Articles
These articles about child development will help you understand the many ways kids grow and learn, and how you can support, encourage, and have fun with them along the way! Sign up for our monthly newsletter and be the first to receive new articles, activities and updates!
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Free Play is Playful Learning
When kids are allowed to play in whatever way they want – when they can choose the materials and the actions and activities…
Learning Through Guided Play
Guided play combines play that is kid-led with gentle instruction or suggestions from adults. It allows kids to be in…
Why It’s Important to Communicate with Your Kids
A good foundation of communication between you and your kids is important for developing positive, healthy relationships,…
Self-Love & Young Kids
Self-love means appreciating yourself and treating yourself with kindness and understanding. Self-love means accepting…
Tips for Communicating with Babies & Kids
Communicating with your kids goes beyond developing language skills. It helps them feel safe and secure in their…
Brain Food
Food is fuel for your kids’ brains! The foods kids eat – and the nutrients in the food – are important to your kids’…
Curiosity is Important
Curiosity drives kids to try new things, and to continue to do so.
3 Things Parents and Caregivers Can Do to Strengthen Social Connections
Parents and caregivers play an important role in shaping the experience of social connection. Recognizing that strong,…
3 Vital Components of Social Connections
Social connections are the interactions, relationships, roles, and sense of connection that humans experience. Social…
I is For Independent Play
There are big benefits to independent play, which exercises imagination, creativity, persistence, patience, problem-solving…
Nurture Their Thinking Skills: Part 2
Kids are eager to figure out how things work. They’re like little scientists, constantly doing experiments, like throwing a…
Nurture Their Thinking Skills: Part 1
Kids are eager to figure out how things work. They’re like little scientists, constantly doing experiments, like throwing a…
How to Encourage Your Baby to Roll Over
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.
4 Simple Rules for Healthy Interactions & Relationships
Kids learn about relationships and how to interact with others from the adults in their lives – adults are their most…
Why Developmental Milestones are Important
As they grow, your kids will experience physical, cognitive, and social-emotional milestones. Reaching their developmental…
The Importance of Independent 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.
Supporting Kids in Transition Times
Transitions are hard. For young kids, feelings of anxiety or worry that pop up during transition times can lead to whining…
Foundations for Developing Self-Identity & Relationships
Relationships that are tied to family, culture, and community help kids develop a sense of belonging, and once kids have a…
Foundations for Emotional Intelligence
Self-confidence and self-awareness are key signs of emotional intelligence – the ability to perceive, interpret,…
Get Ready to Write
Your kids’ first attempt at the writing process is called emergent writing, and it begins when they’re as young as 2 years…
Kid-Friendly Healthy Recipes
Whether it’s time for breakfast or snack time, toast is a hearty, healthy, warm, and fun choice. These kid-friendly recipes…
4 First Steps to Becoming an Active Family
Though it can be difficult to squeeze an extra activity into an already busy schedule, making time to move together is…
5 Essentials to Meaningful Play
Memories of joyful and meaningful play experiences can bind families together emotionally, even long after the kids have…
Emotional Expression Through Music
One of the many, many benefits of music is that it offers a safe and dependable place to feel our feelings. When we are…
Language Skills & Reading with Under-Threes
Why should reading and sharing stories with your babies and toddlers find a place in your day-to-day routine?
The Benefits of Letting Kids Choose What to Read
Let your kids choose to read books that are interesting to them, even if it’s not something you would have read when you were little. Here’s why:
Making Connections: Physical Activity & Mental Health
Child development takes place simultaneously across every domain; the domains all support one another. That means all the…
Social Communities Strengthen Families
Parents have a lot on their minds. We are literally influencing the architecture of our kids’ developing brains, so it’s no…
Relaxation Techniques for Kids
Taking a few minutes to engage in simple, everyday relaxation techniques can help sustain your energy throughout your day….
Foundations for Early Learning Skills
Kids learn and strengthen their learning by doing. Look for these signs as your kids learn to foster curiosity, demonstrate…
Self-Help Skills for Kindergarten Readiness
Many people focus on the basics of letter and number recognition or reading skills when they think of kindergarten…
Foundations for Developing Early Math Skills
Supporting your kids’ cognition – what they think and what they know – is vital to learning new knowledge and skills….
Foundations for Developing Daily Living Skills
Promoting physical health and development, including daily living skills, enables your kids to explore and function in…
Self-Help Skills for Babies & Toddlers
Self-help skills are involved in every Domain of Development. As your kids learn these skills they also develop…
5 Ways to Get Kids Outside
Kids really do grow better outside. Here are five easy ways to add outside play to your family’s everyday activities! …
Physical and Social-Emotional Health Work Together
You can download this infographic HERE.Child development takes place simultaneously across every domain; they all support…
Foundations for Social Development
Your kids will demonstrate this list to show they are developing their social skills and building authentic relationships! …
Language for Validating Feelings
Careful listening helps kids feel heard. Language that communicates careful listening when kids have strong emotions is…
What is the Preschool Development Grant?
You can download this infographic HERE.Want to know more about what we’ve accomplished with the preschool development grant…
Tips For Helping Kids Build Relationships
You can download this infographic HERE.Relationship-building is the process of establishing emotional connections with…
Interpreting Baby’s Body Language
Your baby’s body language can tell you how they are feeling and what they may need. Responding to their body language helps…
Exploratory Learning Experiences
Exploratory learning experiences are all about curiosity! They engage kids in hands-on investigation of materials, ideas,…
Receptive and Expressive Language
Language is an important part of development, and it’s not just about the ability to say words. Expressive and receptive…
Meaningful Learning Experiences
Learning new things is easier for kids when the new part connects to something they already know a little bit about. When…
Cold Weather Safety
You can download this infographic HERE.It might be cold, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play outside. There’s fun to be…
Benefits of Family Style Meals and Snacks
You can download this infographic HERE.“Family style” is when kids and adults sit together for a meal or snack. Food and…
Supporting Kids Who Are Slow To Warm Up
You can download this infographic HERE.Many kids are “slow to warm up,” meaning they are uneasy or cautious in new…
Facilitating Learning Experiences
You can download this infographic HERE.Learning experiences build on existing knowledge (something familiar) and invite…
Reciprocal Relationships
In a reciprocal relationship, each person is equally respected and valued. The relationship is balanced so that both people…
What Confidence Looks Like in Kids
Developing self-confidence begins at birth, and it starts with building trust. When babies feel safe and secure, they trust…
Curiosity Leads to Confidence
Confidence comes from who we believe and know ourselves to be, and what we believe and know we can do. This belief and this…
Learning at Home
You can download this infographic HERE.Emotional and physical environments matter because they affect how we feel, how we…
10 Things Kids Learn Playing With Blocks
You can download this infographic HERE.Blocks are both a great learning tool and toy for kiddos!
5 Ways to Play in the Mud
Help your kids connect to their world – by playing in the mud! Mud may be messy, but it’s also a raw, everyday material…
Early Childhood Care and Education Settings
You can download this infographic HERE.Families have many options for where their children learn and grow when they are not…
Benefits Of Water Play
You can download this infographic HERE.There are so many benefits to playing in water for kids!
Tips For Transitioning Your Baby To Solid Foods
You can download this infographic HERE.Transitioning your baby to solid foods is an adorably messy and exciting milestone….
Starting Baby on Solid Foods
You can download this infographic HERE.Starting your baby on solid foods can be an intimidating transition. This overview…
Curious Minds Domain
You can download this infographic HERE.When kids are curious, they are eager to explore and learn. The Curious Minds Domain…
Accessible Environments for Little Learners
You can download this infographic HERE.Learning happens when kids feel welcome and comfortable in their environment, and…