The best way to encourage creativity in young children is to provide them with lots of opportunities to be creative. Give children lots of different experiences (visiting farms, looking at art, talking with relatives, listening to music) from which they may pull ideas. Provide materials and time for open-ended exploration, such as free...
Color blindness is characterized by the inability to distinguish between certain colors, most usually green and red, and is more common in males than females. Color blindness is also a genetic, inherited condition so is more likely if there are color blind adults in your family. Although some toddlers know their colors, most do not. Ev...
While keeping in mind that every child is different, there are some physical milestones children generally reach by age 2. If your child is not walking alone by age 2, speak with your pediatrician. Most children also pull toys while walking, can carry toys while walking, are running, can stand on tiptoe, kick a ball and climb. If you h...
Toddlers are developmentally incapable of truly predicting and understanding another person's response to a situation. This means that if a toddler finds something funny, such as dumping a bucket of water on Daddy, he is unable to understand why Daddy does not also find it funny. Children only begin to develop this ability around age 4...
Becoming a parent often means rearranging priorities, but it does not mean having to completely lose your sense of self. You may not be able to enjoy all the activities you did before you had kids but it is important to preserve one or two things that give you a creative outlet and boost your own self-esteem. Volunteering is a wonderfu...
If your toddler won't sit still for stories, crafts or meals, first consider if this is really a problem. Toddlers are very busy at their primary job: learning about the world through exploration. Often, the problem is not that the toddler is too active but rather that our society expects young children to be calm and focused before th...
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advises parents to bring their child to the dentist for a first visit when the child's first tooth arrives or by age 1, whichever comes first. If your toddler has not yet visited the dentist, find a pediatric dentist with experience with young patients. To ensure a positive experience, role p...
In some cultures, children stay up much later than children in the United States. Routines are important for young children. At the same time, attending special family events makes for great childhood memories. Try to have your child get an extra nap in that day, make sure there is a quiet place for your child to safely rest if he or s...
While it may not be fashionable, take comfort in knowing that your toddler’s new found love for mixing fashion is a sign of an important developmental milestone -- an emerging sense of self. Your toddler now knows what he/she wants (and doesn’t want) and has the words to communicate it to you! Giving toddlers the opportunity to make th...
Research shows that one of the best ways to help your child’s speech is to narrate your daily activities. Describe what you are doing and point and label everyday objects and actions.
Toddlers love to help, so a fun way to keep your child busy while you cook is to have him/her help you in the kitchen. You can do this by having your child help you with the actual preparation of the food (e.g., adding premeasured ingredients or helping you stir with a spoon), or by giving your child play dishes and getting him/her to ...
Older children and adolescents may enjoy the ghoulish aspects of Halloween, but your toddler may find them frightening. Young children may prefer celebrations and traditions that emphasize the harvest season such as a visit to a pumpkin farm with corn mazes or hay rides.