Development & Education


More in Development & Education:

Watching your little ones hit certain milestones brings out excitement and the video cameras! The first time your baby takes a step has the entire family cheering!  Your toddler’s underpants are dry overnight, and you are more excited than your team winning the Superbowl.  Your kindergartener gets on the school bus as you wave and sob all at once.  Your child’s life is filled with hitting developmental milestones and let’s face it, it can be an emotional time for Mommy’s.  But it is awesome to watch them grow and develop throughout the years.  

Baby Milestones

While having an infant is sometimes exhausting and overwhelming, the first year is packed with “firsts” that fill parents with joy. Babies change and grow so rapidly in the first 12 months of their lives, and they will reach developmental milestones at different rates.  Developmental milestones are age-specific behaviors and skills that are found in babies as they grow. 

While infants develop differently, it is important to watch for these milestones so that you are able to determine if your child is developing at a normal pace.  If they become delayed reaching their baby milestones, it will allow their pediatrician to become involved and can coordinate intervention such as therapy or visiting a specialist.  A few of the first year’s milestones include:

  • Physical Milestones such as raising head while on tummy, rolling over, sitting up, crawling, pulling up to standing position, and taking a few steps.
  • Cognitive Milestones (Brain Development) such as looking at faces, passing things from one hand to another, banging 2 things together, and pointing with pointer finger.       
  • Emotional and Social Development include smiling, laughing, showing fear or anger, exhibit stranger danger, seek comfort when sad, kicking arms and legs when excited, and looking at self in mirror. This also can be waving, blowing kisses, and clapping which will become party tricks when the grandparents come to visit.  
  • Language Development such as cooing, recognizing their name, saying mama and dada (and mom’s… they ALWAYS say dada first), understanding simple instruction, and imitating sounds like blowing raspberries.

Toddler Milestones

Toddler developmental milestones are very similar to infant milestones except that they develop at a much slower rate.  You need to continue watching to see that they are hitting those important milestones although it is equally vital not to compare too much and remember that toddlers will develop at different rates. 

Don’t jump into the comparison game if your child is not doing something that a child in the church nursery is doing.  If for some reason, you feel that they are not achieving a skill that you think they should have, mention it to your pediatrician to see if there should be any concerns.  Once again, some important toddler milestones include:

  • Physical Milestones such as standing on tiptoes, running, climbing on furniture, walking up and down stairs while holding on, and carrying their toys.
  • Cognitive milestones could include sorting shapes and colors, exploring unfamiliar areas, having pretend play, and understanding different sizes.
  • Emotional and Social Development include feeling big emotions but unsure how to express them, shows affection, plays with others, and laughs at other people being silly.  
  • Language Development such as saying their first name, saying approximately 200 words, stringing a few words together, and following simple directions.

Education

Your kiddos begin learning from Day #1 when they are born.  But eventually you have to make a decision on schooling for your child from preschool to kindergarten to middle school to high school.  Some families know from the beginning that they want to homeschool or send their little ones on the big yellow bus.  Other families are unsure of the different choices and have difficulty choosing which option would be best for their child/children. 

Since Covid-19 has entered the equation, the choices have become even more difficult for parents.  If you are struggling with that decision, get some encouragement here from a mom who put her little kindergartener on the bus wearing her mandated mask.  But there are several different schooling options nowadays and you should be able to find something that will work for your family. 

The best advice is to find a support team to help you no matter which route you choose to go.  There are multiple choices for education such as private schools, charter schools, and online schools.  The two most popular are public school and homeschooling.  

Reading to Your Child

Reading to your child is a wonderful way to bond together.  Snuggling up together with a book is priceless and is gift of time that you give to both your child and yourself as you slow down from your busy schedule and just spend time with one another. 

Besides bonding with your child, reading together has many benefits.  There is absolutely no downside to taking time to read together, and there are limitless benefits to spending time with books.  Mix up the types of books you read to your children so that they are exposed to many different types of literature.  From nonfiction to fairy tales to mysteries, books are a gateway to new experiences and worlds.  

Technology

Let’s face it… we live in an age of technology.  A 3-year-old can probably use a TV remote controller; a 6-year-old can find anything on YouTube; a 10 year old most likely has a tablet or phone; and let’s not even discuss teenagers.  It is hard to navigate this age of technology but the key to it is balance.  Set limits to screen time and stick to it. 

But Mom’s and Dad’s… you should be role models and not have your phone on you at every minute.  Put the phone down, turn the TV off, put away the tablet, and limit the video games.  Set a positive example for your children and then set boundaries for them.  Most importantly, put value on times where no one can use their phones or devices such as dinner time. 

Spend time with your children without any devices, teaching them the importance of spending time together talking, sharing, laughing and enjoying one another.  

Indoor Play

Indoor play does not mean putting the TV on for the day.  While there are times for the television, there are other options for kids to do when inside.  Inside play encourages creativity, imagination, and critical thinking.  From playing make-believe and dress-up, doing arts and crafts, building blocks, putting together a puzzle, making slime, playing board games, or reading a book, it is important playtime for a child’s development and education. 

Sometimes simply allowing your child to role-play alone or with friends is valuable and other times it is great to work together on developing a skill such as putting a puzzle together.  Whatever type of indoor play you choose on a particular day, enjoy listening or talking to them because kids just grow too fast!  

Outdoor Play

Kids love to play outside, running, jumping, climbing, and exploring.  There are so many possibilities for outdoor play from riding bikes, playing on a playground, jumping on a trampoline, swimming, catching fireflies, splashing in creeks, and much, much more.  Fresh air and exercise are two positive aspects of being outside, but so are the side effects such as learning about the natural world, developing physical skills, and exploring new environments. 

They also become more aware of boundaries and limits.  Playing outside also works on motor skills as they learn to ride a bike, four-wheeler or skateboard, go down a slide, learn to swing, hop, skip, and more.  Outdoor play should be a regular activity for your family as you allow them to explore this great big world!

More in Development & Education:
3 girls running with mom in sneakers

The 10 Best Running Shoes for Kids in 2022

best rain boots for toddlers

Finding the Best Toddler Rain Boots to Stay Warm and Dry and Have Fun

girl dressed up in princess clothes

The Best Disney Princess Dress-Up Trunks of 2022

group of plastic dinosaurs

The Best Dinosaur Toys

mother and son homeschooling together

How Do You Start Homeschooling Your Child?

hand, hand, fingers, thumb

How to Teach a Child to Hold a Pencil

father zipping up his son's jacket

How to Teach a Child to Zip Their Coat

woman teaching a child to knit

How to Teach a Child to Knit

family camping with baby

How to Camp with a Baby

family teaching daughter how to ride a bike

The Best Way to Teach a Child to Ride a Bike

baby trying to stand up

How to Teach Baby to Stand Up from the Floor

parent tying child's shoes

How to Teach a Kid to Tie Shoes

Happy mother and baby pointing in camera

How to Teach Baby to Point

Child waving good-bye

How to Teach Baby to Wave

mother and son homeschooling

How Much Does It Cost to Homeschool Your Child?

Mom Helping a Baby Climb Up The Stairs

How to Teach Your Baby to Climb Down Stairs Safely

Happy baby boy learning to clap his hands

How to Teach a Baby to Clap

mother talking to her baby

How To Teach Baby To Say Mama

woman helping teach a baby to swim

How To Teach A Baby To Swim

toddler playing a game on a cellphone

The Best Educational Apps for Kids

sling bookshelf

The Best Read-Aloud Chapter Books of 2022

mom and son playing on tablet

Best Free Apps for 3-Year-Olds

Little Girl Singing in Microphone

The 25 Best Kids Microphones of 2022

kids playing with pinata outside

The 24 Best Pinatas for Kids of 2022

Group of Kids Outside Giving the Thumbs Up

What Age Can a Child Play Outside Unsupervised?

children holding puzzle pieces

How Many Puzzle Pieces for a 4, 5, or 6 Year Old?

dominoes in a basket

How To Teach Kids Multiplication Strategies

Toddler girl sitting on the toilet and grabbing toilet paper

How to Teach a Girl to Wipe Front to Back - The Biggest Potty Training Hurdle

toddler playing with toy outside at a playground

The Best Outdoor Toys For Toddlers of 2022

Plastic bucket with cleaning supplies on wood background. Focused on green brush.

How to Disinfect Baby Toys

taco cat cheese pizza card game

The 20 Best Card Games For Kids of 2022

A studio shot of a stack of 6 Nintendo Wii video games and controller.

The 34 Best Wii Games For Kids of 2022

mother and daughter homeschool together

Benefits of Homeschooling in 2022 and Beyond

Mom Helping Her Daughter Write Her Name

How to Teach Your Child to Write Their Name

Lunch Bag on Desk in Classroom

The Best Lunch Bags of 2022

mother and her toddler son coloring in a coloring book together

The Best Coloring Books For Toddlers of 2022

Closeup of a toddler using a small plastic toilet, grabbing for a sheet of toilet paper

How to Teach Your Child to Wipe After Pooping

A cute little baby in his diaper is sleeping on a bed

When to Night Potty Train: Our Top 5 Tips for Keeping Your Child Dry at Night

mother and daughter putting money into a piggy bank

The Best Piggy Banks of 2022

Cute 2 months old baby boy at home trying to roll over

How To Help Your Baby Roll Over

woman reading to child on the couch

The Benefits of Reading to Children

Power Ranger Characters

The Best Power Ranger Toys of 2022

Deluxe Big Flyer®: Big Front Wheel Tricycle

The 15 Best Big Wheels of 2022

two young boys playing with toys on a carpet playmat

The Best Kids Carpet Playmat of 2022

Smiling Baby Trying to Sit Up on Bed

How to Help Your Baby Sit Up

children using social skills to talk in the hallway at school

How To Teach Social Skills to Your Kids in 8 Easy Steps

child swimming on pool float toy in water

The Best Pool Toys For Kids of 2022

Two toddlers reading in front of toy and book shelves

The Best Toy Organizer of 2022

pokemon toy pikachu sitting in backpack pocket

The 20 Best Pokemon Toys 2022

woman and child learning to count

How To Teach Counting by 5's

batman action figure toy on white background

The Best Batman Toys of 2022

girl and boy playing with slime

The 19 Best Slime Kits of 2022

two small children playing with abacus math toy and having fun

The Best Toys for Teaching Math to Kids in 2022

wooden train set

The 17 Best Train Sets For Kids of 2022

cartoon children playing with coding robot toy

The 14 Best Robot Toys of 2022

pattern blocks board and puzzle

The Best Brain Games For Toddlers of 2022

Young girl practcing target shooting with a bb gun at a model deer in the woods

The Best BB Guns For Kids of 2022

girl sitting with globe and book

The 13 Best Globes For Kids of 2022

baby boy playing with cell phone toy

The Best Baby Cell Phone Toy of 2022

cow, pig, and sheep farm toy

The 19 Best Farm Toys of 2022

Smiling blonde girl playing xylophones

The Best Musical Baby Toys of 2022

child drawing with crayon

The Best Crayons For Toddlers of 2022

Barbie Laying and Reading with her Tiara

The 15 Best Barbie Toys of 2022

Fisher-Price Imaginext Tri-County Landfill Trash Garbage Truck

The Best Garbage Truck Toys of 2022

three kids in a sandbox

The Best Sand For Your Sandbox of 2022

Two sisters pose with their dolls

The 10 Best Realistic Baby Dolls of 2022

toddler playing a game on a cellphone

The Best Wii U Games For Toddlers of 2022

tumbled stones of many colors

The Best Rock Tumbler For Kids in 2022

Three Happy Kids in the Pool in Swim Caps

The Best Swim Caps for Kids 2022

best jewelry box for kids

The Best Jewelry Boxes For Kids of 2022

a color of his own children's book

The Best Books for 3-Year-Olds of 2022

best toddler laptop

The Best Toddler Laptops of 2022

Girl in red bandana shooting a bow

The Best Toy Bow And Arrow of 2022

blokus game

The Best Board Games For Teens of 2022

Mom giving the okay sign with basket of laundry

How to Get Food Stains Out of Baby Clothes

teach baby to read

Can You Teach Your Baby to Read?

girl laying on the floor painting

The 13 Best Aquadoodle Mat of 2022

best flashlight for kids

The Best Kids Flashlight of 2022

best crawl tunnel

The Best Crawl Tunnel of 2022

best flashlight for toddlers

The Best Toddler Flashlight of 2022

Green Toys Airplane, Red/Blue

The Best Toy Planes For Toddlers of 2022

paw patrol toys

The Best Paw Patrol Toys of 2022

best toy tank

The 28 Best Toy Tanks of 2022

best mp3 player for kids

The Best MP3 Players for Kids in 2022

2 kids in face paint

Best Face Paint For Kids in 2022

how to teach a 2 year old colors

How to Teach Colors to a Toddler

boy and girl with toy leaf blower

The Best Toy Leaf Blower of 2022

best mickey mouse toy

The Best Mickey Mouse Toy of 2022

pink and white baby sneakers

The Best Baby Sneakers of 2022

how to teach letter recognition

How to Teach Letter Recognition -- Activities and More!

best toy lawn mower

The Best Toy Lawn Mower of 2022

best toy work bench

The Best Toy Workbench of 2022

best rc rock crawler

The Best Remote Control Rock Crawler of 2022

assortment of water guns

The Best Toy Water Guns of 2022

best garage toy

The Best Garage Toys of 2022

children driving go karts

The Best Go-Karts For Kids of 2022

best toy crane

The 14 Best Toy Cranes of 2022

star wars light sabers

The 18 Best Lightsaber Toys of 2022

best yoyo for kids

The 26 Best Yo-Yos for Kids of 2022

robot dog toy

The Best Robot Dog Toys of 2022

Little Children Making Music with a Xylophone

The 22 Best Toy Xylophones of 2022

old macdonald singing tractor

The 20 Best Toy Tractors for Kids (2022 Reviews)

CAT Power haulers excavator

The Best Excavator Toy of 2022

best air hockey table for kids

The 21 Best Air Hockey Tables For Kids of 2022

magic video set

The Best Magic Kits For Kids of 2022

best kiddie pool

The Best Kiddie Pool of 2022

Kindergarten Classroom

This is tough: My encouragement to moms sending kids back to school

inflatable water slide in a backyard

The Best Bounce Houses of 2022

art projects for 1 year olds

Art Projects for One-Year-Olds

magnetic tiles on counter

The Best Magnetic Tiles of 2022 for Building and Play

best kites for kids

The Best Kites For Kids - 2022 Reviews

child trying to catch bugs outside

The Best Bug Toys for Budding Scientists in 2022

LEGO blocks with brand name

The Best LEGO Sets For 4, 5 and 6 Year Olds in 2022

Imagine Word in Legos

The Best Lego Technic Sets of 2022

best unicorn toys

The Best Unicorn Toy of 2022

fisher price star stacker lightup toy

The 32 Best Stacking Toys of 2022

risk game

The All-Around Best Board Games For 10-Year-Olds in 2022

how to help baby crawl

How to Help Baby Learn to Crawl

ulubulu baby rattle

The Best Newborn Toys of 2022

kids playing checkers together

The Best Board Games For 8 Year Olds of 2022

best fidget cube toys

The Best Fidget Cube Toys of 2022

best dragon toys

The Best Dragon Toy of 2022

best ghostbuster toys

The Best Ghostbusters Toys of 2022

toy plastic horse

The Best Horse Toys of 2022

inflatable water slide in a backyard

The Best Inflatable Water Slide of 2022

best rocking horse

The Best Rocking Horse of 2022

Little girl standing on hoverboard in park

The Best Hoverboards For Kids of 2022

best newborn onesie

The Best Newborn Onesies of 2022

best kids picnic table

The Best Picnic Tables For Kids of 2022

melissa and doug wooden dinosaurs puzzle

The Best Toddler Puzzles of 2022

Little girl in high heels with baby stroller

The Best Baby Doll Strollers of 2022

child swinging on rope swing

The 20 Best Ropes for Tree Swings of 2022

kid looking through binoculars

The Best Binoculars For Kids of 2022

best saucer tree swing

The Best Saucer Tree Swings of 2022

Little girl with mom using vacuum

The Best Toy Vacuums of 2022

son and father with baby walking toy

The Best Baby Push Walkers of 2022

Little boy lying on floor with cars

The Best Toy Cars For Toddlers of 2022

yahtzee game

The Best Board Games For 9-Year-Olds in 2022

basket full of wooden blocks

The Best Blocks for Toddlers - Our 2022 List

the foot book by dr. seuss

The Best Books For 5-Year-Olds of 2022

Little Girl Wearing Watch with Pink Background

Best Watches for Kids - 2022's op Styles for Boys and Girls

germs make me sick book

The Best Books For 4-Year-Olds of 2022

what do you do with an idea book

The Best Books For 6-Year-Olds of 2022

kids putting on roller skates

The 22 Best Roller Skates for Kids in 2022

best toy box

The Best Toy Box of 2022

the foot book by dr. seuss

The 23 Best Books For 2 Year Olds of 2022

Spiderman Action Figure Toy

The Best Spiderman Toys of 2022

Mother and her son playing in board game on floor in nursery

The Best Board Games For 3-Year-Olds of 2022

Little Girl Playing in her Play Kitchen

The Best Play Kitchens for Cooking Up Fun

best walkie talkie for kids

The Best Walkie Talkies for Kids of 2022

children playing board games together

The Best HABA Board Games of 2022

best playhouse for kids

The Best Playhouses of 2022

solar system photo

The Best Solar System Toys of 2022

model car

The Best Model Car Kits for Kids in 2022

pink princess play tent

The 14 Best Kids Tents of 2022

toddler hands with gloves in snow

The Best Toddler Gloves of 2022

Little girl hitting punching bag

The Best Punching Bag for Kids of 2022

gemem shape sorter toy

The Best Activity Cubes of 2022

toddlers riding bicycles

The Best Bike for a 3-Year-Old in 2022

best race car track toy

The Best Race Car Track Toys of 2022

Ninja Turtles

The Best Ninja Turtle Toys of 2022

Little girl pushing baby stroller with baby doll

The Best Baby Doll Accessories of 2022

fisher price zebra learn with me walker

The Best Walking Toys of 2022

yakey 10 ft trampoline

The 20 Best Trampolines For Kids of 2022

NERF Ner FORTNITE Axes AST

The Best Nerf Swords And Shields for Kids in 2022

Children playing laser tag

The 8 Best Laser Tag Toy Sets of 2022

A cute little boy is carefully climbing a ladder toy at the playground on a summer day

The Best Climbing Toys For Kids in 2022

Indoor slide and other play items in a classroom

2022's Best Indoor Slides for Kids

Little girl in pink playing doctor with teddy bear

The Best Doctor Kit Toys of 2022

press 'n zoom police car

The Best Toy Police Cars for Kids

best wooden car toys

The Best Wooden Toy Cars of 2022

Kid spy gear

The Best Spy Gear Toys of 2022

two girls playing with building set

Best Erector Set for Building Fun and Learning

A child's legs in furry bunny slippers

The Best Kids Slippers 2022

Toddler girl in sandals with suitcase by train track

The Best Sandals for Toddlers to Wear All Summer Long

kid playing with a toy cash register

The Best Toy Cash Registers for Kids - Fun and Learning All in One!

playdoh fire truck

The Best Toy Fire Trucks

peek-a-boo forest book

The Best Books for 1-Year-Olds: Get Your Baby Reading!

toddler standing in a puddle with water shoes on

The Best Toddler Water Shoes of 2022

IQ-Toys-My-First-Drum-Set

Best Toddler Drum Sets for 2022

some body game

Best Board Games for 7-Year-Olds - Our 2022 Picks

pj masks™ pop-up™ board game

The 26 Best Board Games for 6-Year-Olds in 2022

candy land game

The 24 Best Board Games for 4-Year-Olds

best board game for 5 year olds

The 24 Best Board Games for 5-Year-Olds For Family Night

toy trucks outside

The 21 Best Toy Trucks for Kids

three folding aluminum scooters

Best Scooter for Kids: 2022 Scooters for Toddler to Teen

child playing with marble run toy

The Best Marble Run - A Fun Way to Teach Kids STEM Skills

LITTLE GIRL MAKING A SET OF JUNGLE ANIMALS AS CRAFT PROJECT

Get Creative with The Best Craft Kits for 5, 6 and 7-Year-Olds

best play doh sets

The Best Play-Doh Sets For Fun, Learning, and a Little Mess

best skateboard for kids

13 Best Skateboards For Kids - From Toddlers to Pre-Teens

children winter coats hanging on the coat rack

Warm Up with the Best Baby Winter Coats of 2022

Baby playing with toys in baby bouncer

The Safest Swings, Bouncers and Jumpers for Their Fun and Your Sanity

sheppard software review

Sheppard Software Review - What Can Your Child Learn?

magnetic gear set

Best Travel Toys for Toddlers - Keep Your Kiddo Entertained on the Go!

best baby walkers for carpet

Best Baby Walker for Carpets: Helping Baby Get Around Safely

baby with white frilly socks

Best Baby Socks: Finding Socks That Will Stay on Your Newborn and Toddler’s Feet

three kids on a four wheeler

Best Four Wheelers For Kids - Gas-Powered and Electric ATVs

Here are Chores Your Kids Can Actually Do - by Age

10 baby walkers tested by Experienced Mommy

The Best Baby Walkers of 2022 Based on Our Testing

our collection of ride-on toys in the driveway

Best Tricycles for Toddlers 2022

outdoor wooden swing and double slide play set

Best Wooden Swing Sets for Your Backyard

image of a fetus at 28 weeks of development

Frequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Development

fisher price infant to toddler rocker

The 14 Best Baby Rockers and Swings of 2022

poppyseed wooden play gym

Best Baby Play Mats and Gyms in 2022

toddler playing a piano toy

The 13 Best Toddler Piano Picks

Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table

The Best Baby Activity Tables for 2022

2 year old in a power wheel car outside

Best Power Wheels for 1, 2 and 3-Year-Olds

vtech gallop and rock learning pony

Best Ride-On Toys for 2-Year-Olds

radio flyer scoot 2 scooter

Best Ride-On Toys for a 1-Year-Old

Nerf display at a store

Best Nerf Guns for 3, 4, 5, and 6-Year-Olds

Little boy playing with remote controlled car outside

The Best Remote Control Car for 8, 9 and 10-Year-Old Kids

kid playing with a remote control car outside

Best Remote Control Cars for 3, 4, 5, and 6-Year-Olds

best baby dolls

Best Baby Dolls by Age Category

baby sitting in a jumper

Best Baby Jumper of 2022

best toddler easel

The Best Easels for Toddlers in 2022

Anna has Angleman Syndrome and answers the question, do you want to go to Fazoli's?

Do You Want to Go to Fazoli's?

toddler on sidewalk wearing knee pads

Baby Knee Pads - Protection for Crawling Babies

Toddler climbing on step stool

The 7 Best Step Stools For Toddlers and Kids

children playing with water table

The Best Water Tables For Your Toddler

child riding on a balance bike

The Best Balance Bikes - Find the Best Bike for Your Child

Review of the Ingenuity Smartbounce Automatic Bouncer Piper

Ingenuity Smartbounce Automatic Bouncer Review: Great Bouncer or Gentle Impostor?

Baby at Dinner Table with Family

Taking baby to a dinner party