Tips for Families

Milestones

As parents, we go the extra mile to make sure our kids are always happy. So, when our homemade pasta dinner gets tossed to the floor by a one year old? It’s a mess! We call that “mess” a milestone – because when kids play with messy finger foods they’re busy developing their hand-eye coordination. Which is a milestone that’s more important than having a clean kitchen floor. Here are some things you can try at home to promote your child’s milestones.

• Singing and dancing is a wonderful way to bond with your little one. For your next arts and crafts session, build your own instruments with some paper plates, tape and fillers like rice, dry beans or pasta to make music together.
• Flour, salt, cream of tartar, water make for a great recipe for homemade play dough. Get creative by adding a pop of color or a yummy scent.
• Sensory bins give your children an opportunity to explore their senses – which include touch, sight, sound and smell. Plus, they’re easy to make and switch out to create tons of different combinations.
• Babies love to knock things over! And when that tower of blocks comes tumbling down again and again, your child is getting a science lesson about gravity and cause-and-effect!
• Painting is one way your child expresses themselves. Not only do they develop their fine motor skills but also their creativity. Next time you find yourself without paintbrushes at home, give them a clean sponge to paint with!

Family Interaction

• Setting limits is teaching not punishment. Be patient, calm and most of all loving.
• Get chatty! Engage in conversation with your child.
• Offer your child choices. “Do you want to wear the blue shirt or green shirt?”
• Sign up for a playgroup to show them it’s okay to learn and play with others.
• Make time for activities and develop a routine. It can be during bath time, before bed or in the morning before starting the day.
• Incorporate signing, talking and reading in everything that you do.
• Ask your child to explain things, listen and repeat it back to them. That will let them know what they say is valuable.

Give them lots of hugs and kisses!