA can help you find an au pair agency via its membership directory arranged by country. IAPA does not arrange au pair placements; however, it directs you to the agencies and companies who are actively involved in the au pair industry.

• International Nanny Association
  The INA membership list offers a search of their member agencies, nannies, nanny support groups and training programs. Search by state or country or view the list of agency members located in Virginia.

• Preschools

  See also the library's links to Private Pre-K-12 Schools.

• National Center for Education Statistics
  Enter a zip code and check the box for "Private Schools" to locate information on preschools.

• Preschools — Religious Unlicensed Child-Care Facilities
  Preschools operated by religious institutions may be exempt from licensure. A listing of such preschools may be found at the Virginia Department of Social Services Web site. You may limit the selection by location or zip code and check the box for "Religious Exempt Child Day Center."

• Washington Parent
  Publishes a free monthly magazine focusing on a special theme for each issue. The annual Child Care Guide lists names and contact information for preschools and day-care programs in the local area.

• School-Age Care

• Fairfax County After-School Programs
  Schools, teen centers and community centers offer free after-school programs for kids aged 6-18.

• Fairfax County Public Schools - After-School Programs for Middle Schools
  FCPS Middle schools offer free after-school programs for at least three days a week for about two hours per day. Parents should contact their local middle school for more information.

• School Age Child Care (SACC)
  SACC, a program offered by the Fairfax County Office for Children, provides child care before and after school for children attending kindergarten through sixth grade. The SACC centers are located in most Fairfax County elementary schools.

• FBI — Parent's Guide to Internet Safety
  This guide, available in English and Spanish, offers advice for parents on protecting children from exploitation on the Internet.

• NetSmartz
  Fun, age-appropriate activities help children learn how to be safer when using the Internet. NetSmartz was created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

• SafeKids.com: Child Safety on the Information Highway
  Newsletters and articles provide advice on using the Internet safely.

Children with Disabilities

• CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder)

• Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind — Children's Services
  Serving the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area, this nonprofit organization offers comprehensive rehabilitation services and training to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The mission of the organization is to enable individuals to become independent at home, work, school and in their community through a program designed specifically around their needs.

• LD Online

• Learning Disabilities Association of Virginia

• Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center
  PEATC assists families of children with disabilities and the professionals who serve them by offering information on special education topics including early intervention, specific disability issues, transitioning from school to adult life and legislation affecting people with disabilities. See the monthly events calendar and a listing of support groups in Virginia arranged by disability.

• Parent Resource Center
  The Fairfax County Public Schools, Office of Special Education helps parents learn more about the services they provide for children with special needs. The PRC includes information on Special Needs Summer Camps, Individualized Education Programs, lists of tutors and speech clinicians, and workshops for parents.

• Parenting Special Needs
  Site providing information on parenting children with special needs, with links to medical sources, articles and human-interest commentaries.

• Fairfax County Public Schools
  Information about the system as a whole; profiles of individual schools; links to the home pages of those schools that have them; and links to other resources. Note particularly the Web page of the Parent Resource Center which includes a link to the PRC Library.

• Family Resource Centers
  FRCs are drop-in centers in the Culmore, Springfield/Franconia and Lorton communities that offer a variety of resources to help strengthen families. Computer training for youth, free legal services, parent education, children's clubs, homework assistance and health screenings are among some of the activities and programs available. The FRCs are the result of a collaboration between the Fairfax County Department of Family Services and other public and private community-based organizations.

• Online Magazines

• Washington Family

• Washington Parent

• Our Kids
  Links to activities for parents of babies, toddlers and preschoolers in the Washington, DC area. Subjects include amusement centers, animals, museums, nature, parks, performing arts, storytime, classes for parents and classes for kids. Focus is on the best activities for the under-5 crowd.

• Parenting Classes
  A variety of subjects are covered for parents and guardians of infants, children and teens. Classes are available in English and Spanish. Provided by the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Communications and Community Outreach.

• Parenting Resources and Assistance Guide
  Descriptions of parenting classes, programs and services available in Fairfax County and Northern Virginia, provided by the Fairfax County Department of Family Services.

• CinCHouse.com
  Designed specifically to serve military wives and women (a.k.a. Commanders in Chief of the House), CinCHouse offers practical advice on issues such as relocating and dealing with deployment, as well as feature articles regarding military personnel, personal well-being and children. In addition, links are provided to the bases of every branch of service, messages can be posted on the site's "Whine & Cheese Forum" and a military pay estimator helps with budgets.

• Family Separation & Readiness: Children Issues
  Information that focuses on helping children to cope with separation, from Air Force Crossroads' pre-deployment guide.

• Family Support During Deployment
  Resources for all branches of the armed services from Force Health Protection & Readiness.

• Healthy Parenting Initiative
  Offers tips on deployment, relocation and dangerous work issues, and an activity center for kids.   Their Parent/Teen Resources section provides materials to reinforce parent-teen relationships.

• LIFELines Services Network
  The official quality of life service delivery network of the Department of the Navy, serving Sailors, Marines and their families.

  • Deployment

  • Family Life

  • Your Kids and Deployment

• National Guard Family Program Online Community
  Both Air and Army National Guard members and their families will find information on service, deployment, medical, financial, legal and educational issues, as well as resources to help support family life in the National Guard. The National Guard Youth section of the Web site is especially geared toward children of National Guard members.

• Military Members and Families
  The American Red Cross provides information about the communications, financial and counseling assistance available to active duty, Guard, Reserves and veteran personnel.

• United Through Reading
  A program available to military service members, that enables deployed parents and their children to stay connected through the reading of books aloud on videotape.

• Good Starting Points
• Coping with Stressful Issues and Situations
• Fathers
• Grandparents

• Good Starting Points

• Child & Family WebGuide
  Tufts University's Web guide to trustworthy Web sites that provide information to parents and professionals about children and the family. The primary categories for this directory are family/parenting, education/learning; typical child development, health/mental health, and resources/recreation.

• Facts for Families
  Articles published and distributed by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. The articles, available in English, Spanish and other languages, provide up-to-date information on issues affecting children, teenagers and their families.

• "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood": Parents Pages
  The Parents' Pages of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" are designed to help parents understand, through clear and concise explanations, issues that may arise during their child's development. The chatty text is organized by topical headings.

• The National Parenting Center
  The National Parenting Center offers articles written by parenting authorities covering topics from pregnancy and infancy through adolescence. Consumer information via TNPC's "Seal of Approval" product testing reports is available on a variety of products for children and parents. A parenting message board organized by topic (e.g., at-home parents, family size, political issues and birthing) is particularly handy for those who want to discuss these issues with others.

• Parenthood.com
  Topics include pregnancy, baby names and sleep.

• Parenting.org
  A Web site sponsored by Girls and Boys Town that contains articles and tips on parenting, organized by age group (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19).

• Zero to Three
  Sponsored by the national, nonprofit organization Zero to Three, this Web site focuses on the first three years of life. Information for parents includes full-text, professional articles written in nontechnical terms on such topics as brain development, child development, early language and literacy, sleep, social-emotional development, and temperament and behavior.

• Coping with Stressful Issues and Situations
  

  See also Military Family Support.

• Adults and Children Together Against Violence
  A violence protection project designed to encourage adults to be positive role models when dealing with conflict, frustration and anger, and to teach nonviolent skills to young children (0-8 years). Tips, articles and training for professionals are offered through this project.

• The Cool Spot
  The bright, pop colors and anime-like art set the Cool Spot off as a Web site geared specifically for teens who are curious about alcohol use and how to handle and resist peer pressure. Interactive question-and-answer games and quizzes encourage teens to think for themselves and get the real facts before being tempted to drink alcohol.

• Helping Children Cope in Unsettling Times
  A collection of articles written for parents and children, provided by the National Association of School Psychologists. Two of the articles are available in eight different languages.

• Managing Anxiety in Times of Crisis
  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers tips for professionals, adults, and children on how to manage stress during crises at work, home and school.

• Partnership for a Drug Free America
  Parents often look for tools to help them recognize or discuss drug, alcohol or tobacco use by their children. Partnership for a Drug Free America provides specific tips, by age group, for parents and caregivers interested in educating children about the dangers and ramifications of using illegal drugs, tobacco or alcohol. Information is organized by "help topic" and includes testimonials by kids who tried or abused drugs.

• Talking to Kids about Terrorism or Acts of War

• Talking with Kids About Tough Issues
  A national initiative by Children Now and the Kaiser Family Foundation that encourages earlier and more frequent dialogue between parents and kids on topics such as sex, HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, violence and alcohol. Information is provided in both English and Spanish.

• Fathers

• Fathering Tips
  Articles organized by stages of fatherhood, fathering situations, key relationships and hot topics. Provided by the National Center for Fathering.

• Grandparents

• The Foundation for Grandparenting
  A nonprofit organization dedicated to raising public consciousness about the importance of the role of grandparenting, the benefits of intergenerational relationships and the empowerment of those in later life. Media reviews, research sources, forums and more are available for those seeking information about grandparenting.

• Grandparenting
  A plethora of information on grandparenting offered by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

• Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren: Rights and Responsibilities
  An article on grandparents raising grandchildren and more by the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office.

• Child Passenger Safety
  The Department of Transportation provides information on child safety seats and booster seats, safety seat recalls, the location of safety seat inspection stations and general information about how to protect children riding in vehicles.

• Childproofing Your Home
  Twelve recommended safety products for the home are discussed in this U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission brochure.

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• Healthy Toys
  Search by a toy's name, brand or type to see if it has been tested for lead, cadmium, arsenic and other harmful chemicals. The site is sponsored by the Ecology Center, a Michigan-based nonprofit organization.

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
  Important advice, training opportunities and technical assistance for parents, attorneys and law enforcement. Child safety is discussed, with particular emphasis on smart Internet use. Publications featuring safety tips are available online.

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• SafeKids.com: Child Safety on the Information Highway

• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
  Find information on safety recalls and alerts. The USPC also provides online publications and checklists covering a wide range of subjects including "Childproofing Your Home," "Baby Safety Checklist" and "Home Playground Safety Tips."

• Local Area

• Fairfax County Park Authority — Parktakes Online
  Find a camp for your child based on age, topic, sport, you name it! Dates, times, locations and fees are available here, as well as the ability to register electronically.

• Fairfax County Public Schools' Summer Programs
  Information on summer school and other summer programs including an online version of the Encore summer school booklet and details about the RecPAC summer camp program, camps for children with special needs, and a variety of enrichment opportunities.

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• George Mason University Summer Camps & Programs for Youth
  A brief description of the recreational and sports camps, as well as the academic assistance and enrichment programs sponsored primarily by GMU is provided here. Also listed are the dates, time, cost, and ages accepted for each camp/program. To request registration and more specific information, campers and parents should call the telephone number listed for each camp of interest.

• Washington Family Magazine — Camps and Summer Fun
  Descriptions of day camps and residential camps in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. Web site links and e-mail addresses are included where available.

• Washington Parent Magazine — Summer Camp Guides
  Washington Parent provides an annotated directory of children's camps in the immediate vicinity as well as outside the Washington metro area. The camps are listed alphabetically by camp name under a general geographic heading. Contact information is included for each camp.

• National/International

• American Camping Association
  The ACA's Camp Resource for Families is guaranteed to facilitate your search for a summer camp for a child or an adult! Helpful advice regarding how to choose a camp, what to pack, coping at camp and more is provided. Using criteria as varied as age, gender, nationality, religion, activities, special needs or even camp name, one can search the more than 2,000 ACA accredited camps listed.

• National Camping Association
  All summer camp recommendations listed on the National Camping Association's Web site are strictly for residential, overnight campers. The site includes articles about the summer camp experience as well as personalized guidance and referrals to NCA accredited camps via its "Camp Advisory Service."

• Peterson's Summer Camps & Programs
  This Thomson-Peterson's guide provides a database of summer camps and academic and travel opportunities for kids from kindergarten through high school. Search by activity, location (USA and international) or category to plan an enriching summer.