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#51: The Benefits of Play with Dr. Stephanie Goloway

#51: The Benefits of Play with Dr. Stephanie Goloway

   Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #51: The Benefits of Play with Dr. Stephanie Goloway   What are the benefits of play, besides entertaining your child? Our guest today says there's lots more going on when you simply play and interact with your...

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#34: What Grandparents Need to Know

#34: What Grandparents Need to Know

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #34: What Grandparents Need to Know Grandparents, aunties, uncles, extended family all play an important role in your baby's life. Babies have a way of bringing a new dimension to families and learning what works for your...

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Why your toddler needs to play with puzzles

Why your toddler needs to play with puzzles

  Why should you get some puzzles for your toddler? Play is essential for toddlers - it's how they figure things out. They need opportunities to play with good toys and materials and use their imagination. Puzzles fit the bill! They provide lots of learning - from...

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Can toddlers write?

Can toddlers write?

Can toddlers write? As soon as your little one becomes interested, you can give them some big paper and a marker to get them started. Learning to make a mark on the page is actually an important part of early literacy, which begins in the first three years of life....

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How to make playdough with your child

How to make playdough with your child

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...

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How to choose toys for babies

How to choose toys for babies

We've got a closet full of toys upstairs in the kids room. When the grandkids are here, they spend LOTS of time playing up there! In fact, sometimes when we're FaceTiming now, I'll walk up there and we'll "visit" the toys and they get so excited! 😂  If you were here,...

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Toddler Fun With Boxes

Toddler Fun With Boxes

Are you looking for fun activities you can do at home with your toddler? Learn about how you can use shipping boxes to create fun activities for your toddler.

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Playing Peekaboo With Your Child

Playing Peekaboo With Your Child

Do you have a young child and wonder why they love to play Peekaboo? Read about why they love to play this popular game and how it helps with their development.

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What happens when a child puts on a costume?

What happens when a child puts on a costume?

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...

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5 important things that happen in the first two years

5 important things that happen in the first two years

The all-important first two years Your child's early learning and development has far-reaching implications for the future of the economy, the political climate and international relations. Crazy to think that what you do each day as a parent has that kind of...

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3 Things That Every Parent Does Naturally

3 Things That Every Parent Does Naturally

Even people who say they have "no clue what to do with babies" will instinctively do exactly what's necessary to enhance development as they singsong talk, make faces and gaze at their face as they hold them. We act differently with infants than we do with adults or...

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4 Easy ways to encourage pretend play

4 Easy ways to encourage pretend play

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...

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Lining up blocks… what does this tell us?

Lining up blocks… what does this tell us?

Block Play! Last week we got to hang out with Megan, Josh, and the grandkids! We live far apart so when we spend time together, it’s really special. And of course, since I love all things child development, it’s fun to see how the kids have grown, what they like to...

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Make Playdough Together

Make Playdough Together

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...

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Six Key Elements of Meaningful Play

Six Key Elements of Meaningful Play

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.

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About ann


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. ❤️

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