At 19 months, toddlers are still engaging in functional play, using toys in the manner that they are intended to be used such as sweeping with a toy broom and “driving” a toy truck. They are starting to use more and more symbolic play (sometimes called pretend play, imaginative play, or dramatic play) demonstrating higher-level...
Stress is very real for babies and toddlers. They are very sensitive and very aware of their environment. When the adults who care for them are overwhelmed or stressed, that transfers to the child and causes them to feel stress. There is normal, everyday stress that comes from keeping a tight schedule, occasional frustrations and...
Shapes are everywhere in the world, just waiting to be discovered. Encourage your child to learn about shapes with these helpful tips. Page through a kid-friendly book or magazine with your child. If there are any balls or circular objects, point them out and say, “That’s a circle!.” Do this with squares, rectangles, stars,...
Letters and numbers are all around us and such a great thing to teach to children who are getting ready for pre-school and kindergarten. It might seem like kindergarten is far away, but the concepts she learns now will form the foundation for learning during her school-age years! Here are some suggestions for adding to...
She is much too busy exploring and following his own agenda to listen to what you have to say. Here are a few tips to help toddlers stay safe and listen to you: Make sure she is well-rested and well-fed. Even though toddlers are able to string a few words into sentences, they usually do...
He is learning his vocabulary from your vocabulary. The words that you speak around him become his language. You can constantly add to his vocabulary and help him to express himself by talking to him all day long. Here are some specific suggestions: Narrate your child’s play, describing what he does. Talk about colors, shapes,...
Thanks for your interest in STEM Starts Now! Here’s how it works: Parents can either purchase the subscription for themselves for $4.99/month ($49 for the year), or they are given the subscription through a pregnancy center, hospital, or organization. Each parent will sign in with their name and baby’s birth date. This will give them...
Right around 18 months children typically move from parallel play into associative play. During associative play, children still play primarily independently of each other, but they are more likely to engage in the same type of play. Children will imitate each other and play the same activity with a little bit of interaction with each...
At 17 months your toddler is starting to show more critical thinking during play. You will notice her solving more complex problems. She is engaging in functional play, using toys in the manner which they are intended (pretending to feed dolls and “cooking” with play pots and pans). She is also using symbolic play more...
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...
