When decorating the nursery for your baby, keep in mind that newborns can visually perceive objects place 8-12 inches away from their face. Since their field of vision is so limited, contrasting colors (such as red, black and white) are easiest to discern. Create easy to make, engaging flash cards displaying favorite baby images, such […]
Babies have so much to learn—and you can make it fun for you and your little one. Enjoy these enriching ways to encourage your baby’s development throughout your day. At birth, a baby’s five senses are working, and before you know it, your young child is off to explore using all of those senses. As […]
Box-in-a-Box • Variety of boxes in different sizes, nesting one inside another • Toy or treat  1. Collect a variety of boxes that will nest one inside another. Try to get very large boxes and very small boxes, as well as everything in between. 2. Place a special toy or treat in the smallest box […]
 How your child’s early experiences shape his learning success  Many studies over the past decade have shown that the early years, from birth to age 5, form an indelible blueprint for your child’s long-term learning success. Early behaviors and skills associated with successful reading development used to be described as readiness skills, but […]
A trusting relationship and plenty of playtime lay the foundation for successful readers. Â All parents want their children to be successful in school and throughout life. While literacy, which begins with oral-language skills, is the foundation of that success, it’s equally important to remember that both language and literacy development grow out of the […]
Turn a simple container into an early reading experience.  • tubular container, such as a Pringles or oatmeal container • photos (family snapshots or magazine clippings) • clear contact paper Collect pictures about your baby’s life, highlighting his family: Mom and Dad, family members, friends, and pets. You can also cut out cars, houses, flowers, and other […]
 Engage your baby with these personalized building blocks.  photos of your child small boxes newspaper tape clear contact paper  1. Crumple the newspaper and use it to stuff the boxes. Tape the boxes closed.  2. Tape one photo of your child to each side of the box and cover with clear […]
Find fast ideas for introducing your baby to books. 1.     Create reading rituals. Set aside a specific time of day to be your daily reading time. Make a routine of picking out the day’s books together and then sitting in your designated reading spot. 2.     Cuddle. Find a comfortable, quiet place to read and snuggle […]
