Developing strong and healthy bodies has to do with the food children eat, the physical activities they participate in, their ability to help themselves meet basic needs, and the ways in which they use the muscles in their bodies. The Strong & Healthy Bodies...
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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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Help set your kids up for a great ride by making sure they have all the right equipment in place. Wearing a Properly Fitted Helmet Adjust sizing pads or fit ring until the helmet is snug Position the helmet level on their head, covering the forehead Make...
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8 Things All Parents Should Know About Play Give your children time for play and you will see all they are capable of doing when given the opportunity. Children learn through play. Play develops cognitive skills, physical abilities, new vocabulary, social skills, and...
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The American Academy of Pediatrics says lots of unstructured outdoor play is critical to the health of children. That’s because outdoor play benefits children in every domain of their development. Physical Fitness Gives children the opportunity to run, jump, climb,...
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Kids should play outside! Here are 5 reasons why. When kids are given unstructured time to play alone or with other children, especially outdoors, they make up their own games, figure things out, and amuse themselves, which allows them to practice important life...
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Physical activity can start very early in life as part of your child’s everyday play! When you’re choosing activities, focus on activities that are fun. If children enjoy what they’re doing, they’re more likely to want to keep doing it!...
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Good Nutrition Where to Start A variety of grains, dairy, proteins, fruits, and veggies is a good starting point for any healthy diet, but the necessary portions of each depend upon age. Here’s a good starting point. Toddlers Grains • 3-5 ounces per day • One ounce...
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There’s no great secret to eating healthy. To help your family develop healthy eating habits, simply: Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products. Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products. Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and...
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Instead of focusing on foods your kids can’t have, help your kids think about foods they can have, and make eating them fun! Eat the Rainbow Having a variety of colors on the plate helps ensure your kids are getting different varieties of vitamins, minerals and other...
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Dance helps kids develop physically, socially and emotionally, cognitively and psychologically, because dancing involves every part of them – inside and outside.
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It’s always important to protect your children from the sun, and in the summer it’s equally important to be mindful of the heat. 80 degrees Fahrenheit or below is considered comfortable to be outside, but as the temperature rises from there it’s...
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Many of your child’s daily activities require fine motor skills. Your child can do more things for themselves when they have opportunities to practice these skills.
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Assuring your children have access to nutrient-dense foods allows them to reach their developmental milestones with strong and healthy bodies and minds!
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 moreThere’s a lot going on in babies’ minds in the first year of life, and their early experiences in the world affect how their brains grow in ways that can last a lifetime. Many parents underestimate just how deeply children are affected by early experiences and how...
read moreAsk any new mom or dad what they find most difficult in a child’s first year, and they will probably mention sleep deprivation. By a baby’s first birthday, most parents have tried some sort of intervention – something to help their child learn to fall asleep and...
read moreIs your child struggling to try to new foods? Ask them if they can lick it! As silly as it sounds, even licking a new food is a way to introduce the taste. You may have to introduce a new food more than 10 times before a child will eat it. Learn this and other...
read moreMy 2-year-old loves to cook. In her classroom she is the first one to volunteer for a cooking activity asking, “Can I help you?” At home she enjoys looking at cookbooks and suggesting projects: “Can we make challah? Now?” The challenge is...
read moreChildren are natural explorers. Set some basic boundaries, and let the child discover. The learning will come. Children use all of their senses to explore. They look and listen to observe what is happening around them, touch what they can reach, smell the fresh scents...
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