278 Results

The ABC’s of Safe Sleep

Before you say goodnight to your little one, here are some best practices to ensure safe sleep for babies, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Check out this quick tip to help prevent positional plagiocephaly: Safe sleep for babies is as easy as A, B, C: Alone, Back, and Crib. Baby should always … Continued

What Is Positional Plagiocephaly & Positional Torticollis?

Did you know March 20th is National Positional Plagiocephaly & Torticollis Awareness Day? Here is some information about these two common conditions, their impact on baby’s development, and how you can help prevent them. What is positional plagiocephaly and positional torticollis? Positional plagiocephaly, also known as flat head syndrome, is when a baby develops a … Continued

How Sand Play Can Help Your Child’s Development

Playing in the sand can be a great opportunity for children to have unstructured play time. Whether shaped into castles, dug, dripped, sifted, or buried, sand play can take many different forms, thus offering endless opportunities for fun and learning! Allowing your child to play in the sand by themselves and with others helps them … Continued

Activities for Baby Using Everyday Household Items

A huge part of baby’s development is learning through play. Helping baby’s development does not require playing with expensive or complex toys. Here are some activities for baby to help them meet milestones. Everyday objects can be used to entertain baby and build their motor, sensory and communication skills. Using items with a variety of … Continued

Act Like An Animal, 13 Moves to Help Your Child’s Gross Motor Development

Bring the zoo to you! No, we don’t mean you should adopt dozens of wild animals. Instead you can use animals to practice gross motor skills at home. This is great for little ones to use their imaginations and pretend to be animals they have seen in books or even at the zoo. These activities … Continued

What Are Hypertonia and Hypotonia?

Hypertonia and Hypotonia are two technical terms to describe issues with muscle tone. Muscles are meant to stretch with our bodies to accomplish everyday tasks. Imagine your muscles are like a rubber band, and when you stretch to touch your toes or pick something up, you’re increasing the tension on the band. Most people experience … Continued

6 Ways to Help Ease Your Child’s Preschool Separation Anxiety

Starting preschool is a big milestone for your little one. It marks the beginning of their formal education, a process that’s likely to span multiple decades. When your child enters the doors of their new school on the first day, they will meet future friends and find themselves immersed in a wide range of learning … Continued

What Chores Are Right For My Child?

Chores. Kids don’t like them, and parents use them to get some extra help around the house. But don’t worry parents; you’re actually helping with your child’s development. Parents some times are confused about choosing age-appropriate chores for kids. Kids can start taking on household chores and small tasks as early as two years old. … Continued

Baby on the Move – 5 Ways to Encourage Crawling

Babies become mobile pretty fast! Between 7-9 months old, babies will typically begin crawling, with many starting to walk around their first birthday. It’s important to stay close to baby at all times while they’re crawling and learning to walk. Baby could end up crawling over to places and things that could hurt them! Parents … Continued

Tips for Comforting a Fearful or Nervous Child

No parent wants to see their child upset, but sometimes it’s hard to know how to react when your child is nervous or afraid. Do you hug them? Do you let them cry it out? There’s so much conflicting advice out there! Next time you’re faced with reacting to your nervous or fearful child, try … Continued

How Can New Dads Bond with Baby?

In honor of Father’s Day, this year we wanted to share some information about a topic that isn’t always talked about: father and newborn bonding. Some moms start to bond with baby throughout their pregnancy, but it’s important for dad to bond too! Try these activities to help strengthen the father-newborn bond: Baby Massage Just … Continued

How Can I Practice Baby Sign Language?

What is baby sign language? Baby sign language is the use of hand and body gestures to help babies communicate before they learn to speak. Is baby sign language the same as American Sign Language (ASL)? Not necessarily. American Sign Language is a complete language with its own complex system of grammar and word order rules, … Continued

Getting Preschoolers to Share…How Do You Do It?

Taking turns can be difficult at first. Do you remember that cool red fire truck you never wanted to give up? Or the doll that was too special to part with? Whatever your prized possession was, it was hard giving that toy to someone else. In preschool years, children are still learning how to share, … Continued

Fun Activities for Mother’s Day

There are lots of fun things to do on Mother’s day with your little one that will make the day together more special. This day is all about mom, and your child is excited to spend the day with you, so make the most of it! Try a new craft, game, or family activity. You … Continued

Why Are Mirrors Good for Baby?

Want a toy that will keep your baby entertained and that is also good for their development? Put your wallet away, because you probably already have this in your home: mirrors! Yes, that mirror hanging on your bathroom wall can help your baby’s development! Mirror play for babies has great benefits for social and emotional … Continued

Choosing an Eye Doctor for Your Child

Are you wondering when you should take your child to an eye doctor for their first visit? Choosing the right eye doctor for kids can be a challenge – here are a few tips to help parents navigate this. It’s recommended your child receive their first eye check up at six months, again at three … Continued

Importance of Eye Contact

Baby’s vision development is very important and even affects their other senses. Throughout the first year, baby will be looking at you a ton, so be sure to look at them, give them a lot of attention, and make eye contact! Find out what you can expect in the coming months. For the First Few … Continued

What Is a “Lovey?”

Whether it’s a stuffed animal, doll, or blanket, many children will become attached to certain objects. Sometimes these objects are called “loveys”, transitional objects, or comfort objects. Loveys can serve several purposes with your little one; they can help children transition from a familiar place or situation to an unfamiliar one with ease and give … Continued

How Kids Learn to Play: 6 Stages of Play Development

Play is all about having fun! Any activity, organized or unstructured, your child finds fun and enjoyable is considered play. But play is much more than just a fun activity for your child! As a child grows they go through different stages of play development. While playing, children learn and develop important skills they will … Continued

When Will My Baby Smile?

Is there a better sight than a happy, smiling baby? We think not! Wondering “when will my baby smile”? Typically, babies start smiling between 6 and 12 weeks, but you may notice a smile or smirk soon after baby’s born. Reflex Smiles These early smiles are called “reflex smiles.” Babies start reflex smiling before birth … Continued

What is W-Sitting?

Does your child W-Sit? W-sitting is when a child sits on their bottom with their knees bent and feet positioned outside of their hips. If you’re standing above your child, you will see their legs and body make the shape of a W. Watch our 1 minute video about W-sitting and why it matters: Is … Continued

Why is Play Important

When your child plays, they learn about them self and their surroundings. Play is important as it teaches them how to coordinate their body movements, talk with friends, apply rules, and more. But the learning process is even broader than this. What is Play? Play is more than you think; it is a way for your … Continued

What You Need to Know About Screen Time for Kids

You’re sitting in a restaurant enjoying dinner when your child becomes fussy. Rather than make a scene, you hand over your phone, turn on a YouTube video, and before you know it your child is calm and entertained. Sound familiar? With the readily available cell phones, tablets, game devices, and more, screens are not only … Continued

What is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist?

“Occupational therapy? But my child doesn’t have a job!” Just as occupational therapy helps adults perform better at their jobs, a pediatric occupational therapist helps children succeed in important areas of their lives. This includes helping children build the skills required for essential daily activities such as brushing their teeth, writing their name, or playing … Continued

Why Toddlers Hit and What to Do About It

Why do kids hit? Many parents have asked themselves this question and the answer isn’t always an easy one. Hitting doesn’t mean your child is mean or a bully. Sometimes kids hit because there is an underlying issue that’s causing them to hit. Below are three reasons your child might be hitting. They Haven’t Learned … Continued