free pd, run by penn state
better kid care, a teacher's guide
penn state's better kid care is one of the few national libraries of on-demand early childhood lessons that is genuinely free to take. here's what's in it, how the certificate works, and when it's worth the $5.
what it is
better kid care is a professional development program run by penn state extension. the on-demand library has hundreds of short lessons written for early childhood educators, family child care providers, and school-age program staff. lessons are text + audio + short video, usually one to two hours each, and a knowledge check sits at the end.
- lessons in english and spanish
- topics span infants and toddlers, preschool, school age, family engagement, health and safety, business of family child care
- self-paced, no live sessions, pause and resume anytime
- knowledge check at the end of each lesson, no proctor
how to sign up
- 1. go to the portal. open extension.psu.edu/programs/betterkidcare.
- 2. create a learner account. choose "on-demand lessons", then "create an account". an email address and a password is all it asks for. there is no employer verification.
- 3. set your state. the profile asks for your state and role so it can map lessons to local training requirements where possible.
- 4. browse the catalog. the search and filter sidebar is the fastest path. filter by topic, age group, or core knowledge area.
the $5 certificate, plainly
taking a lesson is free. the certificate of completion costs $5 per lesson, paid at the end after you pass the knowledge check. you do not have to pay; you can simply learn and skip the certificate.
pay the $5 when
- your state registry accepts better kid care hours
- your director needs documentation for your file
- you are working toward a credential that needs proof of hours
skip it when
- you are reading for your own practice, not a renewal
- your program already buys a different pd platform that counts
- you only want to scan a lesson, not finish it
does it count for state hours?
it depends on your state. better kid care is widely recognized, and pennsylvania, ohio, and several other state registries map lessons directly. california, texas, new york, and others accept the certificate as third-party training hours but ask you to upload it manually. check your state's training registry before counting on it for a license renewal.
the safest move: take one lesson, pay the $5, upload the certificate to your state registry, and confirm it posted before banking on more.
lessons worth starting with
the library is large. these tracks are good entry points for classroom teachers:
- social emotional foundations. short lessons on co-regulation, transitions, and challenging moments. pairs well with what tiny signals helps you write up after a hard day.
- infant and toddler care. practical pieces on responsive caregiving, schedules, and primary caregiving.
- family engagement. useful before conferences and during enrollment season.
- health, safety, and nutrition. required by most state licensing renewals, easy to knock out here.
how it compares
| option | cost to learn | certificate |
|---|---|---|
| better kid care | free | $5 each |
| child care lounge | paid per course | included |
| edweb webinars | free | free |
| cda council resources | membership | included with membership |
for a working teacher who needs a couple of documented hours, better kid care is usually the cheapest path. for a stack of 20+ hours, a per-course platform with included certificates can win on total cost.
questions teachers ask
can my director see my progress?
only if your program is enrolled as an organization with the staff dashboard feature. individual learner accounts are private.
do certificates expire?
the certificate itself does not expire, but state registries usually only count training within a renewal window (often two years back).
is there a mobile app?
no dedicated app. the portal works in a mobile browser. lessons are mostly short text and audio, which holds up on a phone during a break.
i forgot my login.
use the "forgot password" link on the on-demand lessons sign-in page. recovery emails come from penn state extension; check the spam folder.
browse the full pd library
free and low-cost trainings vetted for early childhood teachers.