The little things you do with your child in their early years make a big difference throughout their school years and later in life.
Mi Kids Matter is your place to find what you need to give your child their best chance at health, happiness and success later in life. Throughout this site, we have provided information, resources and programs to take you from pregnancy through age 5 and beyond.
A newborn baby has all of the brain cells (neurons) they'll have for the rest of their life, but what really makes the brain work - and enables us to move, think, communicate and just about everything else - are the connections between those cells. And the early years of a child's life are a crucial time for making those connections - at least one million new neural connections (synapses) every second, far more than at any other time in life.
Michigan offers two quality free preschool programs designed to support school readiness. Many families qualify for these programs at no cost. Learn more about Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) and Head Start below and find a location near you.
Great Start to Quality helps families find the best early learning settings for their children. Once you choose a child care provider, there will be many positive experiences. You may also have some concerns. Our Concerns in Child Care page has resources for those special situations
To receive help covering child care costs, families must be working or going to school (have an approved need reason) and meet the following income guidelines:
Families can see if they’re eligible for low or no cost child care by using the calculator available at greatstarttoquality.org/calculator
Families can apply for the Child Development and Care Program by visiting Michigan.gov/MiBridges. Eligibility specialists will ask applications questions about their child support arrangements, but these questions are not required and if parents decline to answer, it will not harm their eligibility for child care assistance.
Find information and resources to help at every step of your child’s growth and development– from your pregnancy all the way through schoolage. Each section covers development and milestones, social and emotional development, physical health and safety, along with tips and resources Michigan parents can turn to whenever they have questions. Find information by age:
Whether you are a parent, a caregiver, an organization, a physician or just a concerned citizen, there are a lot of ways you can get involved in helping Michigan kids get a great start on life. Find information on groups, events, the Steps initiative, actions you can take and more.
