Family Life
How Visits to Extended Family Affect Young Children
Extended family visits offer children valuable relationships and exposure to family history and connection. However, these visits also disrupt routine...
5 min read
20 articles found
Safety
When Screen Content Becomes a Safety Risk
Beyond the developmental effects of screen time itself, the content children view matters significantly. Frightening or inappropriate content can caus...
8 min read
Safety
Falls in Children: Main Causes by Age
Falls are among the most common causes of injury in young children, but understanding what causes falls at different ages helps parents focus preventi...
7 min read
Play
Why Play Is the Primary Way Young Children Learn
The idea that play and learning are separate — that children play when they are not learning, and learn when they are not playing — is one of the most...
2 min read
Play
Unstructured Play: Why It Is Essential
In our increasingly structured world, unstructured play—where children follow their own interests without adult direction or rules—has become rare and...
4 min read
Play
Different Types of Play and What They Develop
Not all play is the same, and different types of play develop different developmental skills. From the moment babies start moving through physical pla...
4 min read
Play
The Difference Between Educational and Simply Fun Toys
The toy market is filled with products labelled "educational" — often commanding a premium price. Parents who want to make good choices for their chil...
2 min read
Play
Solitary Play: Is It a Problem?
Many parents worry when their child prefers to play alone. Is this a sign of a problem? Will it affect social development? The truth is that solitary...
4 min read
Play
Singing and Dancing as Active Play
You don't need musical training to use singing and dancing as active play with a young child. The parent's voice — any voice — is more engaging to a b...
2 min read
Play
How to Organize a Play Environment at Home
Creating a thoughtfully organized play environment at home is one of the most effective ways to support your child's learning and independence. When t...
4 min read
Play
Age-Appropriate Games: Why Not to Rush Development
Parent anxieties about whether children are developing quickly enough, and commercial pressure to provide "advanced" developmental activities, create...
2 min read
Play
The Lifelong Value of a Play-Rich Childhood
The way children spend their early years reverberates throughout their lives. A childhood rich in play develops capacities that serve people across th...
5 min read
Play
Play for Children Aged 24–36 Months: Imagination and Role Play
The two-to-three-year-old at play is often absorbed in another world entirely. The doll is sick and needs medicine; the small animals are going on a j...
4 min read
Play
Digital Games and Apps for Young Children: What to Look For
Not all apps and digital games are created equal. Some genuinely support learning and creativity; others use addictive mechanics designed to maximize...
4 min read
Play
Play and Learning in the Early Years: The Complete Parent's Guide
Play is the work of childhood. This simple statement captures something profound about how young children learn. While adults often view play as separ...
9 min read
Play
When a Child Does Not Know How to Play Alone
Not all children naturally take to solo play. Some are highly social, others need significant adult scaffolding, and some have experienced limited opp...
4 min read
Play
How to Build Independent Play Habits
Independent play is a habit that develops through consistent practice and supportive environments. Rather than a trait some children have and others l...
4 min read
Play
The Value of Boredom in Child Development
When your child says "I'm bored," your instinct might be to quickly offer an activity, put on a show, or get them engaged in something. However, bored...
4 min read
Family Life
How Parents' Phone Use Affects Young Children
Smartphones are integral to modern life, yet research shows that parental phone use during interaction time significantly affects child development. W...
5 min read
Parenting
Why Children Test Boundaries and What It Means
A toddler touches the stove after you've said no. A preschooler asks for something five minutes after you've refused. A child does something you've co...
6 min read