Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #39: What Happens When Your Child Puts on a Costume? Developmental Play! with Ann McKitrick It's that time of year when kids like to wear their Halloween costume any chance they get and I say, let 'em! It seems like just a...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #30: 5 Things to know about starting preschool Starting preschool is an exciting milestone for your child and will build a strong foundation for kindergarten. In this episode, you'll learn what types of programs are...
Making playdough with toddlers. We had a tray on the shelf with all the playdough ingredients and made a fresh batch about every 2 weeks. When I was a teacher, our class loved making playdough. We pull out the tray of ingredients and the kids would take turns dumping...
Tea parties. We started them early on at our house. I think it started that time I spotted Good Mood Tea at Whole Foods. I bought a box for the next time the crankies set in. Because um, that happened often with three kids under age four. I bought it for myself, then...
Have you wondered why toddlers make silly decisions? Read about how this is due to them learning about the consequences to behavior and how you can help them with their behavior development.
Are you looking for ways that you can organize and create fun activities for your kids while at home? Learn about some fun activities that we think will help!
Social distancing is easier for some of us than others. Especially our children. For those on the more introverted side, they're delighted to stay home and hang with the family. They are content! For your children who are extroverted, it’s a little like torture not...
What's going on in that little mind? If you are one who joins the celebration of this holiday, you’ve probably got a costume for your child and depending on their age, they either tolerate being dressed up (or not!) or love putting it on and instantly becoming the...
A given for many parents is a refrigerator plastered with photos and children's artwork. You can learn a lot from their drawings. Children’s art gives us insight into their development - the way they hold a marker, the amount of space they use on a page, the...
Every moment your baby is awake they are learning something. You know this already. But when it comes to “teaching” your baby, it’s easy to put learning into categories — when you go to the park, she’s learning about trees and flowers, when you read a book, she’s...
Cadence loves to pretend to be “Grump Cera”, a baby dinosaur from the movie Land Before Time and she’s got it down! For over a year she's focused on this one character, honing her dinosaur skills as she plays. Note how she holds her body, kicks her foot slightly about...
Best Playdough Recipe Ever Everybody loves playdough, especially me. It’s a universal soother for toddlers through grownups! It lends itself to great conversation and imaginative play (everybody makes playdough snakes and slithers them around the table…) Make a fresh...
Reading can be a gentle way to face and process new ideas. By reading books about certain topics, like death, you give your child the opportunity to explore the concept, ask questions, and facilitate conversation. Here are my favorite children’s books that address death.
Positive language helps children to succeed and thrive. But sometimes it can be hard to think of positive things to say to your baby… you’re still getting to know them after all. Here are 30 encouragements to use with you baby (or big kid!) today.
You know it’s important for your child to play, but what exactly should the play consist of? Learn six key elements of meaningful play and how you can help enrich your child’s playtime.
Creative movement is an excellent tool for engaging children. Learn how and why creative movement should be used at home and in school.
I’m a child development specialist, parent coach and teacher trainer. I’ve cared for countless babies in child development programs, plus 3 kids, 3 grand babies and 5 foster babies! I LOVE babies and would come hold yours if I could. ❤️
