Placemat art with rubber cement

Make a painted placemat by dribbling rubber cement on white construction paper. Allow to dry, paint over the rubber cement using tempera paint. Dry, then peel rubber cement off.

Structured and unstructured play time

Toddler needs structured and unstructured play time to develop normally. Choose activities that are loud and quiet, indoors and outdoors, and fine and gross motor skills.

Music with kids

Music is a wonderful medium for play. Even young children love to bounce, sway and wiggle to the music.

Book Suggestion: Big Bird’s Big Book

Big Bird and his pals are featured in this giant (16” x 24”) board book, Big Bird’s Big Book. Six colorful panoramic scenes teach important early learning concepts: counting, naming colors, opposites, and more.

From: Lil’ Fingers Storybooks and Games

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Identifying food allergies

Symptoms that occur repeatedly after eating a particular food that may include hives, swelling, gagging or wheezing may point to food allergies.

Rules and children

Rather than overloading your child with rules, prioritize rules geared toward safety.

Practicing motor skills with food

Cooked peas, corn, and green beans can help toddlers practice using their pincher grip to develop small motor skills as they enjoy a healthy meal.

Learning to be squeaky clean

Buy alphabet letters for bathtub use and make a new word every time your child is in the bathtub. Your child will begin to make the connection between spoken and written language.

Wax paper art activity

Make wax paper art by mixing glue with tempera paint or food coloring to achieve a bright color. Then using a brush, paint glue onto two pieces of wax paper and stick colorful leaves onto the glue.

Interacting with your toddler

Common daily interactions help toddlers develop thinking skills. Toddlers learn about “deductive reasoning”, such as: if I fall, it might hurt

Book Suggestion: Goose on the Loose

Goose on The Loose is an easy to read book with lots of fun rhyming.

Covering electrical outlets and vents

Toddlers are extremely able to manipulate things around the home like electrical sockets and appliances. Cover electrical outlets and vents throughout the house.

Buy energy efficient appliances

Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost over time.

Dealing with hard to brush hair

If your child’s hair is hard to brush, mix 1 part conditioner to 3 parts water. It makes it softer and more manageable.

Cleaning with (not after) your toddler

Give your toddler a damp cloth and invite your toddler to dust or clean with you.

Falling asleep easily

Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed is a time-tested way to fall asleep. The amino acid l-Tryptophan is thought to play a role in making you sleepy.

Budget for emergencies

Cars break down, pipes wear out and break, and kids get sick. Don’t forget to build an emergency fund to pay for these unexpected events.

Book Suggestion: Fancy Nancy

For the fanciest girl around, the outdoors are out of this world! Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire! and her best friend, Bree, set out to explore the fascinating world of wildflowers, trees, leaves, birds, and, of course, butterflies in their exclusively glamorous Explorers’ Club.

Allergy or cold?

Repeated cold-like symptoms that last 1-2 weeks, the same time every year, including a runny nose, nasal stuffiness, sneezing, throat clearing, and itchy, watery eyes may be the signs of allergies.

Taking an active roll at school

Teachers can encourage parents to take an active role in the classroom by requesting volunteers for holiday parties, field trips, or book readings.