kids playing and becoming friends
Early Child Development | Preschoolers (3-5 yrs) | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

10 Tips For Parents To Help Struggling Kids Make Friends

Here are the things I am doing as a mom to help my son make friends (I will break down each of these items in detail in the next section). When a Child Struggles to Make Friends Making friends is not always easy. Especially for young children with shy or slow-to-warm temperaments. Or, kids who…

toilet paper roll people open ended art activity for preschoolers
Early Child Development | Kids Activities | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

My Favorite Open-Ended Art Activity for Preschool Aged Kids

I’m so excited to share this open-ended art activity for young children; toilet paper roll people and creatures! This project is amazing for a few different reasons; Art Materials for Toilet Paper Roll Figures Another wonderful thing about this craft project is that the art supplies list is adaptable. As long as you have some…

a lot of toys scattered on playroom floor
Early Child Development | Home | Infants (0-1 yr) | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Toy Collection Guidelines: How Many Toys Do Kids Need?

How many toys do kids need? While it’s nice to have a number to shoot for, it’s more important to assess how many toys are right for your particular child and circumstances. For example, as a stay-at-home mom, my kids are home a lot. We live in a 2000 square foot home and can fit…

1 year old in shoe size 4.5
Early Child Development | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

What Size Shoes Does a 1 Year Old Typically Wear? Things to Know

The 1-year-old stage is an exciting time. Most little ones start to take their first steps shortly after turning 1 (some earlier, some later) and they are ready for their first pair of shoes! Making sure those first pair of walking shoes are the right fit and the correct size is important for healthy foot…

cartons of cow's milk and non-dairy milk for toddlers
Early Child Development | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

How to Choose the Best Non-Dairy Milk for Toddlers

Summary of Findings on The Best Non-Dairy Milk for Toddlers Please note that I am not a medical professional. The information I share here has been gathered from peer-reviewed research articles, scientific agencies, and professional associations. Any questions regarding the information shared here should be directed to a doctor. Thank you! Reasons Parents Choose Plant-Based…

child draws in preschematic stage with elements of schematic stage drawing
Early Child Development | Infants (0-1 yr) | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Understanding Children’s Development Through Drawing Stages

Before we can read, write, or talk, we can make our first rudimentary marks on paper; we scribble. And while an erratic scribble does not appear to be anything extraordinary, it is the first step on the amazing journey of human graphic development. Just as there are general developmental milestones when it comes to learning,…

4 year old birthday at home with birthday banner and balloons
Early Child Development | Kids Activities | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Birthday Party Alternatives for Preschoolers

There are a lot of big developments for kids in the preschool years, but not all kids at this age are necessarily ready for a big birthday bash. Or, parents may be on a tight budget or simply not have the bandwidth to throw a wild birthday party with screaming children. So, how to celebrate…

toddler smiling and laying next to his baby sister
Early Child Development | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Preventing 3 Year Old Behavior Problems After New Baby

For the first month or so after bringing home our new baby, I was surprised that my 3-year-old had no apparent shifts in behavior. He seemed curious about and delighted by the new baby. Fast forward a month and this is when the ear-piercing toddler screams started. Yikes.  In addition to this outrageous screaming, other…

family nature walk using a lightweight and breathable baby wrap
Early Child Development | Infants (0-1 yr) | Motherhood | Wellness

The Best Baby Wrap Carrier for Summer – Nominating the WeeSprout Tencel Modal Wrap

With sunshine and fun-filled days ahead, finding the best baby wrap carrier for summer is a must! A cozy wrap is great to use while out and about or at home getting things done. Features of a Great Summer Baby Carrier Wrap A great baby carrier wrap promotes bonding, provides comfort, and offers convenience. When…

newborn baby
Early Child Development | Infants (0-1 yr) | Motherhood | Wellness

When Should Family Visit Your Newborn Baby? Tips and Rules

Considerations – When Should Family Visit Newborn Baby?     1. Know Thyself     2. Protecting Immature Newborn Immune System     3. Establishing Breastfeeding     4. Processing Postpartum Emotions Establishing Boundaries with Newborn Visitors     1. Give Yourself Permission to Have Boundaries     2. Practice Clear and Kind Communication Around Boundaries There are a lot of…

2 year old with imaginary friend
Early Child Development | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Imaginary Friends in Toddlers and What They Mean

Meet Bobby (my child’s imaginary friend): He is approximately 2 inches tall, has grey hair, and blue eyes, and wears train pajama pants. Bobby likes to run fast and he also likes to hide in things – like pillows, snack cups, and avocados. He can even go into other people’s bodies and become them! Bobby…

pandemic babies who are now toddlers playing together
Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Pandemic Babies and Their Social Development

Babies who were born shortly before or after the COVID-19 pandemic are sometimes referred to as COVID babies. Now in post-pandemic life, these babies are turning into wild toddlers, and some are working through some social apprehensiveness. My son was born shortly before the pandemic started, so he only knew pandemic life for the first…

little boy's 2nd birthday with mom and dad
Early Child Development | Infants (0-1 yr) | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Raising Little Boys and Thoughts on Andrew Yang’s ‘Why Boys and Men are Failing’ Episode

As a mother of a 2-year-old boy, Andrew Yang’s recent episode on his podcast ‘Forward’ piqued my interest; “Why Boys and Men are Failing”. You can also watch the conversation between Yang and Zach Graumann on YouTube. I found this an odd and intriguing topic given our culture’s current conversations around male privilege and patriarchy. What could…

mom holding child's hand
Early Child Development | Infants (0-1 yr) | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Raising Global Citizens for a Better Tomorrow

Table of Contents I was going to write this week’s post on pumpkin muffins for toddlers… but I can’t write about pumpkin muffins this week. Recently, there is something far more important to address that concerns me as a mother and as a human; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since that initial…

toddler plate with iron rich foods
Early Child Development | Infants (0-1 yr) | Kid-Friendly Recipes | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

35 Iron-Rich Foods for Growing Babies and Toddlers

Contents When I started noticing that all of the baby cereals sold in stores had “iron-fortified” written all over them, I started to wonder what was so important about iron. And whether or not my child was getting enough. And especially since my son was exclusively breastfed (breast milk is low in iron vs iron-fortified…

10 Tips to Help Parents Handle Toddler Temper Tantrums
Early Child Development | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

10 Tips to Help Parents Handle Toddler Temper Tantrums

Parenting young children is a journey filled with love, laughter, and of course, temper tantrums. The toddler years through the preschool years are especially a wild ride.  While no parent likes dealing with toddler tantrums, the good news is that there are ways to effectively navigate them and help kids develop healthy emotional regulation skills….

How to Create a Toddler Friendly Home
Early Child Development | Home | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

How to Create a Toddler Friendly Home

Toddler-friendly homes are curated to give toddlers access to furniture, tools, and resources that support their growth and development. Creating a kid-friendly home gives toddlers opportunities to do things for themselves. They learn that they are capable. And they become confident in their ability to try new things, make choices, and master new skills. They…

How to Encourage Independent Play: 15 Actionable Tips!
Early Child Development | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

How to Encourage Independent Play: 15 Actionable Tips!

My son loves playing… with people, namely mom and dad. He is constantly begging to play cars, hide and seek, tag, and the myriad of other games he comes up with. While I love that he is so enthusiastic about playing, I do not always want to play games with him.  I love him dearly,…

shy toddler playing in the sand and water
Early Child Development | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Shy Toddlers and 5 Ways to Support Their Social Development

As a mom with a shy toddler, I was prompted to write this post on how to support shy toddlers.  Generally speaking, it can be quite normal for toddlers to be shy. What to Expect explains that toddlers have immature social skills and lack social experience. For some toddlers, they are additionally genetically predisposed to shyness. Nemours explains that about…

parent potty training a toddler
Early Child Development | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Potty Training Our Toddler: How We Made it Happen in 3 Days!

As a first-time parent, the thought of potty training was always a source of confusion and dread. I had no idea when or how to start. Because I think many parents can relate, I was inspired to write this blog post about our potty training journey. I’ll be sharing helpful tips and the most important…

A baby and his pacifiers - when to stop pacifier use
Early Child Development | Infants (0-1 yr) | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Pacifier Use: When To Start & When to Stop

Pacifiers are wonderful tools to help soothe babies and young toddlers. Some children never take to them, but for those that do, pacifiers become their prized little possessions! At some point though, the question arises, when to stop pacifier use?  Sucking is a natural reflex for babies, and the ADA (American Dental Association) explains that pacifiers help provide a…

signs baby is ready to wean from breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Moms | Early Child Development | Infants (0-1 yr) | Motherhood | Toddlers (1-3yrs)

Natural Baby Self Weaning Signs from Breastfeeding

Contents My baby began a gradual process of self-weaning from breastfeeding shortly after 12 months of age. This took me by surprise because I always figured I would be the one to decide when our nursing relationship ended. After all, I had heard stories of nursing mothers who had 4-year-olds still breastfeeding. I wasn’t planning…