In recent years, researchers have learned a lot more about how early experiences shape children. Here are 8 great things to know and remember when it comes to early child development. 1. Stress can harm children’s brains and bodies. When they are in utero and...
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“Serve and return” is about the everyday, back and forth interactions you have with your kids. It’s the practice of noticing and responding to their cues with eye contact, words, a hug, or other easy actions. These show kids that they are seen and heard, they build...
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Taking your little one to child care can be a difficult decision and an emotional experience. Here are a few ways to ease the transition. Here are a few ways you can help ease your baby’s transition into their first child care setting. Prepare for the change...
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Communication is the ability and desire to connect with others by exchanging ideas and feelings, both verbally and non-verbally. The Communication Domain of Development includes literacy, different expressions of language, and understanding the meaning of feelings and...
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5 Ways to Engage in Your Child’s Development Your kids are growing and learning all day, every day. You can make a positive impact on their development by getting involved in these five simple ways. Talk, Listen, Respond Talk to your kids – talk about your day, make...
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Early Childhood Transitions – An Overview Transition means to change, and there are a lot of changes that happen in a child’s life. From everyday transitions like going to bed at the end of the day to more disruptive transitions like welcoming home a new sibling or...
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The Domains of Development Growing and learning go hand in hand. As young children learn and grow, interact with the world around them, and begin to understand how they fit into their world, they experience physical, cognitive, and social-emotional...
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Self-regulation is the ability to control behavioral and emotional responses. It’s having the skill to calm yourself down when you get upset, to adjust to a change, and to handle frustration without outbursts. And it’s a foundational developmental...
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What is epigenetics and how does it relate to child...
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How Your Child Learns and Grows Through Play from Birth to Three When you make time to play each day, you are giving your child a big dose of love and learning. Wise words from Mister Rogers. Play is more than just fun, it’s serious learning! It’s a very...
read moreBrain development is most sensitive to a baby’s nutrition between mid-gestation and two years of age. Children who are malnourished–not just fussy eaters but truly deprived of adequate calories and protein in their diet–throughout this period do not adequately...
read moreFood is at the center of our lives. And it’s much more than the fuel that keeps us going. It can be a source of pleasure, celebration, and—sometimes—challenges. Mealtime routines helps build strong family relationships and a healthy relationship with food. Figuring...
read moreIt’s important for parents to help their child learn how to cope with their feelings. Learn how parents are their child’s guide in sharing the joys and coping with the challenges, starting on day one. It wasn’t that long ago that the conventional wisdom...
read moreWhy Do Babies Like Boxes Best? It is Ella’s first birthday, and her mom is excited. She places a brightly wrapped present in front of Ella and tears just a small portion of the shiny paper. Ella takes over, pulling on the paper and scrunching it in her hands. Some...
read moreWhy Play? Monkeys play. Dogs play. Rats play. Even octopuses play. And without any instruction, children of all races and genders, in all cultures of the world, invent and reinvent play in every generation. Something this ubiquitous must provide evolutionary...
read moreThe bond between a parent and child builds the child’s ability to form relationships with others, express emotions, and face difficult challenges. Through supportive relationships, young children can explore the world, develop empathy, and understand the difference...
read moreEmpathy is the ability to imagine how someone else is feeling in a particular situation and respond with care. This is a very complex skill to develop. Being able to empathize with another person means that a child: Understands that he is a separate individual, his...
read moreThe question for all of us is how we can give all babies and toddlers the best start on a life-long journey of learning? The first day of learning — when a child begins preparing for the first day in the classroom — happens much earlier than the first day of school....
read moreFathers—and men—are an important part of a child’s world. Fathers interact with children differently than mothers. They tend to engage in more physically stimulating and unpredictable play. This type of play can help children develop independence, self-regulation,...
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