Two-year-old boy in red shirt flexes his muscles with a smile. Your child will reach a multitude of new milestones in his or her 2nd year of life.

The Terrific Twos! A Year of Excitement Awaits

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  • What Self-Care Skills is My 2-Year-Old Capable of Doing Independently?

    What Self-Care Skills is My 2-Year-Old Capable of Doing Independently?

    Toddlers are at a critical stage in their development where they are learning about themselves, their surroundings, and how to interact with others. One important aspect of this development is learning independence. While it may seem daunting for parents to encourage their toddlers to be independent, it is crucial for their growth and success later in life. Teaching independence allows them to develop a sense of self, build confidence, and gain the skills necessary to tackle challenges on their own. One of the best places to start this journey is with self-care skills! Your 2-year-old will naturally gravitate toward trying things themselves and mimicking the actions of the adults and older siblings around them. Encourage their growing interest and independence by giving them the space to strengthen these skills.

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  • Two, small boys play together by manipulating items in a tiny pond. At 2-years-old, it is important to exercise your child's fine motor skills by allowing them to play with objects that exercise the muscles in their hands.

    Fine Motor Skills in the 2nd Year

    Fine motor skills are the abilities that involve the use of small muscles in the hands and fingers. These skills are crucial for children's development as they help with tasks such as holding a pencil, cutting with scissors, and manipulating small objects. At two years old, you'll notice your little one manipulating objects with more ease than ever before (see how quickly they can get a piece of candy out of a wrapper!) Finding opportunities to exercise these skills is always helpful, though!

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  • 1-year-old baby lays on his stomach and plays with wooden toys and books. There are many screen-free ways to engage your child when you are busy.

    Screen-Free Ways to Engage Your Child When You're Busy

    As a parent, you may find yourself busy with work or household chores, but you still want to engage your 1-year-old in meaningful activities that do not involve screens. Involving your little one in screen-free activities not only helps to develop their cognitive, motor, and social skills but also increases their independence and creativity. But it's not always easy to find something that keeps their attention and requires only light supervision!

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  • 3-year-old girl bites into a large slice of watermelon. Creating healthy eating habits in your child early will set them up with a lifetime of good health.

    Teaching Your Toddler Healthy Eating Habits

    There's tons of information out there for parents about "good" food and "bad" foods and, frankly, it can be a bit overwhelming! With all the (sometimes conflicting) literature, advertisements for "organic" or "whole" foods, and tons of social media posts about "clean" family lifestyles, what is the modern, busy parent to do? Read on to discover a few simple tips and tricks that will help you to develop healthy eating habits in your child without overthinking!

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  • Two-year-old girl talks excitedly with her older siblings while playing with the Storypod Tali Tucan Craftie. Communicating verbally with family is one of the best ways to encourage language development in your 2-year-old.

    How to Encourage Language Development in Your 2 Year Old

    It's an exciting time for your child and their language development! At 2-years-old, your child will have a vocabulary of around 50 words and will be able to string together sentences of a couple of words. Furthermore, they'll be able to understand much of what is being said around then and can follow simple, two-part commands. Their language abilities are developing rapidly and now is an important time to take steps that will encourage healthy growth in this area.

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  • 2-year-old boy looks through books at the library. Although your toddler isn't able to read on their own yet, there are several pre-literacy skills you can start building on now.

    What Pre-Literacy Skills Can I Start Practicing with My 2-Year-Old?

    Pre-literacy skills are the abilities that children need to develop before they learn to read and write. Although they'll be learning all about reading in school, having plenty of exposure to books and words will create a base from which they can build on when they start kindergarten. By practicing these skills with your 2-year-old, you can lay a strong foundation for their future literacy success.

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  • Three child's stuffed animals lie side by side, neatly tucked in with a blanket. Creating a serene, organized environment for your toddler is helpful for fostering independence.

    Create a Serene & Organized Environment That Will Foster Independence

    Creating a serene and organized environment for your child is one of the most effective ways to foster independence in them. When a child has a clean, structured, and orderly environment, they are more likely to develop good habits, become more responsible, and feel more in control of their surroundings.

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  • Two sets of hands hold cell phones, their owners completely engrossed by the screen

    Is My Own Screen Time Affecting My Children?

    The science behind the effects of screen time on developing minds is well known to most parents. But does adult screen time affect children, as well? While our brains may be fully developed, our screen time can still be detrimental. When parents are overly absorbed by their technology, they tune-out what’s going on around them.

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  • Toddler peacefully plays with toy car independently

    Independent Play: What are Reasonable Expectations for Toddlers?

    From bathing to entertaining, toddlers require enormous amounts of attention. Invested parents understand that this is a critical time for their child and will do their best to engage with their children in meaningful activities. Moreover, there’s an enormous pressure for parents to shower their children with attention as to develop their self esteem. Although this is all good and well, learning to play independently is an important skill for their development and should be incorporated daily.

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  • Young child sleeps peacefully next to stuffed bunny

    Creating the Perfect Bedtime Routine in 5 Easy Steps

    There’s no doubt that parents of children of all ages understand the importance of sleep. Aside from preserving parental sanity, a child’s sleep is critical for their development. According to the CDC and the Sleep Foundation, adequate sleep is crucial for preventing poor mental health, obesity, type 2 diabetes, a weakened immune system, and both attention and behavior problems. Yet somehow, about 30% of children in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep.

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  • A mom, her daughter and son enjoying a read-along audiobook on their Storypod

    Promoting Language Development at Home

    Language development is highly linked to future academic achievement in children. Your child’s ability to communicate and express themselves is integral to moving through life. Naturally, you’ll want to do everything you can to promote proper growth in those first few years. As with most areas of child development, exposure is key. Consider the following tips to create a language-rich environment at home.

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  • Children's wooden blocks with numbers on them lay scattered on a surface. Toddlers may begin counting and getting familiar with numbers as early as the age of 2.

    Tips & Tricks for Teaching Your Toddler to Count

    As early as the age of 2, your child may start recognizing numbers and attempting to count (even if they're saying the numbers out of order). It's a wonderful time to start engaging with numbers and other math skills that they will solidify in the future. With some simple and fun activities and a few tips, parents can teach their toddlers to count and foster a love of numbers that will last a lifetime.

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