Communicating with children: Principles and Practices to Nurture, Inspire, Excite, Educate and Heal

This resource package supports the development priorities of UNICEF to improve the survival, development and protection of infants, young children and their families. Specifically, it is designed for use by anyone interested in communication for the holistic development of children. Parts One and Two of this document explain the diverse conditions in which children around the world live and the media environments to which they have access. Part Three maps the different developmental characteristics and needs of children at different ages, distinguishing generally between: early years (birth through 6 years), middle years (7 to 10 years), and early adolescent years (11 to14 years). Part Four presents four central principles for producing communication for children, each supported by guidelines. The guidelines serve as a “checklist” for producing children’s media and for evaluating existing materials. They are illustrated by positive examples from a range of countries and media, and address different age groups. Part Fives summarizes the ways to avoid common pitfalls in developing communication for children, and finally, Part Six provides additional positive examples and resources.