Learning begins at birth. Your baby’s brain is growing rapidly and by the time they go to kindergarten, 90% of their brain is developed. How can adults support healthy brain development?

Talk. Read. Sing.

First Things First Porter County, in partnership with the Too Small to Fail Foundation, is an official Talking is Teaching community. We encourage families to focus on early learning by talking, reading, and singing to their infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Learning happens all around us!

We work with community partners to become trusted messengers, to transform spaces and to provide helpful tips.

All children can learn and all children in Porter County deserve the best start in life…..talking is teaching.

It’s that simple!  

Are you a parent or caregiver?

Are you a community member?

Are you interesting in becoming a partner?

Meet the Porter County Talking is Teaching Partners

  • Associated Pediatricians

  • Aurora Dental Wellness

  • The Caring Place, Inc.

  • Center Township Trustee

  • Community Healthcare System

  • Community-Engaged Alliance

  • Duneland School Corporation Early Learning HUB

  • Duneland Family YMCA/Forchetti Family YMCA Center for Early Learning

  • Dunes Learning Center

  • Family & Youth Services Bureau

  • First Presbyterian Church

  • Geminus Child Care Resource and Referral

  • Housing Opportunities

  • Jacob's Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation

  • Kidworks, LLC

  • Mental Health America of NWI

  • NorthShore Health Centers

  • Northwest Indiana Community Action

  • Nurse Family Partnership

  • Our Greater Good

  • Parents as Teachers Porter County

  • Portage Township YMCA

  • Porter County Health Department

  • Porter County Public Library

  • Porter Township Schools and CTE

  • Purdue University Extension

  • Strack & VanTil

  • United Way of Northwest Indiana

  • Valparaiso Police Department

  • Valparaiso University Psychology Department

  • Valparaiso University Education Department

  • Valparaiso YMCA

  • Valpo Parks

Thank you to our sponsors:

Thank you to the students at Valparaiso University in the Psychology Department for creating these videos to help spread the important message that learning begins at birth!