Globally, there is growing evidence that children need more holistic care, and research has shown that integrating nutrition and caregiving interventions (e.g., responsive care and early learning) improves early childhood development outcomes more than either alone.
USAID Advancing Nutrition developed the Supporting Integrated Infant and Young Child Nutrition and Early Childhood Development Programming: Ages and Stages Reference Package, hereafter referred to as the Ages and Stages Reference Package, to help program managers design and implement more holistic and integrated programming that will support the health and development of children zero up to two years of age.
Ages and Stages Reference Package
This package includes four age-specific modules that provide information, at each age/stage, on how children grow and develop, what their feeding and care needs are, and the challenges caregivers face providing optimal care. Each module also provides example activities that programs can do to support targeted nutrition and responsive care and early learning activities at each age/stage.
We recommend that users read the Program Design and Implementation Guide (included in the package) in its entirety before using the age-specific modules for the first time.
Download the Ages and Stages Reference Package (PDF, 8.03 MB)
Download the individual modules:
- Ages and Stages Reference: Program Design and Implementation Guide (PDF, 1.29 MB)
- Module 1: Birth Up to 6 Months of Age (PDF, 3.9 MB)
- Module 2: 6 Up to 9 Months of Age (PDF, 1.76 MB)
- Module 3: 9 Up to 12 Months of Age (PDF, 1.87 MB)
- Module 4: 12 Up to 24 Months of Age (PDF, 1.73 MB)
Supplementary Resource Collection
These curated resources from USAID, USAID Advancing Nutrition, and other organizations support the design, implementation, and measurement of integrated nutrition and responsive care and early learning programming. You can explore these resources by age or cross-cutting theme.
Explore Resources by Age
Explore Resources by Cross-Cutting Themes
Disclaimer: Note this resource is not affiliated or associated with the early childhood development screening tool Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ).
