Mar 18, 2024 | Child Development, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning, Play
When kids are allowed to play in whatever way they want – when they can choose the materials and the actions and activities – they are free to express themselves in the way they choose. You can download this resource HERE. During free play, kids use their...
Mar 4, 2024 | Child Development, Parents, Play
Guided play combines play that is kid-led with gentle instruction or suggestions from adults. It allows kids to be in control of the way they are playing, while adults help them to reach a goal or learn a new skill. It’s play with a purpose! You can download this...
Feb 7, 2024 | Communication, Language, & Reading, Parents, Social & Emotional
A good foundation of communication between you and your kids is important for developing positive, healthy relationships, and it will create a safe space for you to talk as a family about difficult topics as they get older. You can download this resource HERE. Babies...
Feb 5, 2024 | Child Development, Developmental Milestones, Parents, Social & Emotional
Self-love means appreciating yourself and treating yourself with kindness and understanding. Self-love means accepting yourself for who you are. You can download this resource HERE. Kids need to practice self-love because the way they perceive themselves plays a big...
Jan 22, 2024 | Child Development, Communication, Language, & Reading, Parents
Communicating with your kids goes beyond developing language skills. It helps them feel safe and secure in their relationships, which is the foundation for learning and development! You can download this resource HERE. Develop and encourage good communication from...
Dec 15, 2023 | Child Development, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning, Nutrition & Exercise
Food is fuel for your kids’ brains! The foods kids eat – and the nutrients in the food – are important to your kids’ cognitive skills and brain development. Consider this: You can download this resource HERE. Kids need a high level of fat in their...
Oct 19, 2023 | Child Development, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning, Developmental Milestones
Curiosity drives kids to try new things, and to continue to do so. You can download this resource HERE. When they feel comfortable and safe in their environment, kids develop the confidence to explore the world around them, and the confidence to try new things. As...
Sep 13, 2023 | Child Development, Parents, Providers & Educators, Social & Emotional
Parents and caregivers play an important role in shaping the experience of social connection. Recognizing that strong, secure attachments are protective and a good foundation for other healthy relationships is an investment in your relationship with your kids and...
Sep 6, 2023 | Child Development, Social & Emotional
Social connections are the interactions, relationships, roles, and sense of connection that humans experience. Social connection is dynamic – it changes over time – and there are many ways to connect socially. But each connection has one or more of these...
Jun 21, 2023 | Child Development, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning, Developmental Milestones, Play
There are big benefits to independent play, which exercises imagination, creativity, persistence, patience, problem-solving skills, and much more. Here’s how to get started with your kids! You can download this resource HERE. Put the light-up noise-makers away. The...
Jun 21, 2023 | Child Development, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning
Kids are eager to figure out how things work. They’re like little scientists, constantly doing experiments, like throwing a ball on the ground to see if it will bounce, and then throwing a doll on the ground to see what it will do. They also learn to use objects as...
Jun 21, 2023 | Child Development, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning
Kids are eager to figure out how things work. They’re like little scientists, constantly doing experiments, like throwing a ball on the ground to see if it will bounce, and then throwing a doll on the ground to see what it will do. They also learn to use objects as...
May 15, 2023 | Child Development, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning, Developmental Milestones
Rolling over is your baby’s first experience moving their entire body and it’s a big step in their sensory development. While rolling over is a skill your baby will naturally learn, there are ways you can encourage them to meet this milestone! You can download this...
May 8, 2023 | Child Development, Parents, Social & Emotional
Kids learn about relationships and how to interact with others from the adults in their lives – adults are their most powerful models. Use these four simple rules to guide how you engage in healthy interactions and relationships – with other adults and your...
May 8, 2023 | Child Development, Developmental Milestones
As they grow, your kids will experience physical, cognitive, and social-emotional milestones. Reaching their developmental milestones is important because these offer clues and insights into your kids’ health. You can download this resource HERE. When your kids reach...
Apr 17, 2023 | Child Development, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning, Play
Sometimes, kids can’t answer right away when we ask, “What are you doing?” Because sometimes, they don’t know yet! Sometimes, they’re just busy doing. You can download this resource HERE. When kids are engaged this way, in independent, self-directed play, they are...
Apr 14, 2023 | Communication, Language, & Reading, Parents, Social & Emotional, Transitions
Transitions are hard. For young kids, feelings of anxiety or worry that pop up during transition times can lead to whining and stalling, tantrums and meltdowns – behaviors that don’t feel good for anyone. While every kid experiences transitions differently,...
Mar 13, 2023 | Child Development, Developmental Milestones, Social & Emotional
Relationships that are tied to family, culture, and community help kids develop a sense of belonging, and once kids have a sense of their own identity, they can also recognize and appreciate the differences in others and build skills for interacting effectively with...
Mar 2, 2023 | Child Development, Developmental Milestones, Social & Emotional
Self-confidence and self-awareness are key signs of emotional intelligence – the ability to perceive, interpret, demonstrate, control, evaluate, and use emotions to communicate with and relate to others. This means that as kids develop a sense of identity, they also...
Feb 22, 2023 | Child Development, Communication, Language, & Reading, Curiosity, Cognition, & Learning, Developmental Milestones
Your kids’ first attempt at the writing process is called emergent writing, and it begins when they’re as young as 2 years old! When kids create drawings and symbolic markings, they are imitating the act of writing to represent their thoughts and ideas. You can...
Feb 1, 2023 | Child Development, Nutrition & Exercise, Parents
Whether it’s time for breakfast or snack time, toast is a hearty, healthy, warm, and fun choice. These kid-friendly recipes will be fun for you to make and eat together! You can download this resource HERE. Primary Ingredients to Have on Hand Whole Wheat Bread Nut...
Jan 20, 2023 | Child Development, Nutrition & Exercise, Parents, Play
Though it can be difficult to squeeze an extra activity into an already busy schedule, making time to move together is important because active parents raise active kids. And active kids typically continue to be active throughout their lives, which leads to lifelong...
Nov 18, 2022 | Child Development, Developmental Milestones, Nutrition & Exercise, Play
Memories of joyful and meaningful play experiences can bind families together emotionally, even long after the kids have grown up. These five essential elements of play outline why play provides kids with rich experiences that create these lasting memories. You can...
Nov 15, 2022 | Child Development, Developmental Milestones, Nutrition & Exercise, Play
One of the many, many benefits of music is that it offers a safe and dependable place to feel our feelings. When we are afraid, sad, or really happy, we can invite music in that reflects what we’re feeling. For kids, music increases a sense of emotional security,...
Oct 25, 2022 | Child Development, Communication, Language, & Reading, Developmental Milestones, Social & Emotional
Why should reading and sharing stories with your babies and toddlers find a place in your day-to-day routine? You can download this resource HERE. Shared reading helps babies and toddlers learn new words and understand the language they hear. These learning...
