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 […]
“Clowning around” is actually an important part of development! Babies do not inherit a sense of humor, it is learned and we can help them learn this by making them laugh and laughing at them! Now that your toddler is more interactive, they are noticing that when they do something silly, you laugh. Your toddler […]
He is experimenting with his own socialization right now. He is learning that some of his interactions have positive responses and some have negative responses. Maybe whining does not get him what he wants, but he learns through repetition, so he will try again and again to keep testing your reaction. He probably is paying […]
They look little adults, but their brain does not work like a tiny adult brain. How many times have you taken her to the park only to deal with a melt down because another child is on the swing she wanted or set up a play date that went awry because someone took the toy […]
Allow your toddler to play with older children. Studies show that babies and toddlers are fascinated with the faces and voices of other children. This interaction is great for building new language and communication skills. Children are more apt to get down to your toddler’s level and interact with her in an organic way. If […]
Dr. Tovah Klein, author of How Toddlers Thrive recommends that parents of toddlers switch their focus from the “top down” adult position to actually thinking like a toddler. It really makes you look at your world differently. As Klien points out, thinking like a toddler requires to look at the world in very simple terms […]
It might be hard to let you child truly “explore” his food when we know that food is meant to be eaten. Toddlers don’t know that the beautiful green avocado is meant to be immediately put into his mouth. He doesn’t know food from toys from dirt. Everything is to be explored. His first […]
At 14 months your toddler is still learning about his world through sensory play. By touching, mouthing, tasting, and exploring, he is building those pathways in his brain that connect brain cells (neurons) together. Every sensory experience creates more pathways and when he repeats these experiences and actions, the pathways strengthen and new learning takes […]
Swaddle your baby to keep her content and calm. She was nice and cozy and warm in utero with pressure all over her body from the amniotic fluid and a nice swaddle will mimic that feeling and make her feel safe and secure. Learn how from Linda, our favorite labor and delivery nurse!
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