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How to Make Ice Cream at Home
Is anything better than ice cream on a warm summer day? We don’t think so.. And good news, it’s actually pretty easy to make your own ice cream. Try this recipe out and help your kids learn too! Follow this simple recipe to make homemade ice cream in a bag! This activity is as tasty … Continued
How to Encourage Kids to be Physically Active
Did you know that the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that children be active for sixty minutes every day? Kids need at least that much time to let loose and unwind from school or planned activities. Encourage kids to be physically active can help to stimulate their senses, and build muscle strength and endurance. … Continued
Mindfulness to Improve Children’s Wellbeing
As more children adopt demanding schedules with increased academic work loads and an abundance of extracurricular activities, some react by showing signs of increased stress and anxiety.1 Our academic system has accelerated so children are now expected to complete school work previously given to children in higher grade levels. Early education has become less play … Continued
Make the Most of Playtime! The Do’s and Don’ts
Play time for kids is such an important part of childhood! Playtime for kids helps them learn new things while building social skills, developing creative thinking, and learning about their interests and talents. Because life is so busy, these “Do’s” and “Don’ts” will help your family make the most of playtime! Do Let Your … Continued
Make Teeth Brushing Fun with 6 Easy Tips
Whether it’s the shock of cold water hitting their teeth, the smell or taste of the toothpaste, or the idea that brushing their teeth is something they “have to” do, we may never know why children try to avoid brushing their teeth. What we do know, however, is many children Just. Don’t. Like. Brushing. Their. … Continued
5 Ways To Help Baby Learn and Grow This Year
New Year, Same Cute Baby! The new year encourages people to look towards the future. At Pathways.org we have many tools to help you learn more about child development, important milestones by age, and fun activities you and your child can do together to achieve those goals. Help baby learn new skills and abilities using … Continued
5 Tips for Better Playdates
Aren’t playdates great? No matter if you’re the child playing or the adults watching, they’re fun for all. A playdate gives your children an opportunity to make new friends but also allows you to talk with other grown-ups. This is a great way for your child to not only develop relationships with other children, but … Continued
Screen Free Activities for When Kids Are Bored
No time for TV! Nasty weather can sometimes keep kids stuck inside. Being cooped up inside can be frustrating for kids and parents. Often children spend more time using screens like TV and tablets than they normally would because of their limited play options. But rainy day activities don’t need to be a bummer! When … Continued
How Kids Can Help in the Kitchen
What’s one thing that brings people together? Food! And getting kids involved in the kitchen is a great bonding exercise, plus the entire family can participate! Cooking and baking can also help development in early childhood and even for your baby! Getting kids involved in the kitchen and which skills cooking with you can develop. … Continued
Ideas to Make Time With Grandparents Extra Special
Grandma and Grandpa, Memaw and Pawpaw, Nana and Poppy… No matter what the nickname is in your family, many grandparents play an important role in their grandchildren’s lives. Although we feel you should always celebrate grandparents, Grandparents’ Day is officially recognized the Sunday after Labor Day in the U.S. Try these ideas for activities to … Continued
Activities to Help Your Child Wind Down
Have you heard of the 3 B’s? Bath, book, and bed. It’s a simple routine that’s great to use each night. Kids thrive off consistency and having routines is important. A bedtime routine is especially helpful because it gives your child cues that it is almost time for them to go to bed. But what … Continued
Playgrounds: Much More than Jungle Gyms
We absolutely love summer here at Pathways.org because it means we can finally get outside to play! It’s warmer outside, the days are longer, the sky shines brighter… who couldn’t love this? Summer mixes the perfect ingredients together for a great trip to the playground! Now, I think we can all agree that playgrounds are … Continued
What To Do Before Bringing Your Baby Home
Congratulations, you’re having a baby! It’s totally normal to be feeling nervous and excited—but have no fear. We’ve compiled a short checklist to make sure you’re ready for bringing your baby home. Remember, the more you accomplish before bringing your baby home from the hospital, the easier the change will be. ✔ Study up on … Continued
Tips for Bringing Kids to Restaurants
Family meals are important. Sometimes these meals include bringing kids to restaurants. But dining out with your little one can be tricky! We recently ran a Feeding Tips Contest and asked for the best advice on eating at a restaurant with babies and toddlers. Here are few great tips for bringing kids to restaurants from … Continued
Easy Daily Activities to Help Baby Reach Milestones
Did you know the average toddler takes 14,000 steps per day? That adds up to more than 2.5 miles your little one is walking! These numbers might seem surprising, but walking is just one of the developmental milestones we see in children. We see toddlers taking awkward steps, stumbling, falling, and getting up all the … Continued
Make Your Own Putty for Fine Motor Practice
Playing with putty is a great way for children to develop hand and finger strength along with fine motor skills. There are tons of brands and varieties of “Silly Putty” and “Play-Doh” you can buy in stores, but making your own DIY putty from ingredients in your kitchen is much more fun and a great … Continued
5 Ideas to Encourage Children to Be Thankful
Did you know research suggests that giving thanks has the power to make people happier? Encourage children to be thankful to foster a life filled with happiness, gratitude, and kindness. When we stop to savor and appreciate our daily lives, we become happier. Creating an attitude of gratitude in children is a challenge that goes … Continued
Why Food Allergies are Becoming More Common
It seems like we hear about a new food allergy or food intolerance every day. Nut allergies and other serious allergic conditions were once rare and infrequently diagnosed. Now they seem prevalent in school lunchrooms everywhere. Are food allergies on the rise? To answer this question simply: yes. The Center for Disease control estimates about … Continued
How to Help Turn Your Picky Eaters Into Veggie Lovers
When dealing with the combination of feeding problems, food allergies, and picky eaters, it can be tough to get kids to eat anything at all, and you might often wonder how to get kids to eat vegetables. However, research suggests dietary habits are established as early as infancy. The USDA suggests that vegetables should be … Continued
Family Activities for Fall
Are you looking for fun family activities to do this fall? Look no further! Turn off the tv, walk away from your computer, put your phone down, and get your family active with these easy fall activities. Play In the Leaves Okay, so maybe do a bit more than play. Make household chores fun for … Continued
Tips for Traveling with Baby
Traveling with baby can be a little more complicated than before your bundle arrived. There is more planning involved and certainly more things to bring along. When taking a trip, it is helpful to know what you may encounter along the way. Read below for some more tips on traveling with baby Flying On an … Continued
St. Patrick’s Day Ideas for Kids
Here are some ideas for kid friendly St. Patrick’s Day activity ideas to encourage creativity and practice fine motor skills. Holiday activities give your little one something to look forward to after school and during weekends. Read below to gather information on crafts for St. Patrick’s Day. These are great St. Patrick’s Day activity ideas … Continued
Valentine’s Day Ideas for Kids
Sensory activities are a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with kids, because they add new variations to familiar games and craft projects. Check out these simple Valentine’s Day ideas for kids: Create a Sensory Bin Be creative in designing a Valentine’s Day themed sensory bin. This activity can help your child build vocabulary skills … Continued
Children’s Executive Function Skills
Executive function is a mental process that allows us to understand our past experiences with present action. As you know, the brain uses this skill to guide behavior toward accomplishing a goal, prioritizing tasks, controlling impulses and focusing our attention. Doctors can explain to parents that children are born with the potential to gain these … Continued