Bending your baby’s arms, bicycling her legs, putting her different body positions. Why did we include these in our BabySparks development program? Exercising your baby’s large muscles, even when she’s
If you’re wondering whether your child will be right or left-handed, you may be in for a wait. Some babies and toddlers show a hand preference right away, but it’s
Imagine your little one is in elementary school, stuck trying to solve a math problem one way. Then, his teacher shows him another way to approach it. He looks at
As adults, we choose clothes that match our activities: Work clothes for work. Work-out clothes for the gym. Dress-up clothes for special events. What is our little ones’ primary activity?
All little ones are challenging at times, but some are challenging most of the time. According to research on temperament, roughly 10% of children fall into the “difficult or challenging”
Just as we’re born with a certain eye color, hair color, and body type, we’re also born with a unique way of approaching, responding to, and interacting with the world:
Skin-to-skin is as simple as it sounds: Cuddling your unclothed baby against your bare chest. It’s a bang for your buck, developmentally speaking, because it’s so easy yet it benefits
W-sitting looks like this: A child sits on his bottom with his legs bent at the knees and splayed out to the sides. If you stood and looked down at
If you’re the parent of a toddler who bites, you may feel embarrassed, frustrated, and worried. And for group childcare providers, little ones biting brings up safety issues and parent
If you’re the parent or caregiver of a toddler who bites, rest assured that biting in toddlerhood is common, and there are reasons for it. There are also things you
What’s an inexpensive and surefire way to support your little one’s development? Use mirrors! A mirror is a “toy” she’ll love from the get-go, and one that will grow with
If you sit down to type, what’s the first thing you do? Stabilize your trunk. Next you align your posture and hold your neck and shoulders still. Only then can
Your baby was finally sleeping for a long stretch at night, and suddenly she’s waking up regularly again. Or one day your new walker who was a nap champ starts
If your toddler spends mealtimes shaking her head and pushing her plate away, you’re one of countless parents around the world who deal with a picky-eating little one. There are
Your seven month-old gobbles up everything you put in front of her. At 18 months she decides the only things she’ll eat are applesauce and crackers. What’s going on?! Not
Bath time is a fun way to wind down and get your little one squeaky clean, but it’s also great for her development. Take a look at several ways splashing
Clothes, check. Socks, check. Shoes, check. Baby, check? That’s right, you can “wear” your baby in a sling, wrap, or carrier, and child-development experts say it’s good for babies, parents,
Aside from the classic five senses (touch, sight, taste, smell and hearing), there are two less famous but equally important ones: Proprioception and the vestibular system. The classic five are
When we think of the senses, the classic five usually come to mind: Touch, sight, taste, smell and hearing. There are two other important senses, though, and they don’t always
The sense of touch is also known as the tactile sense. We receive tactile information all over our body, but especially through the mouth, hands, and feet. For your little
Our sense of taste receives information through thousands of tiny bumps on the tongue that we know as taste buds. Our taste buds can detect five basic flavors: Sweet, salty,
Other animals are considerably better at detecting scents than we are, but our sense of smell is still impressive: Research estimates that the average person can distinguish between 1 trillion
Imagine you walk into a busy restaurant to meet a friend. You scan the room for her face, and maneuver your way around tables. You give your friend a hug
Think back to learning how to drive. Remember those first days of intently focusing on your every move while jerking a car through an empty parking lot? Now, you can
Attention skills are central to learning, engaging with others, accomplishing tasks, and succeeding in school and the workplace. They develop gradually and steadily, and as a parent or caregiver you
Spatial awareness helps us do things like read a map, put together IKEA furniture, trot up spiral stairs without bumping ourselves, and follow an instruction like: The keys are inside
We’ve already touted the benefits of being barefoot. Now let’s talk about ditching your baby’s clothes, too! Whenever it’s warm and safe to do so, consider stripping your baby down
It’s adorable to watch your toddler move her hips to her favorite song, but did you know that dancing with your child is good for her (and you!) in many
Ah, milestones. They’re a source of both excitement and anxiety. Watching your little one take her first steps is thrilling, but if she’s a late walker you may worry about
As your child gains developmental skills, reading with her will evolve. Below we’ll explore that evolution from months 0-24. Yes, we said zero! The American Academy of Pediatrics and others
From marks on a paper to purposeful drawing (even though the “dog” she draws may still look like a blob), your child’s artwork steadily evolves during her first two years.
Reading to your toddler likely involves being interrupted, skipping pages, and conversing as much as reading. Far from a waste of time, this is developmentally appropriate and just what your
Should you really start reading to your baby when she’s a newborn? She doesn’t even know what you’re saying! No matter, say child development experts. Reading to an infant, even
Taking time each day to massage your baby by gently pressing, rubbing, or kneading different parts of his body isn’t just a sweet way to spend time with him. It’s
Have you chased your newly running toddler in the park today? Had a dance party in the living room? Tossed balls in the yard? If not, go for it, because
When parents of toddlers talk about throwing, it’s often about discipline: How do I teach my child not to throw food on the floor, or toys at her little brother?
Right around the time your toddler picks up her pace to run, she begins experimenting with jumping. Jumping enhances several developing skills, which we’ll explore below. First, let’s take a
Once your baby masters walking, it’s only a matter of time before he’s off and running! Let’s take a look at when and how running develops, and why it’s an
Your baby’s first steps are a thrilling moment, for you and for her! While you proudly film her toddling and toppling around the room, she relishes a new, more efficient
Pulling up to stand was exciting for your little one. Suddenly he could see his surroundings like never before. To explore in this new, upright position, he starts shuffling his
Baby shoes are a big business these days! A miniature version of Dad’s favorite sneakers may be adorable, but research shows that it’s best for babies (and older kids, too)
When you think of a creative person, a painter, composer or novelist likely comes to mind. We don’t always associate creativity with an executive who restructures a company, a doctor
Around the time your baby learns to crawl, she will begin experimenting with pulling up to stand. Eventually she will be able to stand up on her own—quite an accomplishment
What do brushing your teeth, shaking someone’s hand, and reading this article have in common? A skill called “crossing the midline”. The midline is an invisible line from head to
During your baby’s first year, he discovered his hands and learned he could use them. He started crawling and you were probably two steps ahead of him, making sure the
Your baby is on the move! Welcome to the days of following him from room to room as he explores his world. This can be exhausting for you, but it’s
Like other gross motor milestones, rolling over is full of fuel for your baby’s development. It’s his first experience moving his entire body, and continues to strengthen his muscles, balance,
Stop and think about the complex wrist, hand and finger movements involved in things like zipping a sweatshirt, tying shoes, or using a can opener. Amazing, right? Long before these
Now that your baby has gained head control and learned to roll over, she is ready to pull herself up to sit! This exciting milestone offers her a new way
Other gross motor milestones may seem more worthy of celebration, but head control is a developmental powerhouse! It’s the precursor to moving the entire body, which starts with rolling over
What is tummy time? Simply put, tummy time is time your baby spends on their stomach while they are awake. Seems easy enough, right? As a pediatric physical therapist, I
Music is a vital part of human culture. It’s how stories are told, it’s a powerful way to express emotions, and can be how we tell someone we love them.
Fine motor skills are often thought of as the movements of the fingers and hands, but they also include movements of the toes, mouth, and eyes. Many important tasks related
Messy play involves children engaging with substances like sand, water, clay, cooked spaghetti, and other things that are gooey or sticky. It’s no surprise that parents tend to avoid these
As your little one looked back at you for the first time, you no doubt wondered what she saw and whether she recognized you. Scientists are also curious about what
Babies give us cues all the time, but we need to look carefully to see them. Especially to a newborn, the world can be very stimulating, with so many new
Try this test: ask 5 parents when their children took their first steps. My guess is that 4 of them will be able to tell you the exact month it