Sharing is one of the most difficult early skills to master. It can be so frustrating when you are trying to raise your child with kindness and compassion and you see him throw a fit because another child wants to play with his blocks. Take a minute to think like a toddler. His blocks are […]
As an occupational therapist, one of the most important parts of my job is writing care plans. Whenever I get a new patient, the first thing I do is observe and evaluate the patient, interview the patient and the family, learn what they can and cannot do, learn what is important to the patient and […]
Children as young as 16 months are still evolving into the functional play phase, using toys as they are intended more and more each day. You may notice that she is “driving” cars and dump trucks across the floor more and more. You may see him sweeping toys with his tiny broom. He has observed […]
Cup Stacking STEM concepts: Engineering (building), Math (grouping, sizes, counting), Science (observing, colors), Technology (the use of objects) Materials: Plastic cups of various sizes and color (could use toy cups or cups from your kitchen) What to do: Place the cups around your child. Allow her to explore the different cups and hold them in […]
Suddenly he wants to do everything himself from brushing his own teeth to climbing into his carseat and the slightest helping hand from you can result in an all-out tantrum. If this is the tune your toddler is singing, you’re not alone! She is getting to the age where she craves independence and the only […]
The amount of words spoken to your toddler by you and other caregivers is a strong predictor of future literacy and academic skills, but recent studies are showing that this back and forth conversation (called serve and return or conversational turns) is even more important than we originally thought! During toddler brain studies, the back […]
Eye Spy Jar STEM Concepts: Science (observation) Math (counting objects) Engineering (Figuring out how to manipulate object to find treasures) Materials: A clear empty bottle with a lid, rice or beans or birdseed, super glue, little objects that can fit into the bottle top. (puff balls, marbles, buttons, a small toy animal, etc.) What to […]
Block Play/Construction STEM Concepts: Engineering (building, problem-solving), Math (counting, measuring, one-to-one correspondence) Materials: Foam blocks, wooden blocks, alphabet blocks. Any kind of building block or something that stacks will work! What to do: Dump out the blocks on the floor next to your child. Begin to build a tower, showing him that putting one block […]
Nature Play STEM Concepts: Science (nature, collecting data), Technology (the natural world), Math (counting, patterns) Materials: Leaves, sticks, construction paper, and glue. What to do: Go on a nature walk with your child. This could be at a park, around the playground, or in your own neighborhood. Let her explore the world around her. […]
Right around 15 months functional play, sometimes called pretend play starts to emerge. During this phase of play, toddlers begin to use toys in the way they are intended. For example, your toddler might bring a toy phone to his ear and “talk” on it or he might hammer with a play hammer. This stage […]
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