Parenting Counts, a new multimedia initiative developed by KCTS and Talaris Research Institute, helps adults understand how children think, feel and learn in the early years. Through on-air spots, workshops and outreach materials, KCTS will offer parents and childcare professional an engaging and informative look into how babies’ minds develop.

Six 60-second spots are airing on KCTS from now through the end of March. They highlight real-life scenarios and provide useful tips on best parenting practices for children birth to age 5. The spots, which focus on six different topics, can be viewed online at www.pbsparents.org under “Early Learning.”

Topics include:

Copycats
Whether you hum when you’re happy or stomp your foot when you’re mad, your kids are learning from you every day and in every way.

Book of Jenny
Every baby communicates in his or her own way with special cues. It is your job to interpret what your baby is saying with these little signals.

Testing 1,2,3
Toddlers need to test everything in their environment, over and over and over again. Many times, they also test you!

In addition to the on-air spots, KCTS Kids & Family is partnering with local organizations to distribute outreach materials and present workshops. This fall, Reach Out & Read sites in Yakima, Toppenish and Grandview will provide Parenting Counts brochures in English and Spanish to health clinics, as well as show the 60-second spots in waiting rooms.