Michigan State University Extension Child and Family Development January 2026 Offerings
MSU Extension has a wide range of free online classes for parents and caregivers of children of all ages and early childhood professionals. See below for January offerings!
Please reach out to your local Extension office or find a Child and Family Development team member near you.
Follow their Facebook page for more information and resources at MI Stronger Family – MSU Extension.
Extension Extra’s Parenting Hour
These free online parenting workshops will provide guidance for parents of children as they navigate the challenges, concerns, and joys of parenting. Participants may register for as few or as many workshops as they wish. The workshops are on Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:30PM ET as follows:
Class dates:
Class Times: 7:30PM to 9:00PM
Registration: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/
The Parent Talk System
Do you feel like the children in your care aren’t listening to you? Do you find yourself constantly repeating yourself trying to gain compliance? This 6-week series is for parents and caregivers of children of all ages and is designed to improve communication and provide practical verbal strategies for raising confident, caring, responsible children. Topics include eliminating unwanted behavior, setting limits, teaching about consequences, giving effective feedback, promoting independence, and developing character. Certificates of attendance are available. This class is eligible for MIRegistry Credit!
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Class dates: Wednesdays, January 7, 14, 21, 28, February 4, 11
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Class times: 11:30am-1:00pm ET
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For more information, contact Courtney Aldrich, aldric82@msu.edu
Are you wondering how to gain greater cooperation from your children? Struggling with chores or routines? Not sure how to handle discipline issues? Join us for this five-week parenting education series for parents with children of all ages will explore developing routines, emotional control, rules, and relationships, and being a calm, assertive parent. Certificates of attendance are available. This class is eligible for MIRegistry Credit!
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Class Dates: Thursdays, January 8, 15, 22, 29, February 5
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Class Times: 7:30pm-9:00pm ET
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For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Building Strong Adolescents
Are you wondering how to navigate the teen years with the child in your care? Do you wonder how to set limits while still promoting independence and encouraging positive relationships? Join us for this five-week education series for parents and caregivers with children between 9-16 and explore the assets children need to succeed. Certificates of attendance are available.
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Class Dates: Mondays, January 26, February 2, 9, 16, 23
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Class Times: 7:00PM-9:00PM ET
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For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Early Childhood Professional Development Classes
These free online classes provide professional development training hours for early childhood professionals. These classes are eligible for MIRegistry Credit! (See more offerings for professionals at the end of the note)
Title: Setting the Stage: Promoting Social-Emotional Health in Young Children
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Class Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
- Class Time: 7:00PM to 8:30PM
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Attached is a flyer and graphics for social media
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For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Title: Learning to Talk
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Class Date: Friday, January 23, 2026
- Class Time: 1:00PM to 2:30PM
- Attached is a flyer for this workshop.
For more information contact Courtney Aldrich, aldric82@msu.edu
In-Person Workshop: Including All of Us
Description:
Including All of Us is an intensive training to provide an opportunity for child care professionals to learn about issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in early childhood. Including All of Us includes group content, where early childhood professionals can explore their own beliefs, worldviews and understanding of issues surrounding diversity. Participants learn about ways they can incorporate anti-bias education into their work with young children and create environments of equity for all children. Ensuring that child care environments are high quality, equitable and inclusive will help build and nurture social emotional competencies and prepare children for success in school and in life. Including All of Us provides an opportunity for teachers to practice self-reflection and develop an awareness that will have a positive impact on their teaching, child care skills, and family interactions.
This in-person, free program is six hours in length and can be taught in one six-hour session or two, three-hour sessions. The program is approved in the MiRegistry system and completion certificates are available.
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To schedule a workshop at your location, contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Online Self-Paced Classes
These free online classes can be completed on your own at your own pace.
Positive Discipline: Helping young children learn self-control is important to their ability to be successful citizens now and in the future. Positive Discipline workshops help adults learn how their role in creating appropriate environments and experiences can strengthen that development. This class has a “parent and caregiver” track and a “professional” track. Certificates of attendance are available for all who take the class and professional development training hours are available for early childhood professionals. Credit in the MiRegistry system is available.
- Registration: https://www.canr.msu.edu/
courses/positive-discipline- online-course - For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
- This class is eligible for MIRegistry Credit!
Infant Safety
MSU Extension has partnered with the Livingston County Child Abuse Prevention Council to create a self-directed online infant safety course called “Sleeping, Crying, Driving.” This three part course contains videos and interactive content on infant safe sleep, how to handle extended infant crying and guidelines for transporting your child safely. A certificate of completion and MIRegistry credit is available for those who need proof of attendance.
- Registration: https://www.canr.msu.edu/
early_childhood_development/ infant-safety/ - This class is eligible for MIRegistry Credit!
MI Parenting Resource
This free, online program is meant to support caregivers across the state in strengthening their parent-child relationships and gaining new tools for enhancing positive child behaviors.
- Registration: https://miparentingresource.
org/ - For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Additional Resources
Michigan State University Extension has partnered with Cooperative Extension in other states to provide more resources and classes for you! Check out Fit and Healthy Kids at https://fitandhealthykids.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Science for Young Children
This class is eligible for MIRegistry Credit! Due to the volume of participants in a multi-state webinar, MIRegistry Credit will take up to one month to appear in the registry. Attend the live session or watch a recording up to one week later.
This interactive program shows how early science experiences foster child development by building confidence, curiosity, language skills, and a foundation for future learning.
This Early Childhood Webinar Series is a multi-state initiative offered through a partnership of Extension professionals from universities in Nebraska, Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, South Dakota, Texas, Kansas, and Wisconsin. Together, we are proud to provide trusted, research-based education to the communities we serve.
Date and Time: January 12, 2026 7:00-8:00 P.M. CT (8-9 pm ET);
Registration: https://fitandhealthykids.unl.
