82 Free Online Childcare Training Courses with Certificates
March 24, 2025
Childcare providers are always searching for ways to up their game—we know. States require providers to continually engage in professional development in order to serve the children in their communities to the highest degree. That’s why free online childcare training courses with certificates can be so helpful. Searching for reliable free online childcare training courses with certificates can be a hassle, though. There are plenty of options out there, but which courses are actually going to serve your needs? And if you’ve found free online childcare training courses, did they come with a free certificate? Or did you need to pay for the certificate or Continuing Education Credit (CEU)? Sorting through the mess of Google results can be decidedly un-fun.
That’s why we’ve taken the time to do the heavy lifting for you.
Where Can I Find Free Online Childcare Training Courses with Certificates?
Some free online childcare training courses with certificates and/or CEUs are available through respected national organizations, like the CDC or Children’s Trust Fund Alliance. Others may only be available within your state. Accordingly, we’ve organized our list of 82 options in two ways:
- Free online childcare training courses that are applicable nationwide
- State-by-state list of resources that will get you to even more free online childcare training courses
The state resource pages often link to multiple free trainings on the same site, so you’ll have plenty of options once you dive into your state’s offerings.
Free Online Childcare Certificate Training Courses Applicable Nationwide
1) Watch Me! Celebrating Milestone and Sharing Concerns Training, Centers for Disease Control
This free, online training hosted by the CDC will teach you about childhood development and how to monitor milestones.
2) Childhood Development, Resilience, and the Environment, Centers for Disease Control
This Continuing Education online training through the CDC teaches you the “Ecological Framework” for how chronic factors interact over a lifetime.
3) Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences, Centers for Disease Control
This CDC certificate training will teach you the current research to prevent adverse childhood experiences.
4) Clean Hands and Spaces, Centers for Disease Control
This CDC certificate program will teach you best strategies for keeping hands and surfaces clean in educational settings.
5) Principles of Prevention, Centers for Disease Control
This CDC training will give you a continuing education certificate in violence prevention. It’s aimed at anyone who works with children and families.
6) Food Insecurity, Centers for Disease Control
This CDC course, through the University of Tennessee, will gain you a certificate of completion and teach you how to differentiate between hunger and food insecurity. You will learn how to differentiate between SNAP, WIC, and TEDAF, which may help childcare providers in assisting families to navigate these systems.
7) Protective Factors Training, Children’s Trust Fund Alliance
There are two versions of the Protective Factors Training:
- One for free with a certificate of completion, and
- One for a small fee that provides a Continuing Education Unit (CEU), and, in most states, early childhood training credit.
8) Better Kid Care, Penn State Extension
Better Kid Care offers $5 certificates of completion for its vast network of professional development courses that are organized into nationwide competencies and state-specific training. All courses can be completed for free without a certificate, but the site features two free certificate courses (#9 and #10 below):
9) Resilient Caregivers: Bouncing Back from Stress, Penn State Better Kid Care
Resilient Caregivers will teach you how to bounce back from stress on the job.
10) Safe Sleep for Caregivers: Reduce the risk of SUID, Penn State Better Kid Care
There are more than 4,000 sudden and unexpected infant deaths (SUID) in the United States each year. This training will teach you to prevent SUID in a childcare environment.
11) Trauma Informed Care and the Pyramid Model, Pro Solutions Training
In this course, you’ll learn how to put trauma-informed care into practice while earning .5 Continuing Education Units (CEU), for free!
12) Recognizing and Reporting Suspected Child Abuse, Pro Solutions Training
This free training will help you learn to identify and report child abuse while earning .2 CEU.
13) Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma, Pro Solutions Training
This free training will earn you .1 CEU and a certificate of completion as you learn to prevent head trauma in children.
14) Social and Emotional Competence of Children, Pro Solutions Training
Earn a certificate of completion for this free online training that will help you to recognize what social and emotional competence looks like in children of varying ages. You’ll also learn how this protective factor can aid in preventing maltreatment in childhood.
15) STREAM and the Great Outdoors: Reading and Writing in Nature, Pro Solutions Training
This free course earns you .1 CEU and teaches you the STREAM method and the benefit of outdoor learning.
16) Classroom WISE
Earn a certificate of completion by taking this free 3-part online training that trains K–12 teachers and support staff to support the mental health of students in the classroom.
17) One Step at a Time: Helping Young Children Be Active! Bright Futures
Earn 1 CEU by completing this free course that trains childcare providers in local contexts how to keep kids moving to prevent obesity and other diseases.
18) Playing Outdoors, Care Courses
Earn .1 CEU by taking this free online training that will help you optimize your outdoor play environment and learn how to energize kids’ passion for outdoor play. This program is also offered in Spanish.
19) Working with Students with Special Educational Needs, Alison
This free online course will provide you with a certificate of completion. The course teaches childcare providers and educators of all backgrounds the in-depth knowledge required to serve students with special educational needs in the classroom.
20) CDA Introduction, ChildCareEd
The CDA is often thought of as the credential that distinguishes quality childcare providers from all the rest. This free training will provide you a thoughtful introduction to understanding the CDA and earn you .1 CEU.
21) Early Childhood Investigations Free Webinars + Certificate of Completion
Early Childhood Investigations offers a robust series of ever-changing webinars that address pertinent topics in childcare and education. These webinars will earn you a free certificate of completion. Early Childhood Investigations is hoping to offer CEUs in the future, so keep them on your radar if you’re looking to accumulate Continuing Education Units. =
Free Online Childcare Certificate Training Courses — By State
As you may know, individual states can have specific benchmarks and requirements for childcare providers. We’ve organized the following free resources state-by-state to help you find training that will meet your state’s requirements.
Alabama
University of Alabama Child Development Resources (CDR) Child Care Training
Training is offered in Tuscaloosa, 12 West Central Alabama counties, and on Zoom for a series of certificate programs throughout the state. Check out their training calendar for more information on what programs are coming up in which months.
Alabama caregivers can use this free resource to keep track of their education, credentials, certificates, and awards. They can also use Alabama Pathways to find official training organizations to find more free online certificate courses.
Alaska
Alaska SEED is a statewide network of early childhood stakeholders who collaborate to bring training, professional development, and more to Alaska’s caregivers.
Arizona
Arizona Childcare Resource and Referral
CCRR aggregates resources for childcare providers that includes access to training, materials, and referral agencies.
Maricopa County Childcare Online Training
Maricopa County Child Care Nurse Consultants offer free trainings that qualify you for Continuing Education Credits and will help you create a safe and sanitary experience for the children in your care.
Free Access to Childcare Education Institute Training for Arizona Providers
Arizona provides free access to CCEI training for providers in the state. These trainings fulfill a required DES Pre-Service Health and Safety Training Requirement.
Arkansas
University of Arkansas Extension, Early Childhood Professional Development
The state of Arkansas, in collaboration with the University of Arkansas Extension, provides access to hours of free, certifiable training for early childhood professional development. Don’t miss out on these free opportunities in your state.
California
California Department of Social Services
CA’s Department of Social Services aggregates training for childcare providers and parents, as well as mandatory reporters. The website also provides helpful information on licensing for providers and childcare centers.
California Childcare Resource and Referral Network
Get access to training, tax help, and more with the CCRR website.
Colorado
Colorado Department of Early Childhood
This state department hosts training resources and requirements, including access to the Colorado Shines Professional Development Information Systems (PIDS), where providers can access free training to meet their needs.
Connecticut
2-1-1 Childcare offers a range of training and resources at no cost to providers.
Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC)
The OEC offers a plethora of free training that will qualify you for CEUs through this state resource. Get started today!
Delaware
Delaware Department of Education
The Delaware Department of Education page contains information about resources, training, licensure, and more for childcare providers and educators at all levels. This includes DEEDS, where professional training requirements for educators and care providers are renewed.
Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood, University of Delaware
View competencies and register for a range of certified courses through this UD website.
Florida
Florida Department of Children and Families Free CEUs
The Florida Department of Children and Families offers free Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to childcare providers, both in-person and online. Courses are available in both English and Spanish.
Georgia
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
Georgia’s DECAL Thriving Child Care Business Academy offers free training and resources to business owners and caretakers who want to create a thriving childcare business in their home or in a center.
Georgia Department of Human Services
The state also offers free training sessions through ProSolutions Training, a leader in childcare training certificate programs.
Hawaii
Hawaii Department of Human Services + PATCH
Hawaii’s DHS partners with PATCH to provide free and low-cost workshops and certificate training courses to childcare providers. DHS also provides scholarships for providers looking to obtain or renew their CDA.
Idaho
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Provides both continuing education and professional development opportunities for childcare providers to further certify their credibility and training in the field.
Illinois
Illinois Department of Child and Family Services
DCFS operates the Learning Development Center, which is your first stop for training and certifications in the state.
Illinois Gateway to Opportunity
Providers can find free and low-cost training available through the Illinois Gateway to Opportunity.
Indiana
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
FSSA has aggregated a wealth of opportunities for training on their website, including coaching, in-person, and online training.
Brighter Futures hosts information on state-certified training modules for childcare providers.
Iowa
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
ISU connects providers with free and low-cost state-certified training on their site.
Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral
Check out Iowa CCRR for professional development opportunities to expand your childcare practice.
Kansas
Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities
These statewide professional development opportunities will help you to navigate new CORE competencies.
Kentucky
Kentucky’s Child Care Resource and Referral Network will connect you with training and resources for childcare providers.
Louisiana
Louisiana Department of Education
Access early childhood continuing professional development through Louisiana’s Department of Education.
Maine
This list of resources is designed to provide training to educators in all age ranges.
Family Child Care Association of Maine
This association aggregates training that meets Maine state standards.
Maryland
Maryland Division of Early Childhood
Access the Maryland Childcare Training Calendar at the Division of Early Childhood site to program your next training.
Massachusetts
Early Childhood Education and Care StrongStart Online
This professional development system is the state’s “one stop shop” for professional training development courses for child care providers.
Michigan
Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential
Among these online training resources are programs designed to train you for the state’s updated rules.
Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Find aggregated links to online training on this state website.
Mississippi
Mississippi State Department of Health
A robust series of trainings and guides to help you on your professional journey in the state of Mississippi.
Missouri
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
These professional development resources will help keep you on track in your career in Missouri.
Montana
Montana DPHHS / STARS Training
They provide access to STARS training through ChildCareTraining.org for free.
Nebraska
Nebraska Department of Education
These online training opportunities cover a range of topics that meet certifiable state standards.
Nevada
DWSS has aggregated applicable online training opportunities for childcare providers across the state.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Children’s Behavioral Health Resource Center
The goal of this state organization is to connect providers with resources and training to help create a robust network of providers across New Hampshire.
New Jersey
New Jersey Department of Human Services
Provider resources, training, and webinars that meet state standards can all be found on the NJ DHS website.
New Mexico
New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department
Free training courses for early childhood professionals are readily available through this website.
New York
New York Office of Children and Family Services
Find a wealth of professional development opportunities for licensed and registered programs here.
North Carolina
North Carolina Child Development and Early Education
Access an abundance of online training and professional development resources through this NC website.
North Dakota
North Dakota Health and Human Services
Licensed and self-declared staff are required to undergo ongoing professional development in the state, and ND HHS has created this page dedicated to helping providers do just that.
Ohio
This public-private partnership houses all the childcare training for the state of Ohio.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness
OPSR houses the state’s Child Care Resource and Referral program, where you’ll gain access to training and professional development to advance your practice and career.
Oregon
Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care
Meet the standards for required state training and continue your professional development with access to resources on this state site.
Pennsylvania
Penn State Extension Better Kid Care
We linked to PSU above, but it bears repeating for PA residents. You can follow their dedication Better Kid Care CDA (Child Development Association) Course. This is a 120-hour, self-paced course that will take you through the entire CDA Credential process. With a pay-as-you-go model, you can get your credential at the pace that works for you.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Human Service Office of Child Care
The office ensures that all children have access to safe, healthy care. Resources on this page are geared toward meeting that goal.
South Carolina
You’ll get access to free training, coaching, and professional resources on this South Carolina site.
South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Social Services
Access the statewide professional development and training network for childcare providers here.
Tennessee
Tennessee Department of Human Services
Meet TN training standards and find professional development opportunities on the DHS site.
Texas
Early childhood educators who live and work in the state of Texas can complete three hours of free online training annually to meet their 20-hour requirements. Texas A&M Agrilife Extension compiles free training resources for providers who are looking for training that meets state requirements.
Utah
Utah Health and Human Services
Get access to standards and training on this official state website.
Vermont
Vermont Department for Children and Families
Track your professional development, access the training calendar, and find funding for training opportunities here.
Virginia
The Virginia Department of Education collaborates with training partners statewide and makes those opportunities available to providers here.
Washington
Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Find a wealth of training to meet state standards on the DCYF site.
West Virginia
WV Bureau for Family Assistance
Find an aggregated list of professional development opportunities and training to meet West Virginia standards here.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Access free materials for certified family and child care providers on this Wisconsin site.
Wyoming
Access a wealth of online training and resources at this “ally” for providers in the state of Wyoming.
Additional Resources
If you’re a childcare provider looking for more resources to help you serve the kids in your life, you’ll love our other list of free games, trivia, and resources for providers and teachers:
