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Bad Air Quality? Indoor Activities for Baby
Got bad air quality outside? Or is it just too hot or cold to play with baby outside today? There are always days when it is better to keep baby inside. Here are some activities (created with expert pediatric physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists) that were designed to be played indoors and … Continued
Benefits of Playing with Baby in Side Lying
Try the side lying position with baby to help them explore, move, and learn about their body! This position helps baby with their reaching and kicking skills, putting hands to mouth, and rolling. Play these baby activities to help your little one develop these skills!
Tips to Help Baby Roll Over from a Physical Therapist
Help your baby learn how to roll over! Use these therapist tips to help baby meet their 4-6 month motor milestone. Rolling helps with head and trunk strength, weight shifting, and core strength, which are all important for gross motor development.
How Our FREE App Helps Parents
Parents love the FREE Pathways.org Baby Milestones app, which helps them track baby’s development, from milestones to Tummy Time. This baby app also provides weekly motor, communication, sensory, and feeding activities to support baby at their exact age and stage of development. All activities are reviewed and recommended by expert healthcare providers. Learn more about … Continued
How Are Milestones and Abilities Different?
Are you tracking baby’s milestones and abilities? If so, you’re probably wondering how they’re different and why they’re both an important part of baby’s development. Watch this video to find the answers! Tracking both milestones and abilities is important to understand baby’s development. So how are they different? MILESTONES are behavioral or physical checkpoints in … Continued
The Difference Between Structured vs. Unstructured Play
Do you know the difference between structured and unstructured play? Both are important to a child’s development! Structured play involves a child following directions or rules, such as one given by an adult, whereas unstructured play is a child doing what interests them or playing without direction. Structured play: A child follows directions or rules. … Continued
The Benefits of Massage+ 30, 10, 5
Massage+ 30, 10, 5 is a simple, quick, and powerful baby massage based on 40+ years of research for premature and full-term babies. It helps to improve baby’s health and development. Massage+ 30, 10, 5 is a massage of baby’s head, arms, legs, belly, and back, and also incorporates communication and movement. Massage+ is proven … Continued
Important Sensory Milestones: Baby’s First Year Part 1
How do baby’s sensory skills develop over their first year? Here are a few of baby’s sensory milestones from 0-12 months, validated by American Academy of Pediatric findings! 0-3 Months: Baby is able to calm with rocking, touching, and gentle sounds They will visually track a moving toy from side to side while lying on … Continued
How to Support Healthy Eating Habits
Healthy eating is important and getting babies to eat nutritious foods can sometimes be challenging! If your little one is pushing away the bananas and broccoli, try these tips to help them build healthy eating habits. Read the full article here! Help baby make smarter eating decisions in the future! Here are some ways to … Continued
Important Motor Milestones: Baby’s First Year (Part 2)
How do baby’s motor skills develop over their first year? Here are a few of baby’s motor milestones from 0-12 months, validated by American Academy of Pediatrics Findings. 0-3 Months Baby moves legs and arms off of surface when excited7-9 Months: Baby moves from tummy or back into sitting 4-6 Months While standing with support, … Continued
Important Feeding Milestones: Baby’s First Year Part 1
How do baby’s feeding skills develop over their first year? Here are a few of baby’s feeding milestones from 0-12 months, validated by American Academy of Pediatrics findings! 0-3 Months: Baby latches onto nipple or bottle for feeding and their tongue moves forward and back to suck They will drink 2-6 ounces of liquid per … Continued
Important Communication Milestones: Baby’s First Year
How does baby’s communication develop over their first year? Here are a few of baby’s communication milestones from 0-12 months! 0-3 Months Baby will smile and turn their head in response to sounds or voices They make eye contact and cry differently for different needs 4-6 Months Baby will listen and respond when spoken to … Continued
Important Motor Milestones: Baby’s First Year (Part 1)
How do baby’s motor skills develop over their first year? Here are a few of baby’s motor milestones from 0-12 months! 0-3 Months While lying on tummy, baby can push up on their arms and lift and hold their head up Baby will also be able to bring hands to mouth and move fists from … Continued
0-3 Meses Lista de Comprobación de Hitos Motor
Mientras está acostado boca abajo, se levanta con los brazos Mientras está acostado boca abajo, levanta la cabeza y la sostiene Capaz de abrir el puño cerrado -Puede llevarse las manos a la boca Mueve las piernas y los brazos levantándolos de la superficie cuando se emociona Todos nuestros hitos están apoyados por hallazgos de … Continued
Important Fine Motor Skills for Baby: The Pincer Grasp
Has baby learned to use the pincer grasp yet? It’s a simple movement, but a huge step forward for baby’s fine motor skills! The pincer grasp is where baby brings thumb and index finger together to pinch and grasp. Before baby can use a pincer grasp, they try to grab with their whole hand. Baby … Continued
Why Does Baby Babble?
By the time baby is 4-6 months, they should be babbling. It’s a milestone! The sound baby makes before they say their first words is known as babbling It should seem like they have a lot to say – but you can’t understand any of it! Babbling lets baby get used to using their mouth, … Continued
How to Help Baby When They Fall
When baby is learning to move, it’s common (and expected) for them to lose their balance. This can be scary when that happens! It’s common for babies to fall when learning to roll, crawl, walk, or stand So what should parents do when baby falls? Here are a few steps to follow when baby falls: … Continued
Tips to Start Reading Books to Baby
Start reading to baby as early as possible! Whether it’s picture books or story books, reading helps build baby’s vocabulary from the time they’re born. Even just looking at pictures helps development. Be sure to point to different objects as you read them. Don’t forget: Baby turning the page is a 7-9 month milestone! When … Continued
What Are the 6 Stages of Play?
Did you know there are 6 stages of play? Unoccupied Play: 0-3 Months Solitary Play: 0-2 Years Onlooker Play: 2 Years Parallel Play: 2+ Years Associate Play: 3-4 Years Cooperative Play: 4+ Years All the stages involve exploring, being creative and having fun. Unoccupied Play: 0-3 Months Makes a lot of movement with their arms, … Continued
Expressive and Receptive Communication for Baby
Before they say their first words, babies are developing language skills. Language is made up of two parts: expressive & receptive skills Expressive skills are baby’s ability to express their wants and needs – typically through crying and cooing Receptive skills are baby’s ability to understand language – understanding what is said or heard Both … Continued
Get Your Toddler Talking — Tips From a Speech-Language Pathologist
Tips to Help Your Child Talk From a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist Expressive language: sending a message Receptive language: understanding a message When Playing at Home: Have your child request items Describe what you and your child are doing Have your child ask and answer questions How Can I Work on Expressive Language Skills at Home? … Continued
Having Tummy Time Trouble? This Therapist Has Some Tips
Tips for Shoulder Carry: Lean baby forward on a slant so weight is on tummy. Hold under baby’s bottom. Make sure baby’s bottom isn’t tucked under. Tips for Leaning Back: Rock baby side to side & keep them moving Take baby out of the position before they get too mad Talk in a positive and … Continued
Signs Your Baby is Ready to Crawl
It’s time to get moving! Recognizing these signs is crucial to understanding if your baby is ready to crawl. Pay attention to these developmental milestones as your little one embarks on their exciting journey of mobility. Signs baby is ready to crawl may manifest in various ways, from pushing up to hands and knees rocking—observe … Continued
Tips for Dad to Bond with Baby
Bonding with baby means a lot. It’s important for new parents and can be done in simple ways. Let’s look at some of the ways Dad connects with baby! Tummy Time – get on the floor and play with baby during Tummy Time Massage+ 30, 10, 5 – this baby massage can help Spending time … Continued
The Importance of Crawling for Baby
Crawling is an important motor milestone. But it can actually help other areas of development, too! Watch to learn why baby crawling is such an important step. Read along with the video below! Crawling is an important gross motor skill, but did you know that crawling helps other areas of development too? Sensory Crawling on … Continued