DiscussionDo motor skills develop naturally? How can I help my child?
Children's physical and motor skills tend to develop a rather predictable sequence. As a children's bodies grow, they will also acquire the skills needed to coordinate and maneuver those body parts. Of course, these skill do not appear out of nowhere or develop in a vacuum.
Personal & Social Skills
How can I tame a restaurant tantrum?
While it is never fun to be the parent of a screaming child in a restaurant, take comfort in the fact that tantrums are a normal part of development and are just an expression of your child’s frustration. When your child begins to get upset, try to distract and redirect his/her attention. If that doesn’t work, calmly pick up your child...
How can I feed my picky eater more vegetables?
While it may be tempting to try to bribe or trick your child into eating more vegetables, research has shown that forcing your child to eat something can actually make picky eating behavior worse. Instead, try making your child’s experience with eating vegetables as positive, and low pressure, as possible. For example, try arranging ve...
My toddler is learning at a preschool level but isn't ready for preschool. How can I challenge him?
This is a great opportunity to provide your toddler with printables and activities that challenge him to grasp early reading and math skills. Browse the Preschool and Pre-K printables and activities on Learning Path that focus on basic letter and number learning. Encourage your child to call out letters or words in books as you read to...
Reading & Writing
My toddler screams all the time. How can I make him stop?
At this age, children are starting to do so many things on their own, such as walking and eating. However, their verbal skills are still forming. An inability to express certain needs and emotions may be the basic cause for the screaming. At times it’s easy to know what the source of the crying is, such as hunger or a wet diaper. Other...
Personal & Social Skills
How can I wean my toddler off the pacifier without getting a full blown tantrum?
Though we cannot promise tantrum-free results, here are some tips to smoothing the pacifier weaning process. You may want to give your child some warning that “in a few days, we will say bye-bye to your binky.” Continue to remind your child that this will happen, with matter-of-fact language, until the day it goes away. This will prepa...
Personal & Social Skills
How can I get my toddler to put on her coat when she refuses?
Getting organized and out the door with young children is a challenge in itself, add a toddler who refuses to put on a coat and it’s enough to make you want to stay inside! While it is important to give your toddler the opportunity to make her own choices, you need to make sure that she is adequately dressed for the weather. One way to...
Personal & Social Skills
Can you recommend some holiday books for my toddler?
There are many fun books to get your child excited about the holiday! “The Night Before Christmas” by Rachel Isadora adds a modern twist to a classic favorite, and is beautifully illustrated using paper collage and oil paints. “Dream Snow” by Eric Carle is a wintery tale that really captures the snowy magic of the holidays. “Duck & Goo...
Reading & Writing
How can I help my daughter learn to communicate what she needs or wants?
One way to help your daughter communicate what she needs and wants is through sign language. Teaching her a few simple signs may make it easier for her to communicate with you and begin to see herself as a good communicator. As she becomes more confident, she may also try to use her words to communicate. There are many great books on b...
Language Learning
My 13-month-old can say dada, hi and bye bye. How can I teach him to say more words?
Just after their first birthday, most children have a vocabulary of 3-4 words, but it is important to remember that every child is different. Research shows that one of the best ways to help children learn new words is to narrate your daily activities. Describe what you are doing as you go about your chores and activities. Point to and...
Reading & Writing
My son is grinding his teeth. How do I get him to stop?
Two to three of every 10 kids grind their teeth. However, most will outgrow this habit by the age of six, or by the time all the permanent teeth have come in. The reasons for teeth grinding, or bruxism, are unconfirmed. Some children may develop the habit as a reaction to growing pains or times of stress. Help your child settle into a ...
Personal & Social Skills
When do kids really learn to count?
As with reading and talking, parents can introduce mathematical thinking from the start. Counting everyday objects (stairs, blocks, snacks) is a fun beginning. Some toddlers may even repeat a few numbers or memorize a sequence of numbers, though this is usually by rote, rather than a true understanding of numbers or counting. This is t...
Mathematics