The Basics DuPage

The Basics DuPage is a county-wide initiative stemming from the work of the DuPage AOK Early Childhood Collaboration (DAECC). The DuPage County Health Department adopted The Basics in April 2024. The Basics Strategy is a community-level public health approach, working within and across organizations to embed The Basics Principles–five evidence-based practices for promoting early childhood development into the daily routines of families. 

The Five Basics Principles include:

1. Maximize Love, Manage Stress
2. Talk, Sing, and Point
3. Count, Group, and Compare
4. Explore through Movement and Play
5. Read and Discuss Stories.

The Basics is inspired by the fact that 80% of brain growth occurs in the first three years of life. Everyday interactions between children, their parents, caregivers, and any adult in the community provide rich opportunities to develop the brains of our community’s youngest and address skill and learning gaps. Explore this map of local organizations helping families learn about The Basics through engagement stations. 

One tool The Basics offers is the Insights text messaging program. Insights is a free text messaging program for any adult that cares for a child under the age of five. You'll receive science-based tips to boost your child's development until the child's fifth birthday. Enroll in Basics Insights Today!

The Basics allows DuPage County to:

• Raise awareness about the importance of early childhood development.
• Equip families with simple, actionable strategies to support their child’s learning.
• Promote equity by ensuring all families - regardless of race/ethnicity, educational background, socioeconomic status, language, or zip code - have access to essential tools to support brain development. 
• Strengthen partnerships with diverse and multi-sector organizations by equipping them with the tools to embed The Basics universal language within their organization, agency, or place of business.
• Collectively prioritize early learning and promote kindergarten readiness.