Serve and Return Examples
Back and forth conversations, otherwise called “serve and return” or “conversational turns” are the best predictor of your toddler’s future academic skills. By providing your toddler with lots of opportunities to engage in conversations with you all day, you are adding to his vocabulary, ability for critical thinking and logic skills, and higher level academic...
Your Empathetic and Compassionate Toddler
Your 24-month-old is developing a stronger sense of self-awareness. This new awareness helps your toddler realize that he is separate from you and other people and that he has his own thoughts and feelings. He is also beginning to learn that other people have thoughts and feelings that are different from his. With this new...
Bossy Pants Toddler
Is your toddler becoming a bossy-pants? Do you hear the words “no,” “mine,” “watch me,” and “I can do it” more and more everyday? Sounds like you have a typical toddler. He is experimenting with his new-found ability to use language to cause a reaction in people and sometimes even get what he wants. Your...
STEM Activities for the 22- Month-Old
Nature Walk STEM Concepts: Science (life science, earth science), Technology (simple tools), Math (patterns and classification) Materials: Appropriate attire for outside exploration (rain boots for puddle jumping not necessary but encouraged). Plastic bags, magnifying glasses, plastic trays. Expansion – plain paper, crayons and glue. What to do: Go on a nature walk anywhere that has trees,...
Play at 22 Months
You may start to see real-life events play out through your child’s symbolic play. Symbolic play, also called pretend play or imaginative play is becoming more and more typical for your toddler right now as she plays house, doctor, farmer, and mom to her baby dolls. You may notice your toddler talking on the “phone”...
Toddler Language Hacks
Trick your toddler into talking. Make him giggle. Be silly! Here are some tips to engage in conversations, make your toddler ask for what they need and keep your toddler engaged while making him belly laugh at the same time. Put your toddler’s shoe on his hand or his pants on his head while dressing...
Your Toddler’s Love/Hate Relationship With You
While some toddlers may be very affectionate, always in your lap and generous with the hugs and kisses, other toddlers pretend not to even know mom and dad. They are figuring out just how independent they are going to be. This can also vary from day to day. One day, you may have the...
How Rhythm Teaches Early Math Skills
Around 18 weeks of gestation, your baby is starting to be able to hear in utero. The complex structure of tubes that make up the inner ear are formed at this point and although the fetus does not yet have actual ears, the bones and tubes of the inner ear are connected by brain cells...
Newborn – 1 Month Curriculum
The newborn period of time is very challenging. It is really important to encourage mom to care for herself first and take advantage of help and resources. It can be hard to ask for help, but it is important to note that it benefits the baby. Caring for the Caregiver: Discuss the importance of care...