Practical children, youth and families advice you can trust

Providing information, programs and training grounded in research to help young people and their families succeed and thrive.

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All Children, Youth & Families Programs

horsing around in lake tahoe during the summer.

4-H Afterschool Program

The 4-H Afterschool Club teaches children basic life skills including math, reading, science, positive communication, goal setting, self-responsibility, decision-making and good nutrition. Youth who have these life skills are less likely to participate in risky behaviors.

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4-H Student Nutrition Advisory Council (SNAC) Club

4-H Afterschool SNACs are student led 4-H clubs that promote leadership skills that focus on healthy living, nutrition, physical activity, cooking, and public speaking.

bee pollinating flower

4-H Teen Pollinator Ambassador Program

Establish a statewide, Nevada 4-H Pollinator Ambassador Program, creating awareness, education, outreach, and peer-to-peer educational opportunities for at least 10 Nevada youth and adult Extension professionals.

Building rockets from straws in a great lesson in propulsion.

4-H Youth Development

4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.

Kids and teacher dancing with colored scarves in a classroom

All 4 Kids

All 4 Kids and its Healthy Kids Festival use activities, music, dance and food to teach kids and their families in Clark and Lincoln Counties nutrition, physical activity and self-acceptance.

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Calming the Waters: Learning to Manage Western Water Conflict

Conflict has surrounded the Truckee, Carson and Walker River Basins for decades. Key issues include historical use on tribal lands, historical and current water rights, threats to water quality, and wildlife habitat protection. This program teaches youth about Nevada’s water issues and helps them develop the skills needed to address future water conflicts.

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Career Edge: Teens Taking Charge of Their Future! A Workforce Readiness Program

A workforce readiness program for high school students focused on skill development for workplace and job success. Career Edge provides information and training on interview skills, résumé development, filling out applications, finding job leads and selecting appropriate clothing for the workplace. In addition, many "soft skills" needed in the workplace such as decision-making, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership are integrated throughout the program.

Chef Suzy in front of a white board surrounded by ingredients

Chef Suzy's Cooking Demonstrations & Recipes

Extension Nutrition Specialist Susan McClain, "Chef Suzy," presents cooking demonstrations in elementary schools. Each 30- to 45-minute demonstration goes over three recipes that are easy, simple, healthy, affordable and accessible.

kids playing board games

Clark County 4-H After School Program

Extension provides 4-H programming in the afterschool setting. Students learn-by-doing in 4-H Afterschool.

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Clark County 4-H Summer Day Camp

Join us for the 4-H Summer Adventures Day Camp where there will be fun activities for everyone!

mother with babies on computer

Digital Parenting Project

The Digital Parenting project provides access to a digital library of parenting messages and supports effective digital communication options. These parenting messages also support family-friendly approaches that allow parents to engage in their child’s development and learning as well as a healthy atmosphere to establish positive early childhood parenting. Parents may sign up below for the messages or teachers may inquire about the digital library for their center or classroom.

coloring book

Early Childhood Professional Development

Ongoing early childhood professional development that improves the knowledge, skills and abilities of child care providers working with young children. Trainings are approved by Nevada Registry and meet Nevada State Licensing requirements.

mother reading to kids

Everyday SEL and YOU

Everyday SEL and YOU is a seven-week family engagement program for families with children ages 3-5. It focuses on enhancing young children's Social-Emotional Learning (SEL).

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Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

Many Nevadans suffer from heart problems, are obese or have diabetes. In Nevada, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program is administered by University of Nevada, Reno to engage adults and youth to boost nutrition through building basic skills. Participants learn how to read food labels, save money on groceries, plan meals, safely handle food, make healthy food choices, and be more active.

Diverse Children in Circle Around Safety Lock

Exploring Safety: A program for families with young children

This four-week program is designed to improve awareness of important child safety issues and to increase parenting knowledge

Two women read a book with a little girl at a Family Storyteller workshop

Family Storyteller Literacy Program

National award-winning Family Storyteller is a literacy program aimed at encouraging and training parents to play a vital role in the literacy development of their children. The statewide program creates an opportunity for parents and young children to interact around literacy and language activities.

cooked food

Food Safety Project

Extension has been instrumental in bringing about the "Nevada Food Safety Task Force," which strives to provide a working forum for food safety experts and to improve communication between all entities that are held accountable for food safety and security within our state.Improving Food Safety Education for Child and Adult Care Providers in Nevada.

Parents and children doing a name craft at a Fun to Play class

Fun to Play for Preschoolers

This 6-week program encourages positive parent-child interaction and learning through creative play. It also promotes children’s school readiness skills. Each week emphasizes a Nevada Pre-K standard.

las vegas nursing home garden

Healing gardens in Las Vegas

Extension healing gardens essentially become outdoor sanctuaries for people who are hospitalized as well as their families and the staff that works with them.

Two adults hike along a walking trail

Healthy Aging Initiative

Using Extension's expertise, the HAI team can connect you with the resources to navigate aging and its trends. HAI programs are offered for older adults and those who partner with them to provide care and support, including careers in aging exploration for middle and high school students and incoming college freshmen. We provide expert nutrition and physical activity training information for elders, caregivers and professionals. We have sponsorship options for tours and professional education.

A healthy meal: chicken sandwich and grapes on a plate and a glass of water.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

The Healthy Eating on a Budget program has been integrated into the TANF Work Readiness workshop as a SNAP-Ed program. The purpose of the 8-lesson series is to provide SNAP recipients with education on healthy nutrition and physical activity practices, food resource management, food safety and food security. 

young girl pointing at radish

Healthy Kids Festival

The goal of the Healthy Kids Festival is to provide sustainable tools and opportunities for low-income families with children ages 3-8 to make healthy choices as they approach the adolescent years. The event, hosted by Extension’s All 4 Kids Program in collaboration with local community partners provides long-term solutions to childhood obesity through physical activity, healthy eating and other behaviors related to childhood obesity prevention. 

Kids and leader dancing with colored scarves in a classroom

Healthy Kids Resource Center

A one-stop shop for evidence-based research, resources, curricula, activities and materials that focus on obesity prevention for teachers and parents of young children. It is designed to educate parents and teachers as well as provide the tools needed to teach young children how to live a healthy lifestyle.

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Healthy Kids, Early Start (for pre-K children and their parents)

Policy, systems and environmental approach to early childhood health, nutrition, physical activity and healthy weights through assessment and interventions in early childhood sites and teacher professional development.

Kids getting on the school bus

Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools

This is a comprehensive nutrition program based on the socio-ecological model incorporating nutrition education, promotion and policy, systems and environmental changes that support the implementation of school wellness policy.

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Healthy Steps to Freedom

Program teaches nutrition and healthy lifestyles that address weight and energy concerns in women with substance abuse issues

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Heart & Hope: Building Resilient Families

Heart & Hope provides resources and skills to victims of domestic violence who have left the perpetrator and are building a new life for themselves and their family. Workshops help parent victims gain parenting skills and confidence, build resilience for themselves and their children, avoid becoming victims in future relationships, strengthen family relationships and envision hope for the future. Workshops help children build social and emotional skills to prevent them from becoming future victi

young women talking with therapist

Hope for Family Resilience Program

The Hope for Family Resilience Program set out to support families through education, programs, and resources that provide a foundation for using both the heart and head for building the family on deeper knowledge, trust, reliability, and commitment.

A mother holds her sleeping newborn baby

Just in Time Parenting

Just in Time Parenting is an electronically delivered age-paced parenting newsletter originally developed by a national network of Extension Family Life Specialists in 2008. The program was designed to reach parents at teachable, transitional moments.

Kids cook participants standing next to chefs

Kids Cook

A series of cooking classes where children can learn basic cooking skills, typically provided when school is out during the summer.

A mother and daughter work together on creating artwork with colored paper shapes at a Let's Discover STEM workshop.

Let's Discover STEM

Let’s Discover STEM is a 6-week program that focuses on STEM enhancement and parent engagement for families with preschoolers.

Photo collage of parents and children cooking together.

Little Books & Little Cooks

Healthy eating, family literacy and positive parent-child interaction is promoted in this 6-week program for families with preschool aged children. It also promotes children's school readiness skills. An important component of the program is the involvement of both parents and children, especially during the hands-on cooking activities.

stressed farmer

Managing Ranch & Farm Stresses

Working in agriculture is accompanied by managing a variety of stresses on a regular basis. Connecting with others can help us cope with stress and become more resilient.

learning about riparians

Nevada Youth Range Camp Program

Most of Nevada’s youth live in large urban environments, with little exposure to rangelands, forests or agricultural environments, and the products and services rangelands provide. This program teaches students ages 14-18 how to read maps; identify and the importance of rangeland plants; evaluate sagebrush, woodland and stream ecosystems; wildlife habitat; and many other topics related to rangelands.

Happy students with cap and gowns

Next Steps: College Access & Readiness Program

The program's mission is to guide and motivate youth and their families on the path to achieving a post-secondary education.

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Partners in Parenting

Parenting education and support are key to raising successful children, creating confident parents and building strong families and communities. Partners in Parenting offers many educational programs, workshops and resources primarily for parents with preschool-aged children to support healthy child development, school readiness skills, and positive parent-child interaction. Programs, workshops and resources are also available for families with children ages 0-18 y también en Español.

Hispanic family in close up photo

Positive Connections for Parents & Teenagers

Understanding teenage behavior and increasing parenting knowledge and skills is explored in this 4-week program for parents with adolescents.

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Produce Pick of the Month

This evidence-based campaign focuses on building fruit and vegetable consumption in children through healthy snacking. Produce Pick of the Month is a monthly, in-school nutrition education program for primary grade children in at-risk elementary schools in many counties across Nevada. In addition to direct instruction, staff works with school wellness coordinators to build meaningful and sustainable programming to create a good environment in every school.

girl playing football against Raider player

Raiders/UNLV Sports & Health Program (RUSH)

Extension, the UNLV School of Public Health and Las Vegas Raiders partner to provide physical activity and nutrition education and promote mental health awareness for middle school-aged students.

Grandson hugs grandma reading a book.

Raising Your Relative's Kids: How to Find Help

As part of the family support program Kinship Families, Raising Your Relative's Kids: How to Find Help is a resource guide for kinship caregivers caring for children in out-of-home placement. We offer an informational website using the 100+ page resource guide, which is also available in print and on CD, including a Spanish version.

mother shopping with daughter

SNAP Into Farm Fresh Foods

SNAP Into Farm Fresh Foods is a health and nutrition program that provides education to SNAP-eligible participants and provides technical assistance to local farmers market managers and vendors seeking to become SNAP authorized and implement SNAP friendliness best practices.  

produce department

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education - Nevada

Improve the nutritional well-being of people who receive SNAP benefits and other Nevadans with a low income through community based education, programs and needs assessments.

Greenhouse Project

The Greenhouse Project

The Greenhouse Project serves as a teaching facility for hands on programs at the Carson City High School. Students help to cultivate and distribute vegetables and herbs for culinary classes and community food ban.

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Veggies for Kids

Veggies for Kids teaches children about healthy eating habits and improves accessibility to fresh fruits and vegetables.

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Youth for the Quality Care of Animals

The curriculum teaches youth to raise quality swine, beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats, dairy goats, rabbits, and poultry.

community gardening program

Youth Horticulture Education Program

Youth Horticulture Education Program is the premier program of horticulture projects that involve youth, families and educators.

 

CYF related Books, Articles, Fact Sheets, Reports, Videos...

 
 
 
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A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet gives your body all of the essential nutrients it needs to stay active, healthy, and strong. Learn how you can balance your diet to get the energy you need throughout the day.
Buffington, A., Lindsay, A. 2021, Extension | University of Nevada, Reno, FS-21-106
A Collaborative Domestic Violence Prevention Program
This factsheet contains a collection of programs to prevent domestic violence and two-day training for law enforcement to understand the many issues surrounding domestic violence.
Powell, P., Smith, M., Riley, J., Harmon, A., Ryan, C., and Butler, J. 2010, Extension | University of Nevada, Reno, FS-10-74
A comparison of beliefs and attitudes about body image, eating and weight between incarcerated and non-incarcerated females.
This study looks at behavioral health associated with weight concerns, body image, obesity and eating pathologies. Left untreated these may serve as triggers for relapse. The study observed differences in beliefs and attitudes about body image, eating and weight between incarcerated females and non-incarcerated sample.
Lindsay, A. 2015, UNLV Dissertation
A Gender-specific approach to improving substance abuse treatment for women: The Healthy Steps to Freedom (HSF) Program
This study tested the efficacy of a supplemental health and body image curriculum designed for women in substance abuse treatment who report weight concerns called Healthy Steps to Freedom (HSF).
Lindsay, A., Warren, C., Velasquez S., & Lu, M. 2012, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 43(1), 61-69.
Family playing soccer in a green field.
A media effort addressing preschool inactivity through family, community, and Extension collaboration
To improve healthy eating and movement in children, a media project was developed with the help of community partners that promoted dance and play through music. Results indicated that children who participated in the program demonstrated improvement in healthy behaviors (significant at p < .05).
Lindsay, A. 2010, Journal of National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 5 (11).
A Qualitative Study of the Emotional and Spiritual Needs of Hispanic Families in Hospice
To address the underlying disparities in the cultural, emotional, and spiritual aspects of hospice care, the objective of the present qualitative study was to examine the emotional and spiritual needs of Hispanic patients' families while in hospice.
Nuñez, A., Holland, J. M., Beckman, L., Kirkendall, A., & Luna, N. 2017, Palliative and Supportive Care
A Qualitative Study Using Community Cultural Wealth to Understand the Educational Experiences of Latino College Students
The Latino population is the largest minority group in the United States and has the highest high school dropout rate of any ethnic group. If the U.S. is to compete in the global economy, it is important to understand factors that facilitate Latino education success.
Luna, N. and Martinez, M. 2013, Journal of Praxis in Multicultural Education. 7:1
A Review of Motor Skill Development in State-Level Early Learning Standards for Preschoolers in the United States
The purpose of this study was to examine state-level early learning standards specific to physical development, including fundamental motor skills and gross motor development for preschool-aged children in the United States.
Anne R. Lindsay, Courtney Coughenour, Layne Case, Jacob Bevell, Victoria Fryer, and Ali Brian 2022, Journal of Motor Learning and Development,
A summative evaluation of the Nevada Youth Range Camp educational program. Foster, S.S., Schultz, B.W., McAdoo, J.K., and Swanson, S. 2014, Journal National Association of County Agricultural Agents. 7:1.
Advocating for Children's Educational Rights
This fact sheet provides an overview of Session 6: Advocating for your Children’s Educational Rights.
Luna, N. 2011, Extension | University of Nevada, Reno, FS-11-47
Ag Wellness
In this course, participants learn key skills in acceptance and commitment therapy and learn how to apply those skills to the unique stresses that face agricultural producers and their families.
Utah State University Extension 2023, Utah State University Extension
Ag Wellness Podcast
The AgWellness podcast explores mental health in the farming and ranching community. Mental health is a growing concern in the farming and ranching community and through this podcast, we will share stories about the impact of mental health concerns, helpful resources, and information.
Hadfield, J. and Dallin,J. 2024, Utah State University Extension
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