Just when you feel like you're starting to get the hang of this whole baby thing, your sweet baby turns one. He or she will soon be walking, using more words, employing new skills to get into trouble, and zeroing in on all the goodies you've hidden. With so much change happening at once, questions pop up.
Questions first-time parents ask about their one-year-olds range from transitioning nap times to when and how to wean from breastfeeding to whether it's too early to start potty training. These are totally normal questions every parent asks at some point!
Narrowing down the hundreds of questions I asked at this stage with each kid was not an easy task!
Most healthy one-year-olds are ready to begin potty training sometime between 18 and 24 months old, but some toddlers fight it tooth and nail until around three years old. Your child will be ready to begin potty training when he can walk, sit, pull down his pull-up, and communicate bathroom needs.
When your child is willing to be independent and please you by trying, he's ready to start potty training! But be careful about the way you act and react to his successes and failures because that will determine how potty training will go for the next few months.
Toddlers quickly realize they can only control two things: eating and using the bathroom. So, at a time when he's trying to become more independent, he may choose to be stubborn in these two areas.
You can simply work with your child by setting her on the toilet before and after sleep and before meals or leaving home. Set a timer for three minutes and let your one-year-old watch the timer go down before she gets off the toilet.
Give her praise for "tactical wees" even if she doesn't pee in the toilet, but really praise her for successful potty runs. When she does pee herself, explain that it isn't her fault--accidents happen.
A method that is less child-oriented starts when the toddler understands when she is about to pee (approximately 20 months old), controls her own bladder, and can complete all the potty-training tasks herself (source).
In this method, you will teach your one-year-old bathroom phrases, show the difference between wet and dry pants, talk her through the process, show her the process, show her how to clean herself up, check her pants frequently, and make her sit on the toilet every fifteen minutes.
When she successfully pees in the toilet, make a big deal out of it. But if she pees herself, reiterate what she's supposed to do, withhold praise, and have her clean herself up (as taught).
Once she has a few successful runs, understands what to do, and communicates when she needs the toilet, space out the toilet times to 30 minutes, then an hour or more.
The latter method is more efficient, but some temperaments don't handle it well (too much pressure on the child or too much work for the parent). Either way, don't let your toddler tell you no and run away. She must try the toilet when you ask her to do so. Setting a timer she can see usually helps.
Yes, it is normal for your one-year-old to start peeing himself after having several days or weeks of successful potty training. The question is why. Sometimes, it is an attempt to control something or be stubborn. Other times, it may be a strong desire to keep playing and forgetfully wetting himself.
Whatever it is, the way you react will either reinforce the behavior, upset your child, or make him feel like he can tell you when he makes a mistake or has an accident. Be gentle and calm; it will help you and your toddler in the long run.
Most potty trainers learn to go to the bathroom during the day or night and have accidents at the opposite time. For instance, my second never wet her diaper or the bed at night in potty training but struggled to make it to the toilet successfully during the day for months.
If your one-year-old chugs water in the evenings, wake her for a potty break before you go to bed. Once she has gone a few months without an accident, you can start waking her sooner and sooner in the evening until you don't have to wake her anymore. If she does have an accident, have her help clean up the mess.
But take a step back for a moment and think about this: is it more important for your toddler to sleep through the night without an accident or to be hydrated?
Asking her not to drink water at the end of the day so that she won't have an accident in her sleep doesn't compute in a toddler's mind. All she knows is that you are withholding water when she's thirsty.
So, instead of forcing your toddler to stop drinking water, you can wake her for a nighttime bathroom break or put her in a pull-up every night until it's not an issue anymore.
A one-year-old should get 11-14 hours of sleep per day between daytime naps and nighttime sleep (source). Though achieving that much sleep is challenging for some one-year-olds, it is possible to achieve it by setting a habitual pre-sleep routine and sleep training.
Setting a routine is perhaps the most powerful thing you can do to help your one-year-old settle into naptime and bedtime, even when sick or teething. We dove into the benefits of routines and how to build one specifically in The Ultimate Guide to One-Year-Old Sleep: Tips and Tricks for Busy Parents.
Getting your one-year-old to sleep through the night depends on the issue. Is he still breastfeeding at night? Is he hungry? Is he struggling with gas or dirtying a diaper? Perhaps he is being startled by new noises in a new place.
Once you have identified the issue, you can work on it. The basic checklist for all of these is the following:
full belly
clean diaper
fresh clothes
comfortable temperature
dark room
no unusual noises
a calming noise (box fan, noisemaker, voices in the next room)
no blankets wrapped around the body awkwardly
If all these requirements are met, check for ways to handle the specific issue. For gas bubbles, reduce the gassy foods he or you eat (baby food or breast milk) after midday and do leg exercises before bedtime, like walking around, crawling, or playing on the floor. Movement can help move that gas along before it builds up.
If your one-year-old is waking hungry at night, try adding a filling and healthy snack right before bedtime, like blended oatmeal, meat and veggie baby food, or a banana and milk smoothie. If waking hungry continues for another week, talk to your pediatrician.
Also, ensuring that you don't drink caffeinated drinks after lunchtime will knock out the chances that caffeine is in your breast milk. Other options are going for a walk or playing outside after dinner and before bedtime to wear your wee one out and ensuring no screen time or over-stimulating activities happen for an hour or two before bedtime.
The key to transitioning your one-year-old to one nap a day is sticking to a pre-naptime routine, being consistent, keeping your child awake at other times, and ensuring everyone settles down for a quiet time.
Sure, busy one-year-olds can pass out anywhere when ready, but naptime makes more sense when everyone else at home settles down at the same time every day. It's not like she will miss out on all the fun if she takes that nap.
When transitioning from two naps to one, phase out of the first nap by reducing its time as your one-year-old can handle it and plan something stimulating to do during that first naptime. Typically, the morning nap is consolidated into a longer afternoon nap because that's when our circadian rhythm naturally dips during the day.
Don't worry; with consistency and patience, the transition to one nap will happen!
Honey must be avoided until one year old, but you may delay it until 18 or even 24 months old to be on the safe side. Honey contains a bacteria that can cause infant botulism in baby bellies, so it's best to avoid it until the toddler's gut microbiome has matured.
Other food to avoid includes anything your one-year-old can choke on, like grapes, chunks of meat, and raw carrots. Wait until your child's teeth have fully come in for these, or cut them into tiny pieces. Fish bones are also dangerous for one-year-olds, as they are fine and difficult to see.
Yes! Welcome to real parenting. The first year is much easier because you get to focus on keeping your baby alive, healthy, and happy. In the second year, though, you begin seeing free will, independence, and stubbornness. There's nothing like children to teach you patience!
But in all seriousness, it is normal for one-year-olds to have tantrums. They feel strong feelings that are not always tied to things they understand, like hunger and discomfort. Instead, one-year-olds feel mixtures of strong emotions and cannot always tell them apart.
So, the typical one-year-old feels big feelings, doesn't understand them, cannot explain them, and cannot control them. The result is a glorious meltdown in public after you said no to something on a shelf for the fiftieth time.
Just so you know, you're not alone; tantrums happen the most from 24-36 months but happen in 87% of 18-24-month-olds, too (source). As with everything as a parent, how you react and how safe your child feels with you physically and emotionally in their fragile state will determine how your one-year-old develops emotional regulation later in life.
No! Most babies and toddlers learn to walk within 2-3 months of learning to stand, which is typically between 10-18 months of age. You can talk to your pediatrician if your toddler isn't walking by 15 months old.
However, if she is pulling herself up, walking with walking toys, and cruising on furniture, walking independently is coming soon! But if your toddler is 15 months old and not doing any of those things, you should talk to your pediatrician to ensure no physical issue is hampering her progress.
Babies work into walking by following a process from rolling over, pushing up, standing on all fours, rocking, crawling, pulling up, cruising, and finally, walking.
Encouraging your one-year-old to walk can involve:
a push toy
holding his hand to walk together
calling him to you while he's already up and cruising on furniture
You can even space your furniture further apart so that he has to reach further and take a step.
Every child develops at her own pace, especially with talking. So many factors contribute to this, including how often parents spoke face-to-face with her in the first year, how often she heard adults speaking around her, how often she is now prompted to respond, and her unique personality.
Around her first birthday, your little one will understand a few words and signs for family members she sees daily or nearly daily and things she wants or needs often. She may even use repeated syllables to name some of those things (mama, dada, bubba, papa, gama) (source). But, these names will only be understood by you.
By 18 months, your child will pick up more vocabulary and know quite a few by 24 months. If he isn't using syllables purposefully by 18 months old, let your pediatrician know. If he remains quiet at 24 months old, your pediatrician may suggest a speech pathologist.
Many toddlers delay speech, especially if an older sibling speaks for them. It could be a hearing issue or simply feeling like he doesn't need to say anything.
Soothe teething pain by giving your one-year-old a cold teething ring, a cool, wet cloth, or rubbing her gums with a clean finger. At Moonkie, we've designed high-quality, food-grade silicone teething rings with different patterns, textures, and shapes to help your child play and chew.
They are heavy-duty, durable, and long-lasting, too! Even better, you can chill them in the freezer before handing them to your baby and toss them into the dishwasher when she's done with them. We don't cut corners with our products!
If you're a bit apprehensive about silicone baby products, read Are Silicone Baby Teethers Safe? What You Need to Know.
As soon as your child's teeth appear, you should begin brushing them with a baby-safe toothpaste and take him to the dentist. Call ahead to see if your dentist will work with children younger than 24 months, though.
Some dentists specialize in servicing toddlers and young children. If you are not sure, ask your pediatrician's office for phone numbers of toddler-friendly dentists in your area.
When your one-year-old begins climbing out of his crib or pack-and-play, it's time to transition him to a toddler bed. You can do this by switching either naps or bedtime sleeps to the new bed first or letting him help set it up and put a couple of favorite stuffed animals in it.
Some toddlers switch seamlessly in one evening, while others take their time. Both routes are okay. If your one-year-old is rolling out of the toddler bed, invest in a rail.
Common developmental milestones for one-year-olds include walking, adding more syllables, growing vocabulary for toddler-speak and sign language, learning social skills, expressing new emotions, and understanding routines and daily questions and statements you make to her.
Physically, one-year-olds continue refining their fine and gross motor skills so that running, jumping, balancing, climbing, coloring, holding pencils with fingers instead of fists, stacking toys, and putting multiple things together become daily habits.
Mentally, one-year-olds begin to grasp cause and effect, remember and act on memories, memorize animal sounds, and problem-solve. So, if your twenty-two-month-old begins moving furniture to reach things up high, smile because she's using problem-solving skills!
You shouldn't have to do much for most one-year-olds because they'll take off on their own! However, if your one-year-old is extremely clingy and always needs you in sight, you can do a few things.
One thing you can do is not pick up your one-year-old every time he asks. Talk to him, look him in the eye, and assure him that you will pick him up soon, but not immediately (best to do while you're doing something).
Another thing you can do is let him play with open-ended toys or look at books for short spurts of time by himself. Praise him for whatever he accomplishes in that time, sit and play for a few minutes, and then get up to do something else.
As you go, increase the time you are not sitting with your child. Before long, he'll go for twenty or thirty minutes!
Disciplining a one-year-old looks different from family to family. Moreover, various temperaments respond to types of discipline differently. The foundation of all discipline is your temperament in delivering discipline.
Don't yell, harm your child, shame her, drag her, push her, wrench her arm, squeeze her hard, or slap her. These actions cause toxic stress in the child, which can affect brain development and definitely affect social and emotional development.
Instead, remain calm. If you cannot, put your child in a safe place (playpen, pack-and-play, crib), set a timer they can see, and step out to cool off. How you handle yourself when your child crosses a line or breaks a rule significantly shapes how she will regulate herself and treat others later in life.
How you carry out discipline needs to fit the "crime" but should also be understood by the one-year-old. Timeouts, firm pats on the butt for getting attention, gently slapping a hand away from something dangerous, or taking a toy being fought over away are all appropriate punishments understandable for one-year-olds.
Letting the one-year-old see the timer go down (a bar or a circle reducing), using a "trouble chair," and being consistent with the rules and punishments are helpful as well.
If your one-year-old struggles with hydration, consider switching bottles, taking timed water breaks, or giving a snack that makes your child want to drink something (crackers, popcorn).
Another thing you can do is reduce any other kind of drink your one-year-old prefers. For example, don't give him sugary teas and juices. Water is better for him anyway! You can also try adding lemon or frozen fruit to the water for him to try.
Ideally, your one-year-old will have already been practicing using utensils, but if she's not doing so yet, let her have them! It will be messy, but using utensils is a crucial skill for one-year-olds to practice for fine motor skill development.
You can use Cheerios or puff snacks in a clean bowl with a spoon for easier cleanup on busy days. If you are worried about the plastic or metal spoons in most stores these days, check out our soft silicone baby feeding set!
Sharing is an incredibly difficult social skill for one-year-olds to learn! However, they will do what they see you do. So, making a point of sharing with your little one and other friends and family and making a big deal of it will show your one-year-old how to share and encourage it.
Next, provide opportunities for your child to share by asking, "Can I have one?" When he hands you something, smile and say, "Thank you so much for sharing this with me! It makes me happy. You are so sweet!"
Between kids, though, this is a challenge. Older kids snatch toys out of little kids' hands. Making a point of getting onto those older kids and having them "make it right" is crucial for showing your one-year-old the rules of the game they should be playing.
When another child wrongs your one-year-old, comfort him and help him think of something else to play with.
By having good manners! Young children learn social skills using a "monkey see, monkey do" method, and one-year-olds can soak everything you do in. From your facial expressions to tone of voice to body language, your one-year-old studies you when you talk to someone else.
Even if it doesn't look like it now, you will see your toddler mimic your mannerisms in the next couple of years. You have a "mini-me" watching, so have good manners with others and your child.
When your one-year-old does something rude purposefully (throwing food, slapping others, snatching, etc.), say, "No, we don't do that," and correct her.
The best way is to let your one-year-old figure it out himself. This is what makes Montessori or sensory toys so ingenious; they are designed to let children learn by exploring the activity and figuring it out themselves.
Recognizing cause and effect relationships is a crucial skill Montessori kids learn to observe through play. For more on Montessori and sensory toys, read Are Montessori and Sensory Toys the Same Thing?
Helping your one-year-old develop a good attention span is more about what you don't do at first. For instance, using screens to babysit your one-year-old while you get something done is a recipe for instilling a short attention span for anything else in your child. It eventually makes entertainment and novelty necessary.
Your child's attention span will increase naturally as her cognitive abilities increase. If screens and overstimulating toys and activities don't stunt that natural development of focus, she will be able to focus on books and open-ended toys better and better.
So, giving your child those open-ended toys and activities, reading to your child every day, and keeping screen time at an hour or less will help your one-year-old develop a good attention span.
Right away! Teaching your child about colors and shapes can actually happen well before his first birthday, but it won't sink in cognitively until sometime after 18 months old or even after 24 months for some children. Hearing shape and color names regularly helps your child learn them.
"Teaching" is not lecturing or testing your one-year-old; it's more like "naming" or "describing" shapes and colors as your little one plays with them. One of my favorite games was naming everything we could see with that color. I started this with twenty-month-olds, but consistent answers only came around 24 months.
This depends on how dirty your one-year-old gets! Some toddlers run around outside a lot, have pets, or find ways to get messy and need that nightly bath. Other toddlers are fairly chill and don't need a bath every evening.
Sometimes, you can alternate by seasons: daily baths when it's hot and baths every other day in the winter. If your child has psoriasis or eczema, you'll find that this bathing schedule is not so simple.
Eczema is a dry, itchy skin condition that affects patches of skin. It's uncomfortable and causes your little one to itch and scratch, even to the point of bleeding. The more it's itched, the worse it gets. Obviously, one-year-olds don't understand this.
Controlling your one-year-old's eczema starts with talking to your pediatrician or dermatologist, who will likely prescribe a steroid cream, take fewer baths, and instruct you to put gloves on your toddler when he sleeps to minimize scratching.
A long-term strategy for preventing breakouts is changing soaps and detergents. Throw out any soaps, shampoos, and detergents that you use with fragrance oils, dyes, sulfates, and additives. Replace them with fragrance-free or natural ingredients. I go over this more in-depth in Going Green: How to Create a Sustainable Home for Your Family.
Yes and no. In some cultures, it is normal for children to sleep with their parents for years. However, co-sleeping is dangerous in your own bed because you could roll onto your child. Co-sleeping regularly could also lead to your toddler resisting falling asleep by herself.
When your toddler struggles to sleep due to congestion, fever, or coughing, letting her fall asleep with you may be needed, but only do so in a recliner or some other seat you won't try to roll over in.
It turns out that children under two years of age should NOT have added sugars at all (source). For one, babies and toddlers eat so little at a time, and they are growing so much that they need quality calories, not empty surges of energy.
For another, processed sugar is something we all crave and struggle to control as adults, so we should probably be wary of giving it to toddlers who haven't learned self-control yet.
Every chest carrier comes with a weight limit, which is typically 18-20 pounds for a light carrier and 35 pounds for a sturdier one. Another thing to check is height and circulation. If your one-year-old is lanky and long, you may find it uncomfortable to have her sitting in the carrier.
On the other hand, if her legs grow cool quickly in the carrier, then it may be time to retire it and switch to a stroller.
Babies and toddlers before three years of age should have no more than an hour of screen time in a day, and less or none at all is even better. It turns out that despite what marketing tells parents, babies and toddlers don't learn well from someone on a screen (source).
Little kids and babies don't pick up on the slight facial cues and body language in real life as well when they are accustomed to the much more emphatic cues they see on screens. But no one talks like that in daily life, so subtle "normal" cues simply go over screen babies' heads.
I know the TV is a lifesaver during the most hectic times of day, but opting for open-ended playtime toys is far more helpful to your one-year-old in the long run.
Yes, your one-year-old understands that something is off when you are upset, angry, or overwhelmed. He won't understand why, what caused it, or how to act around you during such episodes, but he can tell you are not acting like yourself.
So, you must maintain self-control and avoid lashing out or blaming your one-year-old for not giving you a break. He has no way of knowing how to act appropriately in these situations, and he may even cry, fuss, or demand more of your attention when you are upset about something else.
The thing is, you are your one-year-old's comfort. So, when you are not comforting, the only one he can turn to is you. It's not manipulation or selfishness; it's feeling uneasy and needing to know he is safe with you.
There you have it! 25 questions first-time parents ask and that even seasoned parents may ask now and then when a second or third child surprises them with originality. Parenting a one-year-old is very different from the first year, but it is one packed with memories, milestones, and funny moments. Enjoy it!
Imagine the scene: a busy parent, juggling work, family, and household responsibilities, hears about the Montessori education philosophy and wonders if it's something they can implement at home. Sound familiar? If so, you're not alone.
You can implement Montessori at home, but finding time to research age-appropriate activities, gather materials, and set them up is challenging. Moreover, you've got to find a dedicated space in your home and strike a balance between independence and safety. But it's all doable and worth it!
This article will cover multiple tips and tricks for parents wanting to make Montessori at home happen!
The Montessori method is a child-centered perspective on learning that emphasizes independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child's natural development. The underlying philosophy is that children learn best through hands-on experiences and self-directed exploration within boundaries.
This focus develops the whole child for a confident, stable, and adept lifetime. The genius of Montessori at home is that everything your child needs to learn about practical life skills is already there!
At base, doing Montessori-like education at home means involving your little one in everything you do and crafting your family lifestyle in a way that fosters a wide variety of life skills. These skills could be anything usual to life:
breadmaking
gardening
cleaning
organizing
baking
cooking
folding laundry
cleaning the car
canning vegetables
setting the table
sewing
crafting
painting walls or canvases
running a business
caring for animals
taking care of younger children
The list goes on and on. Sure, you've got to adapt these to your child's age and developmental abilities, but you can do that with some time and close supervision.
Children are sponges; they'll soak up whatever knowledge you are willing to slow down and teach them. But that knowledge must be shown more than spoken and broken down into easily digestible nuggets.
Before you go buy child-sized versions of everything in your kitchen, you need to make a plan. Lots of Montessori education at home can be done by letting your child shadow you, ask questions, and participate, but you've got to think about what your child is capable of.
We've boiled all the noise down to four things to keep in mind for doing Montessori at home:
Kids should develop at their own pace, even if that means they develop slower than the local school system says they should develop. We are not saying that means your child can lag behind in reading skills by three years; we mean the activities you choose and the boundaries you set should put your child's abilities first.
For instance, if your toddler loves reading books with you and even recognizes a handful of sight words, that's fantastic! Nurture that and continue to broaden the topics your toddler reads with you, but don't move up to kindergarten books cold turkey.
Instead, put a few kindergarten-level books on the bookshelf with your toddler's other books where he can reach them. Let him pull them down and look through them as he pleases. Eventually, he will ask to read one, or you can suggest one along with a couple of other options to choose from at his level.
Choosing books at the next level in the topics that get your child most excited is another way to encourage him to explore that level and begin asking to read it with you. For older kids, the logic is the same. Start with topics of interest at the next level, and make yourself available to answer any questions or offer to read them together as a family.
This one is tough if you have a small living space, but it is crucial for sticking to the Montessori philosophy. A dedicated space for setting up activities is helpful to your little one because it's hers--her place to play, explore, and discover.
As the parent, a prepared environment provides peace of mind:
You know your child is safe.
There is a dedicated place for toys and activities to go.
Your child's expectations for playtime align more with yours by setting.
It's easier to clean the rest of your home because everything is in one place.
It's simpler to enforce rules for your child to clean up her own mess.
If you don't have room for a dedicated space, check out these ideas for converting your living room: Playful Living: Simple Strategies for Setting Up a Productive Playtime in Your Living Room.
Ideally, whatever space you set up for your little one will have no screens, loud music, or distracting electric-disco-noisemaker toys. It should be a calming, focused environment that lets your child tinker.
Part of child-led learning is stocking your prepared environment with age-appropriate activities, toys, and books that your child is interested in. If dinosaurs are the thing right now, get creative with dinosaur books and toys, create a sensory bin for uncovering dinosaur bones, and explore fossils as a topic.
The more you tie into your child's interests, the more you'll excite them and build a foundation from which your child can reach out to related topics. For example, an interest in dinosaurs can reach fossils, paleontology, geology, meteorology, animal tracks, teeth, skeletons, sea shells, and maybe even archaeology or astronomy by extension.
All you have to do is answer questions and find a few books and activities that explore the answers to those questions. Sure, this may take you on a whirlwind tour of science museums, nature walks, and random holes dug in your backyard, but this is how children crave to learn.
Besides, what grade-school kid doesn't wish their school day looked like this?
For babies who haven't chosen an interest yet, provide a range of different toys, music, and stories. At this stage, parents are showing them what reality is and how it works while they develop and grow at an astounding pace. Before long, these babies will begin to fixate on things and show interest!
Self-directed play builds skills in independent decision-making and is, therefore, a pillar of the Montessori method. But it doesn't mean kicking your child outside or shutting her into her room for hours to entertain herself. Though kids in these situations certainly learn independence, the lack of structure is harmful.
Instead, setting up activities and toys in a safe spot and letting your child have at it is more conducive to safety and learning because your child can involve you or ask questions as desired.
Moreover, playing with open-ended toys allows your wee one to engage her imagination, learn the crucial skill of entertaining herself, and build language and problem-solving skills. For more on the Montessori philosophy at home, read The Montessori Philosophy for Parents: Why It Works and How to Make It Work for You.
There is a wealth of Montessori activities you can do with your child at home. But every now and then, you may get stuck in a rut and struggle to come up with ideas or plan ahead enough that you're not scrambling to keep up.
Here are a few additional ideas to keep things fresh and engaging for older kids and teenagers:
Start a sourdough starter and learn to make bread together
Learn a musical instrument
Hand-sew quilts and pillows for your home or gifts for others
Experiment with making soap or candles
Plant a garden
Do a woodworking project
Maintenance the car
Cook meals from around the world
Buy a STEM subscription for your child's age group
Work on a model kit
We shared lots of Montessori-inspired sensory activities for babies in Baby Sensory Activities: A Guide to Promote Healthy Development. Check it out!
The Montessori philosophy of education has gained a lot of steam in recent years, but there are some myths and misconceptions about Montessori at home that muddle the path to getting started.
Here are five common myths and facts about implementing Montessori at home to help you separate fact from fiction:
One of the biggest misconceptions about Montessori at home is that it requires expensive materials. Um, no. While some Montessori materials can be pricey, there are tons of activities you can do with your children with items you already have at home, like beans, rice, or buttons.
Additionally, you can make the things you need for some activities from inexpensive materials like cardboard, paper, or fabric. Check out 7 Unique Preschool Sensory Activities for Homeschool for some ideas you can easily do cheaply.
Sure, it could be easier to do Montessori at home if you were a stay-at-home parent. But it could also be more challenging because you wouldn't have a break from the kids enough to prepare activities!
Everyone has got their own unique challenges in time, energy, and creativity. Thus, anything you can do to work activities and learning opportunities into your daily routine as a family is perfect for Montessori at home. Here are some examples:
Share a fact about whales and show it during your child's bath time.
Talk about how yeast works and teach your child how to knead bread or feed a starter.
Teach your child which plants are weeds and which plants you want to keep in the flower bed and why.
Show your child how to fuel the lawn mower and talk about how it works before starting it and mowing the lawn.
Get water boiling, collect some ice, and pour a glass of water for your child to compare and ask questions about.
Pour flour on a cookie sheet and call out letters, numbers, or words for your child to write in the flour.
Pour some oil into water with food coloring and close it with a tight seal.
Show your child how suction works with a vacuum before letting your child clean the floors with it.
You get the idea: involve your child in whatever is going on at home. You can tell them something neat and turn them loose with it or let them observe for a while on their own before asking what they've learned.
Such activities can be accomplished whether you are a working or stay-at-home parent!
Some parents worry that Montessori at home is too structured and doesn't allow for enough free play. However, Montessori education is based on the idea of child-led learning, which means that your child should have the freedom to choose the activities they want to engage in.
Doing Montessori at home can involve a range of structures. Some activities will certainly require closer boundaries and supervision, like cooking, yard work, or certain sensory bin activities, while other activities will be more free, like stacking toys for one-year-olds, coloring, and open-ended play.
For some of the latter, the only boundaries will be what toys and activities are available or within reach. You can easily rotate these every few days to keep things fresh!
While it's true that Montessori activities require some preparation and planning, you can incorporate Montessori principles into your daily routines without taking up too much time. It will slow you down a bit, but the tradeoff is learning the way your child learns best, which is worth the extra time!
Now, the more elaborate activities you plan, the more time you will spend planning and preparing those activities. But this doesn't have to happen daily or even weekly.
Keeping a solid collection of Montessori-inspired, open-ended toys available, along with a few sensory bin ideas made of materials you already have around the house, will get you through most days. Having access to plenty of books helps, too!
If you've got a wee one to entertain, add these unique sensory activity ideas to your routine: 7 Unique Preschool Sensory Activities for Homeschool.
Montessori education is effective for children of all ages, from infants to teenagers (and it's excellent for parents, too!). Simply adapt the Montessori principles to your child's age, stage of development, and interests.
Another way to make Montessori at home work for all ages is to have days where kids of multiple ages come to hang out at your home for a Montessori day. The Montessori method is big on letting groups of children across multiple ages move freely between activities because it helps develop social skills.
Even better, little kids learn from older kids, and older kids learn to share with and teach younger kids--and that will all happen without much reffing from you if the rules and consequences are clear!
Curious about how this works out in step with your child's natural growth and development? Read 7 Things Every Parent Should Know About the Early Stages of Child Development for facts, statistics, and a nifty development chart.
Implementing Montessori at home can be a highly effective way to encourage your child's development and learning through play, practical life skills, and child-led learning. You've just got to set out and do it! And if you are already in the midst of doing Montessori at home, keep up the great work and enjoy it!
Once upon a time, there was a family who loved books. They had shelves filled with stories of adventure, humor, and love. When their baby girl was born, they couldn't wait to share their passion for books with her. But as she grew into a one-year-old, they realized that encouraging her to love books was not as easy as they thought.
Parents of one-year-olds trying to develop a love for reading in their little ones often find it difficult to work with short attention spans and toddler destructiveness. However, reading to your child from an early age can significantly benefit cognitive development, so persevering is worthwhile!
But how can parents keep encouraging their one-year-olds to sit for storytime while not forcing books onto them? You're in the right place. In this article, we will list ten tips for encouraging your one-year-old's love of books and three myths about reading to one-year-olds that shouldn't stop you.
According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, babies who were read one book a day consistently in the first year of life had higher skills in expressing themselves and understanding others (source).
In simpler terms, reading to your child early can improve her language skills, increase her vocabulary, and positively impact her future academic performance.
Despite the benefits of reading to children, only around half of all kids between birth and five years old are read to daily by a parent or family member (source). Moreover, one in every five children enters kindergarten in the U.S. with skills two to three years below their grade level (source).
By fourth grade, about 34% of students are below the basic reading level, dropping to 27% by eighth grade (source).
Obviously, poverty and the language spoken at home play considerable roles in these statistics. For instance, in 2021, 21% of school-aged children spoke a different language at home (source). Poverty, the parent's literacy, and available educational resources throughout the year all contribute to the issue as well (source).
How we spend our time and money matters for our children. If you struggle to access age-appropriate books to read to your child, find your nearest library or high school and ask about programs that will serve your area. So many outstanding programs have risen up to address this challenge; the only hurdle is getting connected.
So, you've got a one-year-old acting his age, and you know that inspiring a love of reading is essential for developing his skills in language and thinking. But how do you get him to actually sit and listen or participate in the reading?
We've got a range of tips for helping you encourage your one-year-old's love of books.
When it comes to reading to your one-year-old, you've got to think like a one-year-old. Everything around the room is something that can be grabbed and explored, but this book is static and "untouchable." Of course, she feels bored with books!
But if you start using silly voices and sound effects, this reading thing suddenly becomes more entertaining. If you let her try turning the pages or ask her to put her finger on things in the pictures, the story seems more fascinating, too.
Don't worry about whether you look crazy while reading to your little one; the more animated you are, the better!
Choosing age-appropriate books is crucial when encouraging your one-year-old's love of books. Board books with bright colors, simple pictures, and easy-to-understand stories are perfect for this age group.
You can also choose books with textures, flaps, or pop-ups to add an element of surprise and make the reading experience more interactive. Though these books are easier to destroy with curious hands, they are engaging and fun for little minds.
Collecting a range of different book types also keeps things fresh for your wee one. Add books with a lot of rhyming, some that require singing or animal sounds, and texture books to add more sensory exploration.
Reading at the right time can make a big difference in your child's interest in books. One-year-olds are often full of energy, so choosing a time when your little one is calm and relaxed, like munching on a snack or being strapped into a car seat, is best.
Some one-year-olds enjoy reading a book while cuddling with you before naptime or bedtime, while others prefer to read when feeling content after a meal. Whatever time you choose, ensure you are also calm and not likely to get annoyed or frustrated as your one-year-old inevitably wiggles around.
You can also try reading while your one-year-old plays contentedly with passive toys. Though she won't be looking at the pictures, she will likely listen while playing, especially if you read with voices and sound effects.
Passive toys do not move and make noise in and of themselves. These could be sensory, Montessori, Waldorf, or other toys. Not sure about the difference? Check out Are Montessori and Sensory Toys the Same Thing?
Creating a reading routine can help your one-year-old develop a love for books. You can set aside a specific time each day for reading or make reading a part of your daily routine. For example, you can read a book before nap time or bedtime.
Having a consistent reading routine can also help your child associate reading with a positive and comforting experience. Moreover, regularly reading to your wee one is a bonding experience that you'll only really enjoy in this season of life.
Once your little one goes off to preschool or school, you won't have as much time to invest in reading with your child. Other activities will crop into your schedule. So, soak up this sweet bonding time while you can!
There's nothing like making choices on what to read to make your one-year-old feel special and involved in reading! You can offer your little one a few options to choose from or take him to the library to explore.
Such experiences will help your one-year-old practice decision-making skills and independence. If your sweet toddler becomes a bit power drunk and tries bossing you around, you can practice saying, "Please!"
It won't be long before your one-year-old will be able to pile up some book options at the library independently!
Using props can make reading more interactive and engaging for your one-year-old. For example, if you are reading a book about animals, you can use stuffed animals or animal figurines to help bring the story to life. Props can also help with your child's imagination and creativity.
Likewise, turning out the lights or sitting in a closet to read books with a flashlight is an incredibly unique reading experience for one-year-olds. Such a setting also inspires plenty of ways to make reading more engaging with your voices and movements.
Building a reading nook with books accessible to your one-year-old will make looking through books tantalizing. This could be as proper as a corner with a little bookshelf of age-appropriate books and a comfy chair or as simple as a giant cardboard box decorated like a tiny library.
Do you remember your favorite hideout as a child? Back then, it seemed like the most stunning playhouse or impenetrable fort. But through your adult eyes, that hideout was probably tiny, dirty, and rickety with musty books or dangerously janky chairs.
Kids have brilliant imaginations that help them play through scenarios and connect with others. Your one-year-old is on the cusp of engaging that imagination, and reading to him will open that door wide open.
So, long story short, don't worry about making the "perfect" reading nook; your one-year-old will fill in the gaps with her imagination over time!
Connecting to real life can help your one-year-old understand and relate to the story better. For example, if you are reading a book about going to the beach, you can talk about your last trip to the beach or show her pictures of the beach.
Making connections to real life can also help with vocabulary and language development. Babies and toddlers spend the first two years listening to family members speak and experimenting with making sounds and syllables.
One-year-olds typically become more vocal and explode in vocabulary and more precise pronunciation between two and four years old. The more input you give in the first two years of life by reading books and making connections to real life, the more vocabulary your little one will have early on.
Some days, sitting down with your one-year-old to read a story is an absolute joy. For others, it's like pulling teeth. Try to be patient and go-with-the-flow while reading to your one-year-old. It's okay if you don't finish the whole book in one sitting, and it's okay if your little one wants to fixate on blocks as you read.
Try mixing up the setting by reading outside in a hammock or car to help your patience. Some children take longer to develop an interest in reading, so don't get discouraged if your one-year-old doesn't seem interested at first.
Keep reading to him, and eventually, he may develop a love for books. But if you often make it a stressful situation, you may snuff that desire to explore through reading before it gets going.
If your one-year-old is acting out in fussiness or tantrums due to sleeplessness, read The Ultimate Guide to One-Year-Old Sleep: Tips and Tricks for Busy Parents. Working storytime into a bedtime routine may be the route to go for you at this stage.
If your child sees you reading for pleasure, she will be more likely to develop a love for books herself. Making reading a part of your day, even a few minutes, will eventually pique your child's curiosity. One day, it could be a nostalgic memory of you.
On the same line of thought, the things you read will also teach your child something later in life. If you love reading romance novels, the odds that your older child will try reading a romance novel at least once is high. What goes in will eventually come out, and what your child sees you doing will be reflected in some way at some point.
As with anything child-related or challenging, there are numerous myths about reading to one-year-olds. Since we've already looked at some facts and statistics in this article, let's also take a look at some myths.
Here are three myths about reading to one-year-olds that I've heard often throughout motherhood:
While one-year-olds may not understand the plot of a story, they can still enjoy the pictures and the act of turning the pages. Reading to your one-year-old can also help with their language development and introduce them to the concept of reading.
This myth is grounded in toddlers' short attention spans. While it's true that one-year-olds have short attention spans, you can still encourage them to enjoy books. Choose books with simple, colorful pictures and short, easy-to-understand stories.
Again, the more animated and silly you are while reading, the more engaging books will be for any age!
No, not at first. But that understanding comes with practice. If you wait until two or three years old to start reading to your child, you will find that your toddler will struggle to understand the story and resist you more.
Setting solid reading habits now has a lot of benefits (as we've discussed in this article already). Starting later just means more difficulty and delayed vocabulary learning now. Also, it will probably be more difficult for you to get into a reading habit with your child later.
Reading at least one book to your child every day for the first year of childhood and beyond significantly benefits your child's cognitive development (source). These early reading times are the foundation of vocabulary outside of the home.
They explore feelings, situations, and ideas your child won't know until later. Even if your one-year-old doesn't seem interested in books right now, reading to her every day will eventually pay off.
Moreover, choosing a variety of age-appropriate books is integral to expanding vocabulary, imagination, and ideas. Even though your one-year-old can listen to the same song fifty times in one day with glee, that lack of variety is not beneficial in the long run.
You can vary topics, themes, and picture styles, as well as the way you read books (setting, voices, body language).
Encouraging your one-year-old's love of books can be a fun and rewarding experience. It provides loads of cognitive benefits, but it also gives you an opportunity to bond with your little one. After all, he's not a baby anymore--time flies!
You already know that letting your one-year-old on a sleep schedule is crucial for growth and development. But what you may not know is that sleep deprivation in one-year-olds has been linked to behavioral problems, poor cognitive development, and even obesity later in life (source).
According to the National Sleep Foundation, one-year-olds need 11-14 hours of sleep daily, including naps and nighttime sleep (source). However, getting your little one to sleep through the night and take regular naps can be challenging, especially when sick or teething.
We've put together this ultimate guide to help you and your one-year-old get the sleep you both need!
One of the most important things you can do to help your one-year-old get the sleep they need is to establish a consistent bedtime routine. And yes, that means doing your best to stick to a consistent time every day.
A study published initially in Sleep Medicine Reviews found that infants and toddlers who followed a consistent bedtime routine had better sleep quality and were less likely to wake up during the night (source). More than that, the same study found that a regular nightly routine promotes broad development and wellbeing in childhood.
The thing is, a nightly routine packed with nurturing, physical care, calming, and undistracted time together is what babies and toddlers need at the end of a busy day. Bedtime routines will look different from family to family. Here is a list of typical bedtime routine activities:
bath time
brushing teeth
healthy bedtime snack
reading bedtime stories
singing or lullabies
listening to an audiobook together
coloring
rocking
talking about the day
playing music
evening walk
sitting outside on a balcony, porch, or sitting area, watching the stars come out
Choose whatever activities work for your family and help your child calm down. Some kids get wound up when outside, while others find it peaceful. Some prefer rocking over listening to music. Do what works for you!
Yes and no. Some one-year-olds are flexible with what happens in a bedtime routine as long as the basics, like hygiene and time together, happen. However, some personalities do not handle mixing up bedtime routines well at all, especially in changes of place.
Changes in routine now and then will inevitably happen, such as new places, traveling, staying the night with family or friends, or seasonal changes in how long the sun is up. Ensuring that your little one has two or three things that always happen regardless of where you are or how late you stay up mitigates some stress.
Learning to cope with changes in expectation and being satisfied with what you've got are life skills your little one will have to learn, but expecting him to understand them at one year old is unrealistic. So, ensuring hygiene and one activity always happen is helpful, calming, and realistic while traveling or staying with a family member.
Believe it or not, having a bedtime routine is incredibly helpful as a parent. You know all the things that have to be done, and your toddler soon expects them. Yes, some disobedience will likely happen, but you'll have the standard schedule to set boundaries that your toddler understands more and more with time.
Many parents struggle with getting their one-year-old to sleep through the night. Generally speaking, it takes a baby three to six months to develop their circadian rhythm. From there, they will gradually sleep more at night and less during the day. But, with a toddler wanting to nap off and on, sleep for you is scarce.
As babies transition into toddlerhood, they tend to become more active while awake. Running around, exploring, discovering, learning, talking, eating---everything! For most little ones, the more they do, the better they sleep (without making them overtired, of course).
Infants and toddlers who go through sleep training may sleep through the night and have fewer awakenings than those who don't undergo sleep training--briefly. You see, sleep training may help for a few months but will likely wear off and need redoing as your little one grows and develops (source).
Sleep training refers to several different methods of getting your baby or toddler to sleep. These methods range from gentle parent-camps-next-to-baby methods to old-fashioned let-baby-cry-it-out methods. Most studies on sleep training methods are too small to give solid statistics.
The hurdles to sleep training methodology are family lifestyle, parent-child relationships, and individual personalities and preferences. Some little ones prefer being comforted for a few minutes when they are laid in their crib; others may prefer seeing a parent sitting nearby.
Either way, the goal of sleep training is eventually falling asleep at a predictable time without needing a parent's constant attention and staying asleep throughout the night.
However, as a little one grows, she will naturally go through ups and downs in when she falls asleep, how long she sleeps, how often she wakes at night, and when she wakes in the morning. Sleep training may help regulate swings, but its effects don't last.
You can think of sleep training methods as cards in your hand. If one doesn't work well or stops working for your little one, you've got a backup plan as long as you know other methods.
Here are five common sleep training ideas you can try:
Method |
Explanation |
Cry It Out |
|
Ferber Method |
|
Chair Method |
|
Pick Up, Put Down Method |
|
Late Bedtime |
|
If you are concerned about ways to manage all this while traveling, check out Sustainable Traveling with Babies and Toddlers: How to Stay Green on the Go.
It depends on your family's lifestyle, routine, method choice, and individual personalities. Sleep training could take four nights or ten. Try the same method for at least a week before shifting to a different one.
Some methods don't work for some babies, but it will take a few nights of consistently trying that method out before you can determine that. Even so, your baby's personality, desires, and sleep habits will evolve as she grows, so you could circle back in a few months to try a method that didn't work at first.
Let's face it: sleep training is more for the parents than for the child. The average American household these days doesn't have a village around to help babies and toddlers fall asleep (or help throughout the night), so sleep and sleeplessness fall squarely on the parents' shoulders.
There's no conclusive evidence that sleep training a baby results in an amazingly healthy sleeper later in life. And since the effects wear off within a few months, you could argue that there's no point in putting yourself through the hassle.
However, strong evidence exists for the benefits of having a nighttime routine, as mentioned above. If you are in dire need of sleep and feel like you are at wits end, then doing sleep training every few months may pay off.
Some parents swear by sleep training, while others don't. Science doesn't have enough evidence to support one way or the other. So, try a few different methods to find what works for your family.
Teething is where falling asleep becomes a real challenge. You can try adding a few soothing activities your one-year-old enjoys to the end of your nighttime routine and before bedtime.
You could also try giving her a safe teether that you know she cannot choke on or hurt herself with. If you have questions about teether materials and which ones are safest for your little one, read Are Silicone Baby Teethers Safe? What You Need to Know.
When your little one is agitated or hurting due to teething, don't feel bad about hanging onto your baby and rocking her to sleep or letting her fall asleep on you before you lay her down. She's hurting and needs comfort.
Some parents are concerned that this will start a long-standing dependence on being held to fall asleep, but this assumption hasn't been supported in studies.
Everything normal gets thrown off by sickness, and how to help your sick one-year-old depends on what's keeping him up. For example, if your little one is not sleeping because he's coughing a dry cough, putting a humidifier in his bedroom along with a chest congestion cream will help.
For copious amounts of snot and sneezing, you can prop one end of your little one's mattress up slightly to keep that mucus draining in addition to whatever medicine your pediatrician prescribed. Furthermore, a camphor and eucalyptus cream for babies and toddlers is helpful.
Some little ones do much better sleeping on a couch or in a recliner because they are not able to lay flat for long while coughing or dealing with mucus problems. Fevers tend to sap a little one's energy, so giving your wee one fever medicine and making him comfortable in a cool room is likely all you will need to do.
If your one-year-old is resisting naps, there are a few things you can do to help encourage her to sleep. Toddlers who take regular naps have better emotional regulation and are less impulsive compared to those who don't nap regularly, so it's worth the effort (source)!
Following a consistent nap schedule and sticking to a pre-nap routine are the best things you can do for a wee one determined to power through the day on delirious stubbornness. Don't let her stay up sometimes because you'll only make it more difficult for future naps.
As for what to do in your routine, do whatever suits your daily schedule! The "right way" is what works for you and your one-year-old. Here are some ideas of things you could do in a pre-nap routine; choose two or three (or come up with your own):
lunch or snack
do a nap song and dance
dress down to a diaper and shirt or put on a sleeper
close the curtains
turn on a box fan or sound machine
sing a naptime lullaby
read a naptime book
wash hands and face
pick a naptime stuffed animal
After a few days of a set routine, your little one will begin to understand the naptime signals and start winding down. If she gets stubborn with you, try a sleep training method from the chart above.
Screens before bedtime or naptime are a terrible idea, as screens are not recommended for babies and toddlers under two years old. TV shows, tablet games, phone games, and movies are meant to excite and deliver dopamine hits.
That screen may buy you time to get stuff done, but blue light exposure keeps littles awake longer, too (source). It's just not worth it.
You've probably heard plenty of advice on how to get your one-year-old to sleep. Is any of it true? By understanding these common myths about one-year-old sleep, you can make more informed decisions about how to help your little one get the sleep they need.
Here are five common myths about getting one-year-olds to sleep:
Myth |
Fact |
Keeping a one-year-old awake during the day will help them sleep better at night. |
In reality, one-year-olds need enough daytime sleep to sleep well at night. Skipping naps or keeping your little one awake during the day can actually make it harder for them to fall asleep at night. |
Letting a one-year-old cry it out will harm them emotionally. |
While it's natural to want to comfort your little one when they're crying, sometimes it's necessary to let them cry it out. A study found that sleep training does not have any negative effects on a child's emotional development (source). As long as your child is safe, unhurt, not hungry, and not sick, letting them self-soothe is acceptable. |
Co-sleeping with a one-year-old is the only way to get them to sleep. |
While co-sleeping can be comforting for both you and your little one, it's not the only way to get them to sleep. With a consistent bedtime routine and a cozy sleep environment, your one-year-old can learn to sleep on their own. |
One-year-olds should sleep through the night without waking up. |
It's normal for one-year-olds to wake up during the night. In fact, most one-year-olds wake up at least once during the night. However, if your little one is waking up frequently or having trouble falling back asleep, it may be a sign that they need a more consistent sleep routine. |
Sleep training is harmful to a one-year-old's development. |
Sleep training can actually be beneficial for a one-year-old's development, but the effects will only last for a few months. Sleep training will have to be redone every so often. |
Establishing a sleep routine for your one-year-old may seem like a daunting task, but with the right tips and tricks, it's definitely possible. Two things to remember: 1) the "right way" to sleep train or set up a bedtime/naptime routine is whatever suits you and your child; and 2) you will ultimately win (I mean, "be successful").
There will be some rough nights, but by sticking to a routine, you will nurture your child emotionally, mentally, socially, and physically for future wellbeing. Hang in there; it's worth it!
Shopping for gifts can be really fun or super stressful, especially for first-time parents who are likely being showered with all kinds of gifts already. What can you give that stands out from the rest?
Unique gift ideas first-time parents will love include experiences, photo shoots, a record keeper, and activities, among other things. Giving clothes and supplies is helpful, but everyone else is already giving such things. So, find unique items, activities, or experiences that prioritize family.
We'll give you a head start on some special gift ideas in this article based on the time you have to get the gift!
If you're in a time crunch, buying a gift online, waiting for shipping, and wrapping it may not be doable. Likewise, running through a store is fine for getting a gift, but it doesn't necessarily help you find a unique gift. That's why gift cards exist.
Here are a few quick and thoughtful gift card ideas for first-time parents:
Airbnb gift card
Gift card to a local store your friends love
Coffee shop gift card
Local spa gift card
Doordash gift card
Masterclass gift membership
U.S. National Parks Pass
Local museum annual pass
Local zoo annual pass
Of course, if you know your first-time parent friends well enough to understand their interests, you can purchase gift cards for classes that hone their skills, like music lessons, cooking classes, woodworking seminars--you get the idea.
Let's say you have some time because gifts are good any day, right? The gift you plan to give doesn't have to be cash in a pretty card or a gift card, nor does it have to be something practical. We are going for thoughtful and unique gifts!
Whether you know your first-time parent friends well or not, these fifteen unique gift ideas for first-time parents are sure to please (and hopefully not be duplicated by someone else)!
Capturing pictures of little ones is one of those things parents often think of but forget to actually do. In the blink of an eye, a newborn isn't new anymore! Help take the pressure off by purchasing a photo shoot with a photographer or at a studio that specializes in newborn photography.
The majority of photographers and studios will allow you to purchase the session without setting a time, knowing it's a gift for someone else. If the first-time parents are into science fiction or fantasy movies and books, find a fantasy photographer!
Time flies way too fast! Many first-time parents start out intending to write down milestones, funny happenings, or thoughts as they parent their little one, but life moves fast. Make keeping a record easier by giving them a baby record journal!
These journals range from the first five years to eighteen years. Typically, they include statistical pages for tracking weight, height, and age, questions about favorite foods and activities, and a "kids-say-the-darndest-things" section. Once filled out fully, such journals make a sweet gift for the adult child later in life!
If these first-time parents enjoy hanging pictures, consider purchasing a gift card for glass prints. Companies like Fracture will print pictures directly on glass, making a smooth, modern picture style.
Glass prints come in various sizes and finishes, giving your friends tons of style choices for their space. You could even spend a little more to purchase a display shelf or multiple prints to make a neat arrangement. How unique!
Once you've got a newborn in your hands, reading physical or electronic books becomes a bit cumbersome. If the parents you have in mind are avid readers, buy them a subscription to Audible!
With a massive selection of books that range all ages, your first-time parent friends are likely to find some entertaining books for themselves and their brand-new little one. Additionally, listening to books is a fantastic way to avoid relying heavily on the TV when overly stressed, nursing, or struggling to soothe a fussy baby.
Speaking of stress and sleeplessness, a coffee or tea subscription would be a welcome gift for a coffee or tea lover. Depending on how well you know your first-time parent friends, you could find a unique coffee roasting company or tea specialist who will ship a box of goodies to explore monthly.
If your friends are not the adventurous type, then figure out the brand they like and purchase what they'll need to function during the day. You can even add a set of mugs with a funny or snarky quote about parenthood or baby-induced caffeine addiction.
Are your first-time parent friends coffee connoisseurs? A decent espresso machine with grounds would be a unique and thoughtful gift if they don't already have one. There's nothing like an espresso on a cold, cloudy day when you're running on fumes.
Reliable espresso machines are not cheap, so going in on one with a few other friends should pool enough money to purchase one that will last for years. The money your first-time friends will save over time by making their coffee at home instead of buying it in a coffee shop will be the gift that keeps giving!
Babies cry often, even if they don't have something like cholic keeping them awake and upset. For first-time parents, this much crying can be a shock. If your first-time parent friends are more high-strung, work a stressful job, or struggle with anxiety, giving them a set of noise-canceling headphones may help!
Headphones like these don't block sounds out entirely; they simply reduce them. A tool like this is helpful when a person is not getting much sleep because headaches can quickly become migraines. A set of noise-canceling headphones can be a lifesaver!
We don't have to be dramatic and say that having a baby changes everything , but having a baby certainly introduces boundaries that were not there before. A big one for some people to adjust to is staying in every evening so the baby can sleep. For some first-time parents, this is a huge adjustment.
If you know your friends well, consider giving them some at-home date-night activities because connecting after having a baby is a skill. Here are some ideas to choose from depending on what your first-time parent friends are like:
a board game
a murder mystery
a new video game
a study to do together
a backyard sport for two people
online dance lessons
a sports game night snack arrangement
a set of deep question cards
a food delivery gift card
This is a super sweet gift from family or close friends. Make a few "free babysitting" tickets on paper or cardstock and include them with something for the baby. Basically, you're saying, "I want to give you a few evenings off!"
Some couples are shy about asking for babysitting help, so letting them know that you genuinely want to babysit encourages them to actually ask. Besides, who doesn't need a night out every now and then?
Combine these tickets with a gift for the newborn. If you're looking for unique baby toy set gift ideas, then check out our list here: 9 Unique Baby Sensory Toy Gift Set Ideas.
Buying an excellent blender is a two-fold gift: it encourages eating healthier, and it helps make homemade baby food. Though a newborn won't try smoothies for six months, a quality blender should have no issues lasting for years, even with daily use!
Another option is investing in a baby food maker. These nifty appliances will steam the food and blend it to an incredibly smooth consistency for babies. I used my baby food maker for years!
These days, you can buy the bulk of your groceries online and have them delivered to you. What's more convenient than that? A meal subscription! Meal subscriptions come with unique recipe cards and package a week's worth of healthy food in the quantities needed for those recipes.
Having a meal subscription typically means not grocery shopping or meal planning for a month, which is incredibly convenient when you're running on a newborn's schedule. Even better, gifting a healthy meal subscription will help first-time parents avoid falling back on junk food for a quick meal.
You can find several different types of meal subscription services online. If you're not sure about what your friends would like, reach out and tell them that you would like to buy them a meal subscription. You could buy it or send them money to set it up themselves.
Mini portable printers for smartphone pictures are just cool! First-time parents will probably take hundreds of photos of their little ones, but finding the time to actually get favorites printed is nearly impossible.
You can take the stress off by giving them a mini portable picture printer. These typically work over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but some may plug directly into a phone. Some require ink refills, but others have zero ink technology.
Either way, if one of your first-time parent friends is a scrapbooker or enjoys having physical pictures, a portable printer could be a thoughtful gift!
Long hours of holding a baby for nursing, burping, soothing, and napping do a number on the back and neck. A back and neck massager would be handy for loosening up!
Find one that is heated and can be placed easily with one hand. If your first-time parent friends enjoy spas, you could purchase a spa day or a massage. Time to unwind and relax is a fantastic gift!
Learning to take care of yourself as a parent is not easy because life keeps happening! Read 9 Sustainable Parenting Hacks for Busy Moms and Dads for some tips on how to help you take care of you on your own parenting journey or to better understand your parent friends.
Essential oils offer a range of benefits in aromatherapy, such as better sleep, relaxation, focus, opening stuffy sinuses, waking up, or calming nausea. Since first-time parents struggle through all these problems simultaneously in the newborn stage, giving a diffuser and a basic essential oil set is thoughtful.
One caveat is that the essential oils must be pure and steam-distilled. If it's cheap or at the local grocery store, it's probably mixed with a bunch of stuff. Also, you need to look up each essential oil to ensure that it's not bad for newborns or any pets your friends may have.
The most common essential oils parents use in a diffuser are:
French lavender
Peppermint supreme
German chamomile
Mandarin orange
Find a "nebulizing diffuser" because it doesn't use heat or standing water to diffuse the essential oils. That removes a fire hazard, and the bacteria growth that standing water generates.
Also, explain to your friend that this diffuser is for the living room or the parents' room--not the nursery. There's not enough research to say infants can safely breathe diffused essential oils throughout the night. Moreover, these oils should not be applied directly to the skin.
Giving an assortment of handmade soap is a fun and unique gift idea! Whether you buy it online or support local soapmakers, opt for soaps free of sulfates, dioxane, synthetic fragrances, dyes, and ethanolamines.
With a lack of sleep, irregular schedules, hormone changes, and diet differences, first-time parents' immune systems are depressed, making sickness and skin problems more likely. Handmade soaps designed for sensitive skin may be exactly what baby parents need.
Some sensitive skin soap bars to look for include:
Goat's milk soap bars
Castile soap bars
Pine tar soap bars
Aloe shea butter soap bars
Gentle essential oil combinations in soap bars for sensitive skin include:
Lavender and chamomile
Orange and honey
Lemongrass
Lavender and tea tree
Unscented (especially for babies)
There are many other combinations that you can discuss with your local soapmaker, but these are common combinations for the sensitive skin crowd.
Let's be honest: parents at any stage of the parenting journey would love the ideas on this list! Before you pick, think about what your first-time parent friends enjoy and what they already have.
If you have no idea because you don't know them that well, stick with something most people don't have already, like a portable picture printer for smartphones or a glass print gift card. Which of these items would you have appreciated the most as a first-time parent?
Whether you are expecting a baby, already have one, or are planning ahead, chances are you've got some questions about newborn care or what to expect in those first few months.
Having questions about your newborn is expected and healthy for first-time parents. You'll never know if you don't ask! A newborn's safe arrival is wonderful, but those first days typically unleash an endless stream of questions, even if you read up on baby knowledge during pregnancy.
Having been through the newborn stage a few times myself, I've narrowed all the questions I had down to the ones I didn't have a satisfactory answer for, and those my newborns surprised me with.
Each of my newborns threw me for a loop with this one because the standard answer is to feed a newborn every 2-3 hours, including overnight (source). However, newborns grow at breakneck speed, which burns a lot of calories, so that 2-3 hours looks more like every hour most of the time.
And that's every hour from the start of one feeding to the beginning of the next feeding. Yep, at times, you may have a grand total of thirty minutes between feedings (cluster feeding)!
Thankfully no! The first two or three weeks are awful and painful, but there's a lot going on. Your body is adjusting hormones, shedding water weight, healing from delivery, and making milk, while your newborn is doing the same stuff while learning to latch and drink efficiently.
It takes a while to get it down, but breastfeeding will not always hurt. Before long, you will be feeding your newborn nearly effortlessly!
Yes and no. At the hospital, the nurses will wake your newborn if he sleeps past the three-hour mark because newborns shed 7-10% of their body weight in the first few days after birth (source).
This makes sense because your baby has constant nutrients in the womb but must adjust to regular feedings after birth. Also, your milk usually takes a few days to come in. First, you will have colostrum, which is super thick and nutritious for jump-starting your infant's gut microbiome and immune system (source).
Once your milk comes in, your newborn should begin gaining weight so that he surpasses his birth weight by week two. By that time, sleeping through a feeding now and then is normal, but your newborn's feeding schedule will ebb and flow quite a bit in the first three months.
Some newborns fall asleep nearly every time they eat. If it happens within the first five or ten minutes of a feeding, then they are likely to wake hungry within an hour and repeat the cycle. This is a vicious circle when it lasts throughout the night. What can you do?
If this happens before you and your newborn settle into a decent groove with breastfeeding, just hang on and feed your little one whenever she roots around or sucks on her hand in search of milk. You could use a pacifier as well, but a pacifier may throw off crucial breastfeeding skills this early.
After we were well established, I found that pumping milk and switching to a bottle made my newborns stay awake long enough to eat well and sleep more fully. When bottle feeding, whoever was holding the bottle was able to adjust positions more frequently to keep the baby awake longer.
I didn't do this all the time because breastfeeding is more convenient time-wise and more consistent for nursing, but pumping milk to break up cluster feeding cycles was a lifesaver!
Formula is easy because you can simply prepare the amount indicated on the can for your newborn's age and weight. One way to tell if your baby is getting enough milk or formula is by monitoring his weight gain. A healthy newborn should gain around 5-7 ounces per week (source).
You can also count diapers. She should have six or more wet diapers per day and at least three poopy diapers. The number of diapers will decrease over time, especially after the three-month mark, but for these first weeks, look for nine to twelve diapers a day.
Diaper rash is inevitable, so go ahead and buy some zinc oxide diaper cream for your baby's diaper bag and changing station. Left unaided, diaper rash can become an open sore or an infection within hours, so stay on top of these!
Treat diaper rash by:
changing dirty diapers as soon as possible
being gentle when cleaning the diaper area
using a warm, wet washcloth or alcohol and fragrance-free baby wipes
applying a thick layer of zinc oxide diaper cream to the area
If the diaper rash doesn't go away for three or more days or turns into an open sore that won't go away or spreads, call your pediatrician. If the rash becomes infected or your baby develops a fever, blisters, or pus draining from the rash, call your pediatrician (source).
Your newborn (0-3 months) should be pooping 1-3 times a day, so if he doesn't poop for 24 hours, then you need to call your pediatrician. Your baby may not be eating enough or be constipated, but this situation can get out of hand and cause fever quickly (source).
After the three-month mark, it is normal for breastfed babies to drop back to one poopy diaper a day and later back off to one every two days. Your baby will show signs of discomfort if he is constipated: fussing, not sleeping, and tight abdomen. Your pediatrician will likely suggest a little prune or apple juice to get things moving again.
You can give your newborn a warm sponge bath until her umbilical cord stump is gone, usually around 1-2 weeks. After that, you can give her a bath in a baby bathtub or a sink filled with warm water.
Be sure to support your baby's head and neck, and use a mild soap. Your newborn likely doesn't need to be bathed daily; watch her skin to ensure you are not drying her out. Two to three baths a week is plenty. Invest in a newborn bath seat if you are nervous about holding your baby while bathing her.
Keep the umbilical cord dry and clean. You can use a clean cotton swab dunked in rubbing alcohol to clean the area around the stump, especially if some pee or poop rides up the front of the diaper.
Fold the front of your baby's diaper down to keep the stump exposed until it falls off. Your baby won't be bothered by sleeping on his belly or doing tummy time, but you shouldn't try to pull the stump off.
If the area around the stump becomes red and swollen, lots of puss begins draining from under the stump, or your newborn develops a fever, take your newborn to the pediatrician to check for infection.
The umbilical cord stump normally falls off within 1-2 weeks of birth. Don't pull or rub it off; it will work off itself.
Some nights, you may feel like you are at your wit's end trying to figure out why your newborn is crying. You can try rocking, swaying, singing, talking, giving a pacifier, or walking in the stroller.
Here are a few ways I've used to calm fussiness in newborns:
wrapping the newborn in a snug swaddle, cradling, humming, and patting the baby's butt
putting the newborn in a sleep sack instead of a sleeper
pumping the baby's legs to get gas moving and calm gurgling in the gut
holding the newborn so that she can see and walk around talking about things
letting the newborn suckle until she falls asleep
Every baby is different, so you may need to try various methods to find what works best for your little one.
Newborns sleep a lot--even up to 16-17 hours per day. This sleep is usually broken up into short periods of a few hours at a time to make space for frequent feedings and bowel movements, even at night.
Though newborns sleep so much, it takes a while before they adjust to sleeping at night. While in the womb, newborns tend to sleep while mommy moves around (lulled to sleep) and wake up when mommy sits or lies down. Your newborn is still on that schedule after birth, so don't be surprised if he is wide awake at 3 am!
At first, your newborn will only spend a short time awake to observe his surroundings. But that awake and alert time will increase steadily over the first months, as will sleeping more at night than during the day.
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as every baby is different. Some tips that may help your baby sleep through the night include establishing a consistent bedtime routine, creating a calm and quiet sleeping environment, and avoiding overstimulating your baby before bedtime.
Things like TV, loud music, shouting, lots of people around, and seeing lots of new things right before bed should be avoided as they are over-stimulating.
Nonetheless, do not expect to get more than 4-6 hours of solid sleep at night for the first three months after birth. Your newborn will need to eat, pass gas, poop, and be soothed every 2-3 hours during the first two months and 3-4 hours during the third month.
Sleep training for naps and longer nights can start as early as 4-6 months of age, but it's helpful to talk to your doctor to make sure your baby is developmentally ready.
My family's approach was to keep the baby awake after the afternoon nap, cook and eat dinner by 6 pm, do bathtime, read a book while nursing the baby, and settle into bed by 7:30 pm every night. This rarely interrupted evening routine helped signal bedtime for my babies (the second baby learned faster with a toddler to follow).
For naps, we had a breakfast and lunch routine to encourage the mid-morning and afternoon naps. There are many different sleep training methods, so you may want to talk to a doctor or sleep specialist to find the best approach for your family.
If your baby has a fever, you should contact your doctor right away. In the meantime, you can help keep your baby comfortable by nursing often, dressing her in lightweight clothing, and giving her infant acetaminophen or infant ibuprofen as directed by your doctor.
Your baby may be inconsolable when fevered, but your attitude, patience, and calmness are necessary to get her to sleep. Sleep and milk will help your baby through most common illnesses.
You should call your doctor if your baby has any symptoms that concern you, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breaking, or a persistent rash.
It's better to be safe than sorry!
You should start thinking about vaccinations for your baby before she's born. Talk to your doctor or pediatrician about the recommended vaccination schedule and any concerns you may have. Do research and reach out to other doctors and experts as well to get other opinions.
If you are leery of vaccinations, consider the risks for your baby not getting vaccinated. Are those risks worth taking? Moreover, think about where your child will go to school. Most public schools require shot records, so turning down vaccines now may affect where your baby will attend school later.
You can start practicing tummy time with your baby from day one, as long as he is supervised and awake. Aim for a few short sessions each day, slowly increasing the amount of time your baby spends on his tummy.
Don't do tummy time right after eating or before burping; that makes a big mess! Your newborn won't like tummy time much, but it's crucial for building neck and back muscles. Besides, tummy time is helpful for moving gas along!
Check out From Teething to Tummy Time: The Top Sensory Toys for Every Stage of Babyhood for tummy time toy ideas!
No, avoid carrying your baby in a chest carrier until she can hold her head steady on her own. Otherwise, she won't be able to stabilize her head while you walk around, which could cause a strain on her neck. Most babies can start riding in a chest carrier around 4-6 months old.
Once your baby is able to ride in a chest carrier, it becomes tempting to use it all the time. However, be mindful of your little one's legs as blood circulation may get cut off, or she may become sore sitting with her legs on either side of the seat. 30-45 minutes is long enough for a baby who fits the carrier well.
Yes! If you read the instructions on the box, you will probably see that the swing designers suggest no more than 30 minutes at a time in the swing. Moreover, the AAP says you shouldn't use the swing for more than an hour a day in two 30-minute stretches (source).
The fear is that your infant's soft head can begin to flatten. Besides, your baby won't always have a swing around to fall asleep in, so it's better that you don't get used to it.
Everyone seems to have an opinion on this! Many are afraid that rocking their newborns to sleep will result in the baby requiring rocking to fall asleep well into the toddler years. Others claim that rocking is a sweet and comforting time that is well worth the hassle.
The verdict? Two studies have shown that rocking babies may help them fall asleep faster and promote brain function, but these studies need follow-up studies (source).
No! Do not give your newborn water until your pediatrician gives you the green light around 6 months old. Newborn bellies and kidneys need to have only breastmilk or formula because they use everything they get to grow and build millions of neural connections.
Giving your newborn water will flush them out, cause nutrient loss, and cause water intoxication (source). Newborns can only have a couple of ounces of fluid in their belly in the first few weeks, and that grows to about seven ounces by 6 months old. That space needs nutrient-dense milk, not water.
If you are worried about hydration, rest assured that your little one will get all the hydration he needs through breastmilk or formula until he is weaned or a year old. As for juice, avoid giving your baby juice until after his first birthday unless your pediatrician recommends it.
It is best to avoid giving your newborn sauce taste tests until she is around 4-6 months old. A newborn's gut is incredibly delicate early on, so wait to make those fun introductions until she is food-ready.
Also, DO NOT give your baby honey until after her first birthday (some doctors recommend waiting until two) because it has a bacteria that causes infant botulism (source). Infant botulism causes weakness in muscles, sucking, crying, and it causes constipation.
Some little ones develop eczema, a skin condition that causes dry, itchy patches of skin. Aside from discomfort, constant itching can scratch the skin, letting unwanted bacteria in. Your pediatrician will likely prescribe a steroid cream for breakouts and putting socks over your baby's hands to prevent deep scratches.
Eczema can come through genetics, environmental irritations, or both. One long-term strategy you can use to minimize potential breakouts is to simplify the chemicals you use in cleaners, detergents, diapers, wipes, and candles. You can find each of these things made with natural ingredients easily these days.
I had to switch to cloth diapers and homemade wipes for my babies because they had breakouts every week. When I changed everything diaper, wipe, detergent, and cleaner over to natural ingredients, breakouts only happened when they sweated a lot outside. Read Going Green: How to Create a Sustainable Home for Your Family for more!
You can, but it's better to be safe and place your newborn in a bassinet or crib next to your bed. The chances of you rolling over onto your newborn while sleeping hard are too high and not a risk worth the convenience of having your baby right there for night feedings.
You can hold your baby on top of you in a recliner that you are not likely to roll over in if you would like. I had to do this often with one of my babies, who was unable to keep milk down while lying on her back.
As painful as it is, you should keep nursing your newborn when you have mastitis. Mastitis is inflammation of a mammary gland that may also entail a bacterial infection from milk staying there too long.
Letting your newborn suckle or nurse may actually help get the milk flowing through the affected gland again, which will ease your pain and cure mastitis. Not getting that milk flowing could cause an abscess or cease milk production (source).
You can also try pumping milk, but some electric pumps hurt even more than nursing. If you don't have a pump yet or need a quieter option at work, check out our gentle and silent hand pump.
Kind of! Infants can detect strong flavors like garlic, carrot, eucalyptus, mint, anise, and vanilla in breast milk within hours after you eat them. Your baby can pick up on other flavors too, but it's not clear how much (source).
By eating a range of foods, you can introduce your baby to lots of flavors!
Yes, it is totally normal to feel angry or overwhelmed with your newborn, but it should not lead to thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. Likewise, you should not yell at or roughly handle your newborn. If you feel a tendency to do so, reach out to your pediatrician or confide in a counselor or therapist.
You've got to deal with such thoughts before you act on them and cause irreparable damage to your newborn physically, emotionally, socially, or mentally. If such thoughts happen in your mind daily, you may have postpartum depression. Talk to your doctor to get it handled quickly.
Being a first-time parent is marvelous, but caring for a newborn sparks hundreds of questions. Hospitals do their best to provide care instructions, and Google is chock-full of answers, but some questions need more than a standard answer or a Quora thread. If I missed a question you have, comment below!
Babies take a lot of time and effort to feed, care for, and play with, but toddlers take "keep them alive so they can thrive" to a whole new level! Toddlers soak up everything there is to know constantly, so finding toys they can play with in multiple ways for hours is crucial for their development (and safety).
Montessori stacking toys help your toddler develop their cognitive and motor skills. Designed to stimulate your child's brain and encourage them to think and problem-solve, Montessori stacking toys provide endless puzzles and imaginary settings for toddlers to work out.
Even better, Montessori stacking toys are fun for kids well beyond toddlerhood! So, investing in a solid array of stacking toys is investing in years of entertainment and learning.
Stacking toys are a staple in any toddler's toy collection because they have existed for thousands of years. Stacking toys intrigue toddlers. The secret to the popularity of stacking toys is their simplicity. They are fun challenges that help toddlers build real-world skills cognitively and physically.
One of the most significant benefits of stacking toys is that they require toddlers to use hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and problem-solving skills to stack and balance the pieces.
Linguistically, stacking toys are outstanding for helping your little one understand prepositions and learn how to describe things in proximity to something else. This alone is a difficult skill for anyone learning a new language!
In addition to cognitive development, stacking toys also help with a child's physical development, particularly fine motor skills, which are essential for writing, drawing, and using utensils later in life.
Fine motor skills involve using small muscles in the hands, fingers, and wrists, and stacking toys require children to use these muscles. You can find a list of toys designed specifically for developing fine motor skills in this article: 5 Clever Baby Toys for Building Fine Motor Skills.
Stacking toys also challenge a child's creativity and imagination. Given a set of stacking toys and a blank canvas, toddlers have to think outside the box and create their own designs. This type of open-ended play lays crucial groundwork for critical thinking later on.
Yes, stacking toys are a solid choice for entertaining multiple ages. However, any babies or toddlers who haven't started speaking yet will likely struggle to connect with the other kids, which may lead to snatching, yelling, crying, or crashing through stacked toys.
Playing with stacking toys with peers encourages children to take turns and share, which are crucial social skills they will use throughout their lives. By playing with others, children also learn how to communicate and cooperate.
You're not likely to go wrong in selecting stacking toys for toddlers; the main thing is ensuring your kiddo can't break it easily! Cleanliness and ensuring the pieces are not small enough for a baby's mouth are paramount if you've got another baby around.
Look for toys made from high-quality materials and free from harmful chemicals. Also, choosing toys appropriate to your little one's age will prevent frustration. If your baby is not quite at the toddler stage yet, check out these classic baby toys: Are Classic Baby Toys Good for Babies?
A stacking toy is Montessori if it is a passive toy made of natural materials and designed for open play--no batteries included. If a baby, toddler, or young child can play with a toy or toy set freely in a prepared environment and circle back to it as desired, then the activity as a whole is even closer to Montessori education.
Some toys are not entirely Montessori in that they are designed to engage a child's natural curiosity while helping them develop foundational skills but are made of an unnatural material, such as high-quality food-grade silicone. These toys are Montessori-inspired.
Montessori-inspired toys take a bit more discretion before purchase. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself before purchase:
What are your child's interests?
What skills is he working on developing right now?
Does she have plenty of opportunities to handle authentic materials?
Will she become overwhelmed or frustrated with this activity?
Is it challenging enough for his skill level?
Whether a pure Montessori toy or Montessori-inspired, here are 10 Montessori stacking toys toddlers love! These are in no particular order.
Hape Stacking Blocks are perfect for toddlers who are just beginning to grasp the concept of stacking. These blocks are made from maple wood and designed to help your child develop their hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and problem-solving skills.
Each block is painted with vibrant colors and patterns that will keep your child engaged and interested or feed that insatiable imagination. These blocks also come in assorted shapes and sizes, which provides an opportunity for you to describe and name shapes (and make houses that would never pass inspection!).
Age: 1+
The Melissa & Doug Stack & Sort Board is an organized way to help your child develop her sorting and matching skills. This toy comes with sixteen different pieces to stack and sort, which makes it a simple and focused activity.
The pieces are brightly colored and come in various shapes, so your little one can learn to recognize and match by either color or shape. This toy is nifty for developing your child's hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, but don't be surprised if he comes up with novel ways to play with it!
Age: 2+
The PlanToys Stacking Tree is a unique take on the traditional stacking toy. It's made from sustainable rubberwood and is designed to help your child learn about balance and gravity.
The tree is made up of different pieces that your child can stack and balance on top of each other. Fantastic for developing your child's color variation patterning skills and hand-eye coordination, this toy is an excellent addition to your toddler's toy collection!
Age: 2+
The Grimm's Wooden Stacking Rainbow is a beautiful and colorful toy that will capture your child's attention with irresistible arches. Made from sustainably harvested wood and designed to help your child learn about colors, shapes, and sizes, you can bet on this toy being a solid investment.
The many arches can be stacked and arranged in different ways to allow your child to use her imagination and creativity. One day, she will make a tunnel; another day, she may make a wacky tower; and another day, she may make a ridiculously hilly racetrack. Who knows?
It's easy to add little people, cars, or blocks to this activity to feed your child's imagination even more. She will have plenty of practice stacking and balancing with this toy!
Age: 3+
Moonkie's Stacking Cups are made of high-quality food-grade silicone, so they are easy to clean, durable, and safe for babies and toddlers to bite, throw, or stomp on (because that's what happens at these ages!).
Each cup is colored and sized differently from the rest to give your little one practice in condensing the cups to one or stacking them in various ways. Moonkie's designers also added a raised pattern on the bottom of each cup to give your little one something to trace and talk about.
These stacking cups are superb for engaging your little one's senses of touch and sight, as well as skills in spatial recognition, fine motor skills, and patterning. Once they get dirty, just run them through the dishwasher. Easy peasy!
Age: 6 months+
Do you have a little builder on your hands? The Janod Kubix 60 Blocks + Cardboard City Puzzle is the perfect activity for toddler city planners who love playing with a plan. The blocks themselves are various wooden shapes and painted with multiple patterns.
Once the twenty-piece cardboard puzzle mat is put together, your little one can arrange the blocks as he wishes and drive the cars around the city. This set is simple and easy to add other toys to for more imaginative play.
Age: 3+
Do you like stained-glass windows? The beauty of the light shining through those gorgeous patterns and colors is iconic. The Guidecraft Rainbow Block Set is a toddler-safe version of stained glass windows.
This set is made with solid wood frames and inset acrylic windows of various colors that intrigue toddlers who love looking at lights and colors. Let your little one play with this set in a large patch of sunlight and show them the colored patterns that show up on the ground at the bottom of the stack.
These blocks will not stand up to stomping or chucking like solid wooden blocks do, but they are a lot of fun for studious toddlers who enjoy light, colors, and stacking blocks.
Age: 2+
No list of Montessori stacking toys for toddlers would be complete without a classic wooden block set. The KidKraft Wooden Block Set is a simple sixty-piece set made up of many different shapes and sizes to stack and arrange for any imaginative setting.
These blocks are a bit larger than the other stacking toys on this list, which makes them easy to handle. Whether your toddler likes building walls to crash through or wonky towers as tall as she is, these wooden blocks are terrific toys.
Age: 18 months+
What could be more fun for a toddler than a colorful set of magnetized geometric shapes? The Magna-Tiles classic 74-Piece Set is a hoot for little builders because they snap into place. Your toddler can build towers, houses, roads, pyramids, and many other shapes.
Sunlight also shines through these to make your toddler's creation even more mesmerizing! Combining magnet tiles with some wooden blocks makes a power combination to build a track for a ball to roll through or a toy car to drive through.
Age: 3+
The Eversmart 36-Piece Wooden Stacking Blocks set is a clever challenge that keeps toddlers enthralled for a good while. These odd-shaped blocks resemble stacking stones and are a fun challenge for anyone.
Each toddler-palm-sized piece has multiple faces that make stacking in unusual ways possible. For instance, your toddler could build a tower, but she can also try making funny-looking animals, cars, and houses.
Age: 1+
Montessori toys are designed to help children learn through hands-on exploration and discovery at their own pace, which is one of the pillars of Montessori education. The Montessori Method emphasizes self-directed learning and the development of practical life skills.
Montessori toys are typically made from natural materials and are designed to be simple, open-ended, and age-appropriate. They inspire imagination, creativity, and a love of learning while exercising a child's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills.
If you want to get deeper into understanding the Montessori philosophy, then check out The Montessori Philosophy for Parents: Why It Works and How to Make It Work for You. We break it down for you there and provide actionable tips.
At Moonkie, we were inspired by Maria Montessori's education style because we believe that child-led learning is fun and memorable. Adults learn what they enjoy far better than what they despise--aren't kids the same way?
If a child "figures out" how to play with an open-ended toy or activity, they are far more likely to enjoy the process, learn a memorable lesson, observe more closely, and connect with other children participating in the same activity.
We love how the mind of a child works, so when we create toys and baby products at Moonkie, we consider how babies and toddlers explore with their hands and soak up everything. Paying close attention to details, we ensure that everything we produce is safe, high-quality, and well-designed with little ones in mind.
Montessori stacking toys are a fabulous way to help your toddler develop cognitive and motor skills, particularly spatial awareness, problem-solving, balancing, hand-eye coordination, and planning. By providing your little genius with open-ended toys and activities like these, you're encouraging him to grow in a fun and engaging way.
Finding solid, educational, yet genuinely entertaining baby toys is no joke. With so many baby product companies out there, how can you know you're getting quality, safe baby toys that live up to the fun, skill-building standards they claim to uphold?
We noticed that so many baby toys were far removed from their claims in quality, design, material, and safety standards. That's why we founded Moonkie! We create Montessori-inspired silicone sensory toys and baby products for your baby's development. No design compromises and no cutting corners!
This article will explore some fundamentals behind Moonkie toy designs, including Montessori education toys, silicone as a baby toy material, and our top five favorite Moonkie silicone baby toys.
Montessori education toys are materials and toys designed to promote hands-on learning and independent exploration. These toys are carefully curated to encourage children to learn through play and develop crucial skills, such as problem-solving, language, and cognitive development.
Montessori toys are typically made from genuine natural materials like wood, metal, and fabric. Moreover, they are designed to be simple and uncluttered. If you're sitting there wondering whether these toys are better for your baby than the typical baby toy collection, then check out Are Montessori Toys Better for My Baby?
Montessori education toys function right in step with Montessori education principles of letting children learn at their own pace. They are passive toys that do nothing in and of themselves, which babies and young children simply cannot resist exploring!
Montessori education toys encourage hands-on learning and engage the senses. As your little one grabs, pulls on, chews on, and manipulates a Montessori education toy, he is learning how things work.
A Montessori education toy also has no power or batteries; they are passive toys that inspire your little one to play actively. Battery-powered toys dazzle and distract babies and toddlers, but passive toys encourage their activity.
Yes and no. Montessori education toys are typically made from natural materials, but silicone is not a natural material. Silicone is synthetic, but it isn't plastic. The sheer range of textures, patterns, shapes, and weights of silicone baby toys, coupled with their durability, put natural material toys to shame.
The whole point behind designing Montessori education toys with natural materials is to provide simple and distraction-free learning through hands-on play. Focused play with natural materials helps ground a young child to authentic materials they can find outside.
Though you cannot find silicone outside naturally, you can provide a wide range of shapes, patterns, textures, and weights to feel and explore. Having a few of these long-lasting silicone baby toys around for your baby to gnaw on and play with is a fantastic asset to her Montessori-style education.
At Moonkie, we are excited about the flexibility, durability, and cleanliness of high-quality food-grade silicone for baby products! Investing tons of time and effort into creating the most thoughtful designs for little ones growing and learning worldwide, we've created some stellar silicone Montessori-inspired toys!
Here is a list of our favorites at Moonkie in no particular order:
Perfect for babies and toddlers, our UFO silicone pulling toy checks all the boxes for Montessori-inspired toys! It catches and holds a little one's attention for long stretches of time because there's nothing else shaped like it around a typical home.
Covered in several different textures and patterns, your little one will have a lot to do just by feeling the textures and chewing on this toy. But once your baby realizes he can pull the tabs to hear fascinating sounds, he'll get really excited!
Each silicone cord has a different pattern or shape that makes a unique sound when pulled through its slot. Don't worry; the cords cannot be pulled out of their slots. Our UFO toy engages sound, touch, and vision senses while also providing ample opportunities to practice grasping, pulling, and releasing skills.
Got a teething baby on your hands? Then consider investing in a teether that she will actually carry around and use! Our koala 2-in-1 teether is easy to grasp, gentle on sore gums, safe for chewing, and quick to clean.
We designed this teether with several textures on it for babies to explore with their mouths, but we also made it so that your baby will soon default to holding it like a toothbrush. There's nothing like practicing brushing your teeth before actually having teeth to do the job well once you've got them!
Stacking rings are a classic baby toy that's been around for more than a minute. Wooden stacking rings were the standard until plastic became popular and affordable. Though wooden stacking rings were more durable than plastic ones, they succumbed to wear and tear easily, especially as babies teethed.
That's why we chose to make our stacking ring set do double duty as teethers! Our stacking teething ring set challenges and delights babies with varied textures and sizes that are easy to grasp, chew on, and stack.
If you are a bit leery about silicone baby teethers, read our article Are Silicone Baby Teethers Safe? What You Need to Know to learn more.
Yet another timeless classic, stacking cups are must-haves for babies and toddlers. They exercise your little one's spatial awareness, stacking skills, and hand-eye coordination, among other skills.
Moonkie's silicone stacking cups are silicone for durability, softness, feel, color, sound, cleanliness, and variety. Molded with a variety of shapes to feel on the tops and around the bottom, our silicone stacking cups are sure to entertain for years to come!
Have you seen those silicone press toys at the store? Some elementary kids become transfixed by these quiet popping toys, but we've designed ours specifically for tiny hands. Shaped like a little phone, your little one can play with this press toy instead of your phone!
As your baby inevitably becomes a toddler, you can play number recognition games where you tell your toddler a few numbers and check to see if he pressed them. The whole thing is safe for teething chompers, and you can toss it into the dishwasher in the evenings for hassle-free cleaning.
Montessori education focuses on child-led learning, which means Montessori-inspired toys should put the child first in design, material, quality, and skill-building. Sensory toys are often lumped into Montessori education toy categories, but they are not always Montessori by nature.
Read Are Montessori and Sensory Toys the Same Thing? for a breakdown of the difference so you can purchase toys that make sense for your values and your little one's development.
Silicone is a synthetic rubber-like material made from silicon (made from sand), oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. Non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, durable, and safe, silicone is a favorite material choice for the medical and food industries.
Silicone is also heat-resistant, waterproof, and easy to clean, making it an ideal material for baby toys. However, not all silicones are created equal. When looking at a silicone baby toy, check for certifications of high-quality, food-grade silicone.
Silicone toys that don't meet this criteria may have some kind of filler added to cut corners. You can check the quality of a silicone baby product by pinching a piece of it. If the silicone turns white when pinched or stretched, it has a filler and should not be in your baby's mouth.
Let's assume you are looking at baby toys made from high-quality, food-grade silicone. Why is silicone safe for babies? Because this grade of silicone is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, easy to clean, and durable!
Unlike other materials, such as plastic, silicone does not contain harmful and toxic chemicals that could harm your baby's health, such as the big bad three: BPA, phthalates, or PVC.
We go in-depth about exactly how food-grade silicone is non-toxic and safe compared to other sustainable material options in Pros and Cons of Silicone Baby Toys: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents. Check it out!
Another big plus of high-quality silicone baby toys is that they are hypoallergenic. If your little one was born reacting to all sorts of things, then silicone may be the way to go for a while as there are no paints, sealers, or resins on it.
Babies tend to put EVERYTHING in their mouths, so much that you wonder how they don't get sick more often! Toys that are difficult to clean heighten the risk that your baby will ingest something harmful or nasty.
Thankfully, silicone toys are easy to clean. Use soap and water, put them in the dishwasher, or boil them for five minutes in hot water. Nifty!
No other common baby toy material comes close to silicone's durability. Even if your jealous pet chews on a quality silicone baby toy, all you have to do is clean the toy well with soap and hot water!
We all know plastic is not the best material for a baby to chew on, yet baby toy shelves are full of plastic toys. What about wooden baby toys? Why are they not dominating baby toy shelves in stores? And if silicone is so fantastic, why are there not more silicone baby toys in stores?
As far as stores go, what you see on shelves is what sells with the highest margins. Plastic toys are cheaply made and break more easily than wooden or silicone toys, so they need to be replaced more often.
Wooden and high-quality food-grade silicone baby toys are expensive to make and ship (because they are heavier). So, retail stores often brandish a large selection of plastic toys but a small selection of wooden or quality silicone toys.
When choosing between silicone and wooden baby toys, however, there are several points to consider:
Quality |
Wooden Toys |
Silicone Toys |
Versatility |
✓ |
✓ |
Sensory Experience |
✓ |
✓ |
Developmental Benefits |
✓ |
✓ |
Ease of Cleaning |
✓ |
|
Safety |
✓ |
|
Durability |
✓ |
|
Teething Tolerance |
✓ |
|
Sustainably Made |
✓ |
|
Recyclable |
✓ |
✓ |
Both wooden and silicone baby toys come in a variety of shapes, sizes, weights, hardness, textures, and patterns, making these materials wonderfully versatile and an excellent sensory experience for little ones. Each material also provides developmental benefits in fine motor skills.
That's where the similarities end, though. Wooden toys just don't wash as easily or to the same temperatures as silicone does. You just cannot make wooden toys as squeaky clean as silicone baby toys.
A well-designed wooden toy is also more dangerous than a well-designed silicone baby toy because its pieces can splinter off, sore gums won't get any give, and the wood paint or finish can leach chemicals. In the teething stages, those little teeth will leave tiny dents in wooden toys that can harbor bacteria or start splinters later on.
High-quality food-grade silicone baby toys are more durable than wooden toys all around. Heat, freezing, boiling, dishwashers, dropping, throwing, driving over, pet attack---you name it. Wooden toys cannot hold up to toddler shenanigans as well as silicone.
One area in which silicone baby toys fail in comparison to wooden toys is being sustainably made. The process of making silicone is not an eco-friendly process, though it does result in a product that can be used for years by multiple babies and toddlers. Moreover, they can only be recycled in special silicone recycling centers.
As parents, we are so over hearing about safety standards and tend to default to an attitude of "if-it's-in-the-store-then-it's-probably-safe-enough." But when you look at statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, you begin to realize how alert we need to be.
In 2022, there were 11 toy-related deaths reported of children fourteen years old and younger in the U.S. Five were from balls, while other incidents were from a scooter crash with a vehicle, an electric riding toy, a stuffed animal, a balloon, a tricycle, and toy magnets (source).
In the same year, there were an "estimated" 209,500 toy-related injuries for the same age group. The biggest culprit was the classic scooter--go figure (source).
On the one hand, these numbers are remarkable for a 2022 population of 59 million kids aged zero to fourteen years old (source). But remember, these are numbers from toys we are meant to have in our homes for kids to play with.
So, regardless of what material you choose for your baby, ensure the design is thought out well. No loose pieces, no thin areas your baby or toddler can bite chunks off, and nothing that will pinch your wee one's little fingers.
Overall, silicone baby toys are a solid addition to your little one's toy collection if they are high-quality food-grade silicone designed with baby development and safety in mind. Quality-grade toys that don't help your little one practice honing his skills are not suitable choices.
Parenting is rough. Can we all agree on that? No other task on this planet requires you to respond gently and gracefully to being pooped on, thrown up on, or smacked in the face repeatedly. We know we can't be perfect, but how can we get up day after day to run the gauntlet of parenthood well?
Sustainable parenting means raising your kids, taking care of necessities, and doing life in a way that doesn't lead to burnout, blowups, or crying in a closet. Some hacks for busy moms and dads include sleeping like you should, saying no more often, and keeping a calendar record for reflection.
Parenting doesn't have to be overwhelming or stressful day in and day out. We've got a few ideas you can try to take it all in stride.
Taking care of yourself and your family can be a challenging balancing act. Between work, chores, feedings, changings, and playtimes, you've got a lot going on, and that list only gets longer as your baby grows or as you have more kids.
Sustainable parenting is the quest to preserve yourself while taking care of your family. It's less about going green and more about doing life well with munchkins while you make smart choices for yourself.
Since you don't do a great job of parenting while being at the end of yourself, you've got to take care of yourself. It's a circle that quickly devolves into a vicious cycle if not properly maintained, as you may know already.
Seasoned parents already know the answer to this, but for the sake of completion and expecting parents who have yet to experience the struggle, here are a few warning signs that you're burning out or not parenting sustainably.
having a quick temper (how dare you drop that cup again!)
being easily annoyed (that flashing light has got to stop!)
feeling apathetic (I don't care that my baby has been in the swing for two hours)
dreading the routine (the baby is getting up soon; I hate this nonstop cycle)
not wanting to get up (sleep is all I want)
ignoring your baby's signals sometimes (she's going to cry anyway)
choosing to do endless chores instead of bonding with your baby often (I have to...)
pushing off whatever you can (I can take out the trash tomorrow)
leaving home creates anxiety (what if I don't have...)
This list is far from comprehensive, but you get the point. You know you are not balancing self-care, parenting, work, and life necessities well when you live in a constant state of anxiety, dread, worry, apathy, frustration, anger, or annoyance.
Yes, a chemical or hormonal imbalance in your body will lead to similar feelings and struggles, but even then, practicing a few good habits of self-care and planning ahead will lessen the impact your struggles have on your family.
Sustainable parenting doesn't have to be overwhelming or stressful. By making a few simple changes to your family's lifestyle, you can reap many benefits while also living in line with your values.
Here are nine sustainable parenting hacks that are totally doable with some forethought:
Though getting enough sleep with a baby around seems akin to moving mountains with a shovel, adequate sleep is one of the most powerful things you can do to parent more sustainably. Being well-rested makes you more patient, observant, and willing to do everything that is parenting.
So, what does it take? For me, it was getting off screens around 8:30 every evening and shutting out the lights by 9:30. I know; that sounds ridiculous. But with my second baby waking up two times every night and waking for good at 6:00 AM until she was nine months old, I had to do something.
Every baby and parent is different, so work it out at the times that make sense for you. Set a time to put away screens and set a consistent alarm. It helps to wake up at the same time every day, even if your baby wakes more often some nights. After a couple of weeks, your body will get used to it.
During the day, you can take a nap while your baby sleeps. That time is precious for getting things done efficiently, but sleep helps keep your nerves and frustration at bay. If you have a toddler or older kid to keep an eye on, then try just taking it easy.
I started a "quiet time" for my oldest during my second baby's afternoon nap. Sometimes, he napped, but he usually looked through books and played with blocks and cars in his room without a problem.
Time yourself--really. Seeing how much time you stare at a screen will be one of the scariest numbers you see after how much was cut out of your paycheck for taxes last year.
Aside from keeping you awake, spending a lot of time scrolling on your phone or watching TV can keep you from exercising, knocking things off your to-do list, or connecting with your baby.
Research in 2020 found that the average American spent seven hours a day looking at a screen, and that time increased dramatically during the pandemic (source). We also know from research that increased screen time is a leading cause of declining physical and psychological health, as well as sleep (source).
Limiting your own screen time is essential for taking care of yourself physically and mentally. Besides, whatever your baby grows up seeing you do in your free time will likely affect the way she spends her free time later in life. You are always teaching by example.
"Get out and exercise" is said so much that it has become a cliche, but it is true. Getting out to exercise at least 150 minutes a week helps adults manage their weight, stress, anxiety, and mental health (source). Exercise also helps decrease cravings (source).
Parenting is stressful and exhausting, so the last thing sleep-deprived parents want to do is go outside for a walk. But, if you think of it as a chance to refresh everyone and redirect your baby's fussiness, then you may actually look forward to it as a family habit.
Besides, establishing a habit of going outside for a while most days is fantastic for setting healthy habits for your baby's future.
Have you ever heard of Essentialism? Not the philosophy but the lifestyle. The goal of an essentialist lifestyle is to do less in order to focus on what really matters. It means saying "no" to most of the extra events and opportunities out there.
Before kids, it's easy to say "yes" to opportunities for work, travel, parties, or hanging out. When you add a little one to the mix, it's not impossible to do those things, but they certainly become a lot more stressful.
Instead of accepting every invitation that comes your way, try pulling back to just a couple of things every week. Set a routine at home that allows you to take your time and enjoy each other. You may find that your stress and frustration levels come down when there's less to rush off to.
When each of my babies was born, I started a journal for them. I write a letter of encouragement to them on birthdays, major holidays, and whenever I think of something I want them to remember. One day, I'll give these journals to them as adults.
My purpose for this is gratitude and history. I don't want to forget the goofy things they've done or the marvelous ways they've grown, and I want to share the thankfulness I feel in parenting them. Should they have kids in the future and face the same struggles I face today, I want them to know it's all going to work out.
Or if something happens to me, I want them to know how much I loved them and the memories I cherished. Knowing these could help them through tough seasons later in life. What I didn't expect from this exercise is how much joy and restfulness it gives me while writing these letters or reading back through them. It's worth the time!
Quality food, toys, clothes, and experiences are always going to go further than quantity. Invest in durable, eco-friendly items that will last a long time rather than constantly buying new things that will quickly wear out or become dated. Quality food helps your mind and body as well.
Choosing quality is often more expensive in the short term, but it's more frugal in the long term. Think of cost per use. If you spend $100 on shoes that you wear for 800 miles, you will pay 12.5 cents per mile. But if you spend $30 on shoes that only last for 200 miles, you will have spent 15 cents per mile.
Likewise, spending $100 on a set of high-quality, skill-building toys for your baby makes sense if your little one is going to play with it for years and pass it on to future siblings, whereas $5 on a cheap plastic toy that gets thrown away after a couple of months is not worth the cost per use.
For some ideas on how to make your dollar work by cost per use, read The Ultimate Guide to Reusable Essential Baby Products.
We all become frustrated with ourselves for not doing the things we said we would do. Maybe you couldn't go to that birthday party because your baby got sick, or you haven't lost the baby weight from your first pregnancy that you thought you would have by now.
As a parent, you hold the weight of the world on your shoulders and may hold yourself to a ridiculously high standard. Fixating on big goals is not the way to improve sustainably. That can lead to burnout, frustration, bitterness, or low self-esteem.
Instead, focus only on the next right step. What can you do today to get just 1% closer to your goal? Even if you take a week to improve 1%, those 1%s add up quickly! Seeing that you are indeed improving helps you stave off so many mental struggles.
If you find that you are predisposed to having low self-esteem or frustration with yourself, try taking a break from social media. I know it's drastic, but removing yourself from the easiest way to compare yourself to others may improve your mind state, give you control over your thoughts, and give you time to focus.
Having a regular date night affords you and your partner to rest together and focus on your relationship, which understandably gets strained with a baby around. It doesn't have to be weekly or even biweekly to be effective, so no worries if you are not able to find a babysitter that often.
Finding scraps of time to spend together at home is also excellent for your relationship. For example, having a thirty-minute coffee break together while the baby naps or hanging out at the end of the day when your little one goes down for the night allows time to unwind together.
If you're a morning person, wake up early to enjoy a hot drink together. Whatever it takes! Little ones who grow up watching their parents not only love one another but like being with one another go on to live healthier lives physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially (source).
Moreover, your little one will learn how to treat a partner and how a spouse should treat her by watching your relationship (source). When confrontations happen, do it in a loving and respectful way to show your little one how to manage conflict. You'll see the fruit of your self-control as she builds relationships with others.
Yelling, throwing things, and slamming doors are terrifying to little ones, whether this behavior is directed at them or to someone else. If you are in this habit or tend toward it, learn to control it and handle your anger in other ways.
Acting out in anger like this can cause toxic stress in your little one, which will likely result in behavioral problems, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, stress, and other issues down the road (source). Aside from that, your child will not know how to appropriately handle his own anger toward others.
The way you act at home and the way you treat your child today lay the foundation for your child's emotional wellbeing, habits, and relationship skills. If you need help learning self-control in your anger, stress, anxiety, or frustration, seek help sooner rather than later. Kids will push your buttons!
Dads and the way they manage their anger are especially impactful on children. If you're a dad in search of ways to bond with your baby, check out Bonding with Your Baby: Why Dads are Just as Important as Moms.
Sustainable parenting is all about finding a balance between taking care of yourself and your family while also living in line with your values. By making small changes to your family's lifestyle and planning ahead, you can simplify and lead a more healthy and fruitful life.
New dad? Feeling like you're not as important to your new baby as the mother is? After all, she's the one who carried your baby for nine months, gave birth, and is likely breastfeeding. But the truth is, bonding with your baby is just as essential for dads as it is for moms.
Research has shown that babies with strong bonds to their fathers are more likely to be emotionally secure, have better social connections, and perform better academically later in life (source). Babies can bond with their fathers, but fathers need to take the initiative.
This article will explore father-child bonding and share some research-supported tips for dads wanting to connect with their babies.
Surprisingly, paternal bonding is not well defined in research (source). Is it more emotional or physical? Does bonding start with the father before birth, or does it require the baby's response? Is it similar or different to maternal bonding?
Older kids, teenagers, and adults can define "bonding" as nurturing a relationship with someone based on shared experiences, interests, or feelings. But how do you do that with a baby?
Fathers can bond with their baby by consistently being there for them in caring for their little one, showing him how the world works, and cheering him on as he progresses through various milestones.
Here is an article that lists those milestones and other crucial development areas that moms and dads are instrumental in helping their babies learn: 7 Things Every Parent Should Know About the Early Stages of Child Development.
Mothers get a physiological headstart on bonding with their baby through pregnancy, birth, and nursing, but what are fathers good for to a baby (source)? One study found that many dads feel jealous of the mother-baby relationship because they don't feel like their relationship is as "natural" or "instinctive" (source).
Some research out there shows that dads who are more involved in early infant care by holding their little one skin-to-skin soon after birth, bottle feeding, and spending lots of time playing and napping with their newborn have a much more confident and sure bond with their little one than dads who don't (source, source).
But it is clear that many fathers choose to remain somewhat distant for fear of hurting their baby or messing things up somehow. Choosing to distance oneself from one's own child will likely do more harm than good, and honestly, parenting doesn't exactly come "instinctively" to mothers anyway.
Though a dad is not the one who carried and delivered his baby, he can still be there every step of the way:
His voice can be heard from the womb.
He can be there to hold the baby at birth.
He can help change the baby.
He can help feed the baby with a bottle.
He can help calm fussiness.
He can wear his baby in a carrier and talk about what he sees.
He can play with his baby.
He can speak to his baby.
He can help introduce solids to his baby.
He can read to his baby.
You get the point. There are so many opportunities for dads and babies to bond, and many of them can be just as natural as pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. Babies don't isolate themselves from all people, and moms are usually thankful for the break!
Admittedly, fathers have it rough during pregnancy and after birth. Health professionals focus on the mother and baby throughout, taking no notes on how the father is feeling, coping, or keeping up.
Research and postpartum care exist for mothers struggling with postpartum depression, but it turns out that dads can have the baby blues, too.
The risk is that 7-9% of males may become depressed the first year after a new baby arrives, but if his partner has postpartum depression, that percentage shoots up to 50% (source).
So, what can dads do to beat the baby blues? Making time to bond with their baby, taking care of oneself, and seeking support from other dads and professionals are all steps for managing paternal depression.
Fathers play a crucial part in their baby's upbringing if they are willing to be involved. Moreover, they are just as incremental to a baby's exploration and discovery as a mom is, and there's very little that a dad cannot do outside of the mom's ability to carry, birth, and breastfeed the baby.
Having two parents pouring into the growth and wellbeing of a baby, toddler, or child makes a lot of sense from a benefit standpoint. Babies and young children require a substantial amount of time, energy, and resources to raise well, so having an invested partner in this parenting craziness is super helpful!
Here are a few specific reasons why father-child bonding is essential:
If you are already a parent, you already know that something as "insignificant" as a stubbed toe or a toy being snatched out of hand can become a huge blowup. Little ones have a small world, so the things that seem small to us are colossal to them, and those big feelings take time.
Babies and toddlers who know they can go to either mommy or daddy for emotional support end up a lot more sure of themselves later in life, especially if their struggles, failures, and mistakes are met with grace and patience rather than frustration.
Research has also found that a father's absence or distance negatively impacts their children's social and emotional development (source).
Even more specifically, kids who grow up in a household with their own married parents tend to make better lifestyle choices, have better relationships, and have successful marriages as adults (source).
Fathers who are intentional about investing time into their relationship with their children and seek to bond with each one typically see the fruit of their investment in family stability. Even dads who work away from home yet spend quality time with each child during their time off benefit their overall family stability (source).
The stability that comes to children who grow up knowing their mom and dad love them deeply and willingly invest quality time and effort into connecting with them generally results in kids who:
live healthier lives physically and psychologically
do better in school
tend to graduate high school and attend college
avoid becoming entangled by drugs or alcohol
avoid abusing others or becoming sexually abused (source)
In other words, babies, toddlers, children, and teenagers who know and trust their dads are more likely to grow because they see a solid example of a father in front of them. The boys grow up and learn how to be solid husbands and fathers, while the girls grow up knowing how a man should treat her.
Having a bond with your father is wonderfully helpful for rounding out wisdom later in life. Teenagers, young adults, and adults who know they can go to their dad for wisdom or practical knowledge have a resource that cannot be replicated online.
Sure, you can go online to learn about anything these days, but that information is quickly becoming watered down with AI-generated noise. Some businesses and content creators invest time and money into fact-checking the AI's content before publishing, but many don't.
How do we discern sound advice from authoritatively stated lies? People we trust. Generally speaking, hard-earned wisdom handed down from someone who has known you since birth is a gem that we don't value enough these days.
Does being a present and intentional father consistently seeking opportunities to bond with his kids always result in well-rounded individuals? No, it doesn't. Other factors, voices, and temptations can lead a person astray.
But, research shows that present fathers generally rear more stable children.
So, where does bonding with your child start? As soon as you have a baby! Your baby can hear your voice around 27 to 29 weeks in the womb. Speak often, make funny sounds, and try moving a light around Mommy's belly for your baby to push at. It's fun!
Once your baby is born, don't be discouraged by all that you can't do. Take the initiative to be there, helping with changing, soothing fussiness, and burping your little one. You can't do everything, but you can get involved in your baby's needs. Mommy will appreciate the help, too!
Here are a few other ways dads can bond with their babies:
Babies need to feel safe, secure, warm, and cozy. After all, it was super toasty and comfy in Mommy's belly. When Mommy is ready for a break, take your little one and place him on your bare chest.
Holding your baby skin-to-skin can help promote bonding and safe feelings and may even regulate your baby's body temperature and breathing.
Spending time with your baby is the most significant thing you can do to bond with her, and that doesn't change as the years go on. Even if you can only spare a few minutes each day, make the most of that time.
Some may think, "Why does it matter? My baby won't miss me at all for the first few months," but those who start with that attitude find it hard to shake off as time moves on. Your baby will bond with you sooner if you are consistently spending time with her from the get-go.
Playtime is a fantastic way to bond with your baby. Try playing peek-a-boo, singing songs, or reading stories to your little one. Watch him explore as he grows, and help him get the most out of that exploration by cheering him on, talking him through what he's seeing, and giving him things to play with.
If you want some ideas for playtime activities you can do in the first year to promote your little one's language development, check out this article: The Importance of Play in Language Development: Best Activities for Babies.
As odd as it seems, wearing your baby in a carrier or sling can help promote bonding and give you and your baby a chance to be close to each other. Your little one wants to be with you and participate, but she can't do that much early on. Babywearing fixes that!
Getting to go with you and see what you see is fascinating to your little one, especially if you let her touch some of what she sees. My babies loved going on walks outside in the carrier because I let them touch lots of different textures and talked about everything we could see.
Look, taking care of a baby is exceptionally exhausting, even for dads. Doing what you can to take care of mom and baby can cause you to burn out quickly or lead to paternal depression.
Taking care of your own physical and emotional needs is crucial for your wellbeing and can help you be a better dad. If that means doing workouts with your baby, then do that. If it means fishing for a few hours once a week, make it happen. You've got to take care of yourself to sustainably be there for your family.
Don't be afraid to seek support from other dads or a professional if you are struggling to bond with your baby. It is a thing, and it can be dealt with. In 2021, 1 in 5 stay-at-home parents were dads, which is significantly higher than anytime before in American history (source).
As such, new resources and dad support groups are popping up all over the place. Get connected to stay sane! Mothers know the struggle, but they don't fully grasp it from a man's perspective. Finding a solid group of guys who know exactly what you're going through is a resource worth having.
Bonding with your baby is an incredible opportunity that only comes once per kid. As a father, you have the opportunity to be a positive role model for your child, teaching them the skills and values they need in life.
Spend time with your baby, get involved, put away your phone, and soak it all up before it's gone. Building that bond with your baby is the bedrock for a relationship that will last a lifetime.
Feeling anxious about providing your little one with a solid foundation for learning and growth? That's where the Montessori philosophy comes in. But why does this approach work, and how can you make it work for your family?
Developed over a century ago by Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori approach to education emphasizes hands-on learning, child-led exploration, and a focus on practical life skills. Essentially, the Montessori method is based on how babies, toddlers, and kids learn instinctively.
In this article, we will peer deeply into the Montessori philosophy and explore its benefits for parents and children alike. We'll then list some ways you can build it into your home routine and compare it to the Waldorf method (a well-known alternative).
At its core, the Montessori philosophy is all about respecting the child. Dr. Montessori believed that each child is unique and capable of learning and growing in their own way and that it's the role of the teacher--or parent--to create an environment that supports and encourages that growth.
Montessori principles are based on the work of Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian educator and physician who developed her approach to education from 1897 to 1907.
In 1907, she successfully applied it to a group of underprivileged children in Rome, which led to more schools in Italy and further research for older kids (source). Having met success with young children through to eleven years old, Dr. Montessori shifted her focus to how teenagers learn best in the 1920s.
Her methodology's principles were the same for teenagers, but the application involved engaging in real-world activities like crafting handmade products and farming while operating in a trusting community for a human interdependence experience.
Dr. Montessori believed that teenage students would learn to live in society positively and competently through such experience (source). How neat is that?
Dr. Montessori believed that children are natural learners capable of directing their own education if given the right environment and guidance. Though this seems like a lot of pressure on parents and teachers, it is quite freeing!
Here are some of the key principles of the Montessori philosophy:
Montessori educators believe that each child is unique and deserves to be treated with respect and kindness. This means listening to the child, valuing their opinions and ideas, and creating an environment that supports their growth and development.
Imagine how different education and parenting would be if busy adults started with this simple principle! It is the bedrock for parenting but easily forgettable in the midst of being stressed about schedules, getting from point A to point B, and taking care of life necessities.
In a Montessori classroom or home environment, children are given the freedom to explore and learn at their own speed, guided by their own interests and curiosity. This method helps children develop a love for learning that can last a lifetime.
If your little one is quickly becoming not-so-little anymore, you probably hear a ridiculous number of questions daily! Your kid is asking questions to learn--she can't help it. Harnessing that desire to soak up all there is to know and moving from interest to interest is key to child-led learning.
Montessori educators believe children learn best through hands-on exploration and discovery, which parents know to be true from simply watching their little ones explore!
In a Montessori classroom, children are given a wide range of materials and activities that allow them to explore and learn in a hands-on, experiential way. Montessori-minded parents and teachers even select toys that encourage hands-on exploration: Are Montessori Toys Better for My Baby?
Montessori educators believe that teaching children practical life skills--like cooking, cleaning, and caring for themselves and their environment--is essential for their growth and development.
These skills help children become independent and self-sufficient and provide a foundation for academic learning. Learning how to do life before leaving home is incredibly important to adulting, but these skills are somehow overlooked or grossly underemphasized in the public school system.
Teachers carefully design the Montessori classroom or home environment to support children's learning and growth. Montessori educators believe the environment should be beautiful, orderly, and inviting, with thoughtfully chosen materials and activities to promote learning and exploration.
There is so much to unpack about preparing a place for your babies and toddlers to explore, so we put it all in one article: Playful Living: Simple Strategies for Setting Up a Productive Playtime in Your Living Room.
In a Montessori classroom, teachers group children of different ages together in multi-age classrooms. This allows children to learn from one another, work at their own pace, and develop a sense of community and belonging.
Obviously, this seems like a recipe for chaos, but the lessons learned by working together with kids of different ages are priceless. Being around younger kids teaches older kids patience and provides opportunities for them to teach what they know, while younger kids may be inspired by older kids.
While children are given a great deal of freedom in a Montessori classroom or home environment, there are also clear guidelines and boundaries. This helps children feel safe and secure and shows them how to respect the needs and rights of others.
Crucial boundaries include interacting with others appropriately, protecting one's own boundaries, and communicating instead of hitting or snatching (source). Other boundaries relate to sharing, taking turns, working together, and staying within the space prepared for them.
Kids of all ages within a Montessori classroom have the freedom to do the following as long as they respect the boundaries.
move around the room
choose from the activities available
time to spend on any activity as they like
ability to circle back to the same activities
communicate to classmates, teachers, parents
room to make mistakes
These are just a few of the key principles of the Montessori philosophy. By following these principles and creating a supportive, nurturing environment, Montessori educators believe children can realize their potential and become confident, freethinking learners ready to take on the world!
So why should parents consider adopting the Montessori philosophy in their own homes, especially while they are so busy making life happen? The benefits are many and varied.
For one thing, the Montessori approach helps children develop independence and self-confidence. By giving children the freedom to explore and learn independently, parents can help them develop a sense of autonomy and a belief in their own abilities.
The Montessori philosophy also emphasizes respect for the child. By treating children with respect and kindness, parents can help build strong, positive relationships with their children that will last a lifetime--a gift that defines who we are as parents.
Furthermore, the Montessori approach can help children develop a love of learning that will serve them well throughout their lives. Parents can encourage their children to become lifelong learners who constantly seek out new knowledge and experiences by fostering curiosity and a desire to explore.
If you wonder why some parents are such die-hard proponents of the Montessori Method, check out the studies comparing kids who have benefited from Montessori education.
One study in 2019 evaluated 201 students in Switzerland aged four to thirteen. Half of them attended public schools, and the other half attended private Montessori schools.
The evaluation tested language, math, well-being, convergent and divergent creativity tasks, and working memory, finding that Montessori students scored better than their traditionally schooled peers (source).
Another study done on 141 preschool students in America (half in Montessori preschools and half in other schools) conducted four tests on cognitive and socio-economic measures for each participant over three years (3-6 years old).
It found that Montessori preschoolers fared much better academically, socially, and in liking school overall. Moreover, by age four, Montessori preschoolers scored higher in executive function than those in normal preschools.
Perhaps the most exciting finding of this 2017 study was that Montessori-style preschools might close the socio-economic gap, meaning that low-income preschoolers had a steeper increase in function and ability during their years at a Montessori preschool (source). They caught up to their peers!
Most parents will likely agree that the principles of Montessori education are excellent for raising well-rounded individuals. But the Montessori philosophy is not limited to a classroom setting--it can be the bedrock of a parent's parenting philosophy, too!
So, how can busy parents make the Montessori philosophy work in their own homes? Here are a few tips to get you started:
Tip |
Explanation |
Create a Montessori-inspired play area |
|
Encourage child-led learning |
|
Incorporate practical life skills into your daily routine |
|
Create a calm and peaceful home environment |
|
Not sure what your baby or toddler should be able to do when? Check out this article to figure it out: Early Childhood Skills and Montessori Education: What You Should Know.
Both the Montessori and Waldorf methods are known for their unique approaches to education and their emphasis on child-centered learning. However, you should be aware of some key differences between these two methods when choosing an educational approach for your child.
Like Montessori education, Waldorf education was founded in the early 20th century. Its founder, Rudolf Steiner, was a well-known artist and scientist known for saying, "The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility--these are the three forces which are the very nerve of education" (source).
Waldorf schools focus on helping their students "experience" academic subjects rather than reading about and testing them. Waldorf students go through academically rigorous yet developmentally appropriate education through experiences in the arts, writing, literature, math, science, and beyond (source).
Similarly to Montessori education, Waldorf education advocates for freedom in education and independent learning. Let's take a look at the differences:
The Montessori method emphasizes practical life skills, sensory exploration, and self-directed learning, with a focus on academic subjects like math and language.
On the other hand, the Waldorf method emphasizes creativity, imagination, and artistic expression, with a curriculum that includes subjects like music, art, and storytelling.
That's the other thing: Waldorf education has a carefully planned syllabus designed around development milestones for each grade. The Montessori curriculum provides the prepared materials but otherwise lets the students learn at their own pace.
Montessori classrooms are typically designed to be orderly and functional, with a wide range of materials and activities set up for children to explore and learn at their own pace.
Waldorf classrooms, on the other hand, are designed to be warm and nurturing, with a focus on creating a homelike environment that supports children's emotional and social development.
In the Montessori method, teachers act as observers and facilitators, guiding children's learning and development without interfering in their exploration and discovery.
In the Waldorf method, teachers play a more active role in the classroom, leading activities and providing guidance and support to help children develop their creativity and imagination.
The use of technology is generally discouraged in the Waldorf method, with a focus on hands-on, experiential learning and a belief that technology can harm children's development.
In the Montessori method, teachers see technology as a tool they can use to support children's learning, although its use is generally limited. The idea in modern Montessori schools is that students must become adults able to function and work in today's day and age, so older students must be "tech literate," though young children don't.
Montessori classrooms typically include children of various ages, with older children acting as mentors and role models for younger children. This blending of ages in the classroom opens doors to unique social development opportunities across multiple ages.
In Waldorf classrooms, children are typically grouped by age, focusing on meeting each child's developmental needs at each stage of their development. Segmenting students by age allows for more straightforward academic expectations.
The Montessori philosophy is a powerful tool for parents wanting to help their children develop independence, self-confidence, and a love of learning. By creating a Montessori-inspired home environment and following your child's lead, you can help your child become a lifelong learner who is curious, creative, and self-assured.
If you feel drawn to the Waldorf method, look for a Waldorf school near you. Implementing Waldorf education at home will take more attention and effort on your part, but it is doable!
You've probably heard a lot about the importance of language development in babies. But have you ever considered teaching your baby sign language instead of relying solely on verbal language?
Baby sign language has been growing more and more popular in recent years because it improves communication between parents and their little ones. Studies have shown that baby sign language has cognitive and social benefits for babies, including a means to communicate despite feeling big feelings.
This article will take a closer look at the pros and cons of baby sign language and verbal language through babyhood and toddlerhood and provide tips for teaching them to your baby.
Baby sign language can help improve communication between you and your baby, reducing frustration and tantrums. It can also help your baby communicate his needs and wants before he is able to speak. Besides that, baby sign language is just fun!
Babies are able to learn signs around six months of age, which is months before they are expected to speak their first words in their native tongue (source). Though babies won't regularly use signs spontaneously until ten to twelve months old, they will understand them well before that.
Imagine how much fussing could be avoided if your baby showed you what he wanted rather than crying or whining until you handed him the right thing. This smoother communication can relieve your stress a bit and make room for you to be more responsive in your facial expressions and body language.
Learning sign language also helps your little one associate signs with tangible objects before he is able to associate spoken names for those same objects (which happens between nine and twelve months for most babies but as early as seven months old for some).
As such, sign language may pave the way for your baby to gain a more extensive vocabulary and better language skills sooner than their peers (source). Furthermore, teaching sign language to babies with hearing impairments can help them develop language skills on par with their hearing peers.
Baby sign language encourages babies to think and learn new ways, improving their overall cognitive development. Learning signs, remembering them, and using them for communication are all terrific for a baby's overall development.
Moreover, parents who add simple signs while communicating engage with their baby meaningfully, mixing playfulness and communication. Since you've got to stop what you are doing to sign to your baby, it also sets a precedent for making eye contact and listening to one another, which builds your bond.
No! Baby sign language can improve communication and cognitive development, but it is not a replacement for verbal language. Verbal communication is vital to communicating normally, but it takes a lot of listening and babbling practice for the first two years before your baby will be able to hold a conversation.
Pulling back on speaking clearly to your baby would reduce the quality listening practice crucial to your baby's language acquisition. Instead, speak a lot and support your words with a few simple signs for what your baby needs to communicate most.
If you would like to learn more about the stages of language development and what you can do to give your baby plenty of practice, read From Babbling to Words: A Comprehensive Guide to Baby Language Development.
No, you will not confuse your baby by using both simultaneously. Your baby has been studying your facial expressions and body language since birth, so he will not be thrown off by sign language.
It may actually help your baby understand you better because you will use a sign for everyday objects instead of always pointing. For example, asking, "Do you want water?" and pointing to your baby's sippy cup across the room is not as straightforward as asking the same question while signing "water bottle."
Not at all! Research has found that sign training facilitates speech development, not hinders it (source). Humans are communicative by nature, so when you encourage your baby to communicate from a young age, you open up a world of connection possibilities.
As seasoned parents know, once a little one starts talking, whether verbally or nonverbally, she doesn't stop! I taught a couple of dozen signs to my babies. By the time they were ten months old, they each used several of them, which was a lifesaver when they were upset about being hungry or thirsty!
If I asked, "What's wrong?" it was too open of a question to answer. But if I said, "Do you want water?" or "Do you want a snack?" they each could sign "water" or "snack" to confirm what they wanted. By their first birthday, each of my kids was saying a word along with their signs to emphasize what they wanted. How neat!
Playing with your little one is a fantastic way to encourage both verbal and nonverbal communication. Read The Importance of Play in Language Development: Best Activities for Babies for ideas on games to play in that first year.
Teaching your baby sign language is not rocket science; it's a game of monkey see, monkey do. You start by building simple signs into how you communicate with your baby and others in your household. Use the same signs consistently and often.
Though your baby won't be acting on that sign language until after six months of age, you can still familiarize her with signs by using them around her. Eventually, it will click, and your baby will understand your signs before actually beginning to use signs, too!
If your baby is making a sign that you understand but isn't correctly formed, let it slide for now. Getting your baby to communicate is more important than correcting mistakes. Over the next year, your baby may correct herself as she becomes more dexterous.
As for the number of signs to teach, stick to introducing one or two signs at a time, repeat them often, and reward your baby with praise when she uses a new sign.
Don't stop speaking while you sign; you must keep using verbal language alongside sign language to tune your baby's ears to words. Remember, signs will help your baby communicate her needs before her tongue can do so.
The key to which signs to teach your baby is relevancy; each sign must matter to your baby. You can start with functional signs like "milk" or "more," but don't forget to do fun ones that interest your baby.
Fun signs could be "dog" or "cat" if you have pets, "airplane" for a flying game, or the name of a favorite toy. Which fun signs you choose is up to you and your baby's interests, so let's take a look at some baby signs you can use right away.
"Milk" is a solid word to start with because your baby will get something after signing it. Start teaching it by saying and signing "milk" before feeding, and your baby will eventually start showing you the sign when hungry.
Learning to sign "water" is helpful well beyond the first year. If your toddler can let you know she wants water without having to interrupt your conversation, you will save yourself from hearing a few less "Mom! I want ______!" demands.
Teaching your baby "more" gives him a tangible way to signal that he isn't done eating yet. Whether your baby stopped eating because he got distracted or was savoring a bite, being able to say "more" removes the frustration of being unable to communicate that he still wants more to eat.
Likewise, giving your baby a way to say "all done" helps her excuse herself. As parents, we don't always know when our babies have eaten enough, so teaching our littles to tell us when they've had enough is perfect. "All done" works at playtime, during activities, and in overwhelming situations, too!
Practically speaking, "up" is helpful for a baby to know when ready to get out of the high chair, feeling insecure and needing comfort, or simply desiring to catch a ride. Even better, it's an easy gesture!
"I love you" is not a practical sign, but it benefits your bond with your baby. It will probably be a couple of years before you hear your little one say, "I love you," so seeing him sign that message is a joy for your heart.
Your baby will not likely understand "thank you" in the first year because it doesn't have a tangible meaning. But showing her the sign as you say "thank you" in daily interactions will reinforce a later habit for manners.
or
On the subject of manners, "please" is an easy sign to teach because it often results in a reward! The way parents say "please" to their baby makes it a somewhat easy term for babies to hear.
This one is a no-brainer! Sometimes, babies become worked up about who is holding them and are not satisfied with being passed off to another person. If your baby can signal who she wants, she won't be misunderstood as hungry, thirsty, or cranky.
The same goes for dads! If a baby wants his dad, he could sign for him. Even if the answer is, "Dad isn't home yet" or "Daddy is in the bathroom," just knowing what your baby is looking for eliminates potential fussing or confusion.
It's not that you should, but you could! If you want to teach your baby more signs, look up a baby sign language channel on YouTube or visit a website about American Sign Language (ASL) for babies for inspiration and tips. You can even take ASL classes in person or online.
But if your baby and immediate family have no medical reason to learn ASL, learning it would be just like adding a foreign language to your family's skill set. Teaching your child a second language early on has many developmental benefits.
If you don't have the time or headspace for a second language, don't worry about it! Enjoy your family, and do the best with the time and resources you've already got!
Babies are little sponges masterfully soaking up everything around them to learn about the world and how it works. They employ all five senses every moment they are awake to explore and discover. As a parent, you can guide your baby to focus on specific things through sensory activities.
A baby sensory activity is designed to stimulate one or two senses so the baby can fully explore something. For example, a simple play mat equipped with an arch sporting a few dangling baby toys is a tummy-time sensory toy that you can turn into a sight activity (move the toys, swat at them, make them dance).
If you choose to teach your baby to sign, sensory activities are an excellent opportunity to practice "please," "thank you," "more," and "all done." You can expand to include "yes" and "no," too!
Sensory activities for babies six to twelve months old that would be perfect for using sign language include:
working together to sort colored blocks into bins of matching colors
driving cars in a shallow bin with uncooked rice
putting a big spoon and cup in a bin with cooked veggie favorites (peas and carrots)
Do you have preschoolers to entertain? Try some of these ideas: 7 Unique Preschool Sensory Activities for Homeschool.
Baby sign language is a valuable tool that can help you communicate with your baby, improve her cognitive and social development, and reduce some fussing and stress from guessing what your baby wants.
Many parents watch their babies grow over the first year and wonder when they will start speaking and what they will sound like. Yet, your baby understands your words far sooner than you understand his words. How does all that babbling and cooing turn into comprehensible language?
Baby language development starts from birth when babies begin listening to and watching speakers. As a baby grows, his language increases rapidly, from perceiving differences in sounds and tones to babbling to pronouncing syllables and joining them together.
By understanding how your baby's language develops, you can recognize what he's working on and provide focused practice at the right level. This guide barely scratches the surface of baby language development, but it will undoubtedly get you started!
Language development begins long before your baby says her first word. In fact, recent research suggests that babies may already recognize their mother's language before they are born (source). How neat is that?
Let's dig into the stages of language development. How a baby develops her listening and speaking are dissimilar, so we will look at each skill progression separately.
At birth, an infant's brain can already discern the sounds that make all languages, which is approximately 800 sounds (source)! By the time an infant is six months old, he enters the "sensitive period" of language development, which is when the baby's brain begins to understand those sounds as language.
The six-month-old infant's brain learns the vowels of his native language first. Around nine or ten months old, that brain will work on learning the consonant sounds (source). You know your little one is working to understand those sounds by hearing his babbling (usually with syllables beginning with p, b, or m).
Though a newborn can discern the difference between all the phonemes that make up the world's languages, he doesn't narrow them down to his native language's phonemes until the "sensitive period."
If you've ever heard that babies and toddlers are more likely to become fluent in a second language than teenagers or adults, it is because of this "sensitive period." Babies who regularly hear another language spoken around them are actually able to achieve fluency in that second language relatively quickly until age seven.
Of course, they can still achieve fluency in that second language later, but their mind won't be shaped as readily by input from the second language, so it will take a lot more effort to learn it.
Most babies will learn to interpret your facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice before they understand the meaning of the words you speak. Generally speaking, your baby understands her name by six months old but won't understand simple commands until around her first birthday.
Understanding your baby's ability to comprehend what you say to her will help you set your expectations for her obedience. Becoming overly frustrated at your baby's "disobedience" will only shut her down, scare her, or make her feel insecure.
Patiently continue to speak clearly, use gestures, and facial expressions repeatedly to reinforce a rule. For example, if your baby is drawn to electric outlets, you can pull her away from it, point to the outlet, shake your head, and say, "No, baby. That's not safe for you. Let's play with this toy instead."
State the rule and redirect. Yes, this is exhausting, and you will have to do it dozens of times a day. However, your message will click eventually!
Babies pick up on language with remarkable ease, but actually learning how to speak it takes time. While a baby has been listening to his native language since before birth, it takes a while before he begins purposefully experimenting with sounds.
Delving into a detailed breakdown of specific syllable development is not within the scope of this article, so here is a basic breakdown of speech development.
Stage |
Explanation |
Crying and Cooing |
These are your baby's first attempts at communication. He cries to express his needs and coos to practice making sounds. |
Babbling |
Around six months of age, your baby will begin babbling, repeating sounds like "ba-ba" and "ma-ma." This is when your baby is learning the sounds of his native language. |
Gesturing |
As your baby approaches their first birthday, they'll start using gestures like pointing to communicate. |
First Words |
Around twelve months of age, most babies say their first word! |
Two-word Phrases |
After your baby says their first word, they'll gradually start using two-word phrases like "more milk" or "bye-bye daddy." |
Vocabulary Explosion |
Between eighteen months and two years of age, your baby's vocabulary will explode as they learn new words rapidly. |
Yes! Even though your baby doesn't understand the words, she recognizes that it differs from the primary language. If your baby grows up in a bilingual household, she will pick up on both languages. But if you simply want to teach your baby a second language, you can start from the get-go!
The main thing to know in exposing your baby to a second language is that it won't stick if the language is simply heard through recordings, cartoons, or screens. Babies pick up on language significantly better if it is spoken around them often by kids and adults, especially if those speakers interact with the baby while speaking (source).
No! Some parents in bilingual environments think their toddler or young child's switching between languages is a sign of linguistic confusion, but that isn't the case.
When a child switches terms between languages while speaking, it is called "code-switching," which is a normal bilingual practice. This code-switching may be done because one term is easier to say than another, or the child hears that term used more often than the other. It is typically a purposeful choice, not confusion (source).
Even bilingual infants know the difference between their two languages and are not confused when parents switch between languages (source). So, if you are raising your child in a bilingual environment, don't hold back!
If your baby does not pay attention to music, loud sounds, or looks in the direction of your voice in the first three months, tell your pediatrician right away. It's possible your baby has a hearing problem, which will affect her language development.
If your baby is not babbling much by six to eight months old (many babies at this stage babble with p, b, and m), let your pediatrician know. Not every baby develops at the same pace, but keeping your pediatrician in the loop is wise.
Between seven and twelve months old, your baby should be babbling to get and keep your attention. If she isn't trying to communicate by babbling, encourage her by spending a few minutes multiple times a day talking about something your baby is doing, naming objects, or talking about what you see.
If that doesn't bring out much babbling, reach out to your pediatrician. He or she may refer you to a speech-language pathologist, who will test for hearing, speech, or language disorders. Based on the results, he or she will give you exercises to practice at home in addition to any prescribed treatments or speech therapy (source).
After a year old, toddlers develop linguistically at vastly differing paces. You should only be concerned if your toddler is not attempting to communicate verbally with you (either words or sounds), cannot identify objects when you name them, or continues babbling instead of connecting syllables.
Again, the best thing to do if you suspect that your toddler is behind linguistically is to tell your pediatrician. From there, your little one may be referred to a speech-language pathologist.
By spending ten to fifteen minutes at a time multiple times throughout the day actively talking to, reading to, and playing with your toddler, you can invest in her language development.
Though your little genius is taking off on his own to learn his native language, you can help him by giving plenty of examples, describing everything, and making eye contact while speaking with him. Because your little one's mind is developing rapidly for the first three years, he will soak up whatever you give him!
Research shows that when parents are responsive to their baby's cooing and babbling, they may promote their baby's language development (source). Essentially, if a parent responds in words to a baby's babble about something, then the baby may be encouraged to repeat that syllable again in reference to that thing.
For example, if your baby says "da" when he sees a dog, then you can create a "feedback loop" by saying, "Dog. That's a dog!" If your baby responds to that by continuing to say "da," then you've helped your baby tie a sound to a dog.
Creating this cycle often with the sounds and syllables you know your baby can produce and the objects they take an interest in daily can promote the transition to early words (source). As a parent, you play a fundamental role in your baby's language learning.
Here are a few specific tips for promoting language development in your baby.
Whenever you learn a language, you must ensure that you spend a significant amount of time listening to the target language to pick up on its natural rhythm and pronunciation. It's no different for your baby!
The more you talk and sing to your baby, the more opportunities you are giving her to hear how to communicate (source). Slow down a bit and enunciate clearly so she can sort the sounds out. As she grows and begins to speak, you will hear her pronouncing things similarly to you!
Reading to your baby is a great way to expose him to new words and concepts. Reading books that have pictures will also help your little one develop his vocabulary and listening skills.
As your baby gets closer to his first birthday, you can test his vocabulary by asking him to point to specific things or colors in the picture on a page. Richard Scarry's books are a classic set of books to start with naming and finding.
Your baby doesn't have to be looking at the page as you read to benefit from it. My family started a breakfast reading tradition after my daughter was born. I would read a few pages of a kid's chapter book while they ate their breakfast. When my oldest turned three, I started to ask him questions about the story.
The more you read to your baby, the better!
When your baby babbles or gestures, respond to her as if you understand what she's saying. This helps her feel heard and validated, and it encourages her to keep communicating.
It's fun and super adorable when your baby starts babbling wild tales with expressive gestures and faces! You can respond back with equal expressiveness--she will love it!
While baby talk might be cute, using real words helps your baby learn the correct pronunciation and usage of words. This will help him communicate more effectively as he grows older.
Think of trying to learn a language yourself. How would your pronunciation and listening ability be impacted if nobody spoke to you the way they actually communicate?
The more senses you engage while speaking to your baby, the better. As your baby touches something, describe its texture. Talk about how food tastes as he tastes it. You can also move something around and describe the way it is moving.
These ideas seem simple enough, but any adult language learner can tell you how helpful this is in language learning. Imagine how much more helpful it is to a baby learning for the first time!
If you want to learn more about baby sensory activities for building your baby's cognitive, physical, and language skills, then check out our guide: Baby Sensory Activities: A Guide to Promote Healthy Development.
Language development is a complex and fascinating process, and understanding how it works can help you support your baby as they learn to communicate. By responding to your baby's babbling as well as talking, reading, and singing to her, you can help your baby build a strong language development foundation.
So, keep talking to your little one, and before you know it, she'll be saying her first words!
You would think bonding with your baby is instinctual, but it can actually feel natural and overwhelming at the same time. How can you make the most of the time you have with your baby?
Bonding with your baby is crucial for creating a solid and loving bond that lasts a lifetime. It involves various activities that focus on being present and spending time together. For example, skin-to-skin touch, eye contact, and talking with your baby are all baby-bonding activities.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the science behind bonding with your baby and provide practical steps to help you strengthen that bond. From psychological research to bonding activities, we'll cover everything you need to know!
Bonding with your baby is a biological process that happens through a series of interactions between you and your baby. These interactions release hormones like oxytocin, which researchers often refer to as the "love hormone" (source).
Oxytocin is the good stuff responsible for creating warm fuzzy feelings of attachment, which is why it's often associated with bonding. This happens in both mother-infant and father-infant relationships. Moreover, oxytocin is released in parents as they interact with their baby (source). Neat, huh?
Research has shown that the more interactions a parent has with their child, the stronger their bond becomes. This may sound like a "duh" statement, but proving this with research is significant!
One study found that mothers who interacted with their infants more frequently had a stronger bond with them compared to mothers who interacted less often, especially breastfeeding mothers (source).
But bonding isn't just about the quantity of interactions; it's also about the quality. Babies are highly attuned to their parent's emotions and can discern subtle cues, like facial expressions and tone of voice. Contrary to popular belief, babies are always "listening"!
Positive interactions, like smiling and gentle touch, can help create a strong bond, while negative interactions, like yelling and rough handling, can damage the bond.
In fact, a study published in 2022 found that a child's later ability to control his emotions is associated with how well his parents controlled themselves in taking care of him as a baby. If the parents were inconsistent in self-control or rejected their baby's cues often, that behavior showed in the child later.
Likewise, parents who made positive parenting changes tended to have a child who showed less problematic behavior and early learning skills (source). More research is being done in this area to figure out how far this goes, but it is still helpful for worn-out baby parents to know that their effort is not in vain.
Despite being necessary for healthy development, bonding with your baby doesn't exactly "come to you" instinctively. Of course, you desire to take care of your little one, but caring for your baby doesn't usually cause a picture-perfect bonding moment you created from your innate godlike parenting skills.
As a new parent, I was shocked that the hospital let me walk away with my baby. There I was, carrying the most beautiful and weighty responsibility in the world, and I was to raise him without proper training. How could they possibly know I would nurture that precious baby well when I had little idea of where to start myself?
If you feel a bit overwhelmed as a newbie or a seasoned parent, these practical steps for bonding with your baby will help you put the science into action.
Skin-to-skin contact is a surprisingly effective way to bond with your baby. It releases oxytocin and helps regulate your baby's body temperature and breathing, especially after birth and for the first few months. It's also a fantastic way to soothe a fussy baby and promote breastfeeding.
More tangibly, newborns who have skin-to-skin contact after birth (you can ask the hospital staff to place your baby on you immediately after birth) cry less, have better cardio-respiratory stability, more stable blood glucose levels, and greater body temperature regulation compared to newborns who don't get that contact right away (source).
You can incorporate skin-to-skin contact in many ways over the first few months: holding your diapered baby against your chest or belly, wearing clothing that allows easier skin-to-skin contact, or simply snuggling with your baby while they are in a diaper or onesie.
Breastfeeding is another excellent regular skin-to-skin contact practice. It promotes closeness, food, and regulation of hormones, temperature, and fussiness. If you are on the fence about whether to breastfeed your baby or not, know that it is one of the most beneficial activities for you and your baby!
Intentionally looking into your baby's eyes is a simple yet effective way to bond. It helps your baby feel seen and understood and can even help their cognitive development (source). Essentially, making eye contact shows an interest in communication!
At first, a newborn spends a lot of time looking at your hairline or forehead. Perhaps this is due to seeing a contrast between the foreground and background or two different colors. However, you will soon find that a newborn will begin gazing into your eyes and experimenting with facial expressions, like eyebrow movements and smiles.
A fun way to engage your baby encouragingly is to make eye contact with her, say "Hi!" and start talking with her. You can even try mimicking her facial expressions to see if she will mimic yours. It's a fun game that helps strengthen your bond!
One more thing: be mindful of how much your baby sees you watching a screen. Phone absorption makes you less responsive to your little one. So, if he is trying to communicate with you while you watch your phone, continuing to watch your phone comes across as rejection--like your phone is more important than him (source).
Babies love the sound of their parents' voices, so talking and singing to your baby is a delightful way to bond. Your little sponge is soaking up everything you do, so singing and talking to your baby is beneficial for language development, too!
You don't need to be a superb singer or storyteller to engage your baby in this way. Simply narrating what you're doing throughout the day, commenting on what your baby is doing, or singing lullabies can all help create a strong bond.
Wearing your baby in a sturdy carrier or sling is a convenient way to bond while also being hands-free. It promotes skin-to-skin contact and makes your baby feel secure, snug, and close to you. Besides, it helps your baby sit up and see the world!
There are so many types of baby carriers and slings to choose from on the market, so it's a hassle to find one that works well for you and your baby. You can go to a baby consignment event, like Rhea Lana's, or a second-hand store to try out different carrier options.
It won't hurt to have two different types for changes in your baby's weight, preferred position, and height over the first year.
For example, I used a cloth wrap to carry my babies before they could hold themselves upright. Around five months old, I switched to a carrier with a seat to shift the weight off of my upper back. My kids loved being able to sit facing forward in that one, but the seatless carrier was better for when I needed to wear them on my back.
Playing with your baby is the best long-term way to bond with your baby. Investing time into showing your baby the world, playing, and goofing off will set playful habits that will grow and evolve along with your child. Moreover, playing is crucial for cognitive and motor skill development.
Newborns and infants start playing with tummy time, grasping toys, shaking rattles, tracking movement with their eyes, and mimicking your faces. You need to be there for a good portion of that playtime to bond with your little one.
As your baby grows older, you can bond by reading books, singing songs, playing with toys, exploring the outdoors, trying unfamiliar foods, and playing peek-a-boo. Participating in your little one's games and activities helps her feel seen, understood, and enjoyed, which strengthens the bond you share and builds skills.
A powerful way to bond with your baby while working on your baby's development is spending some time every day in baby sensory activities. These help your baby explore the physical world around them and their abilities by engaging their senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching).
Looking at the slew of skills a little one needs to master before toddlerhood can be bewildering. Thankfully, you are not responsible for making your baby develop these skills. Your task is to ensure your baby has time and a safe place set aside for exploration and practice.
Here are just a few of the skills most babies need to work on in their first twelve months (in no particular order):
tracking movement with eyes
opening hands at will
grasping objects
bringing objects to mouth
smiling
pointing to objects
holding head up and steady
sitting without support
looking for items that fall out of sight
following interesting sounds
rolling over in both directions
getting onto hands and knees
rocking and crawling
cruising and walking
experimenting with syllable sounds in babbling
passing objects from one hand to another
stacking objects
recognizing their name
following simple instructions
playing simple games like peekaboo
Not every baby will master or even begin working on every skill in this list before their first birthday, but the foundational wiggles, movements, and babbling your baby seeks to practice automatically should be encouraged (source).
Pediatricians actually look for cognitive, physical, and emotional milestones at every visit. We dive into what these milestones are in 7 Things Every Parent Should Know About the Early Stages of Child Development. Check out those nifty charts!
Baby sensory activities don't have to be complicated or planned out. That little mind is able to make almost anything a learning opportunity, so you simply need to provide something different to explore daily and participate in bonding.
For example, tummy time is a sensory activity that you can vary by placing your baby on different blankets or mats. After a few weeks, you can add a toy or two within reach for your baby to fixate on and try to grasp.
Once he is able to prop himself up on his elbows steadily, you can put interesting toys just out of reach to encourage wiggling, scooting, and rolling.
Walking outdoors is stimulating to your little one's senses as well, especially if you let him see and touch different textures (grass, tree bark, flowers). Yet another common baby sensory activity is bath time. Feeling the water's temperature, splashing, and watching toys float are all engaging to little minds.
Playing music, looking at baby books, and talking about what you're looking at around home are all sensory activities you can do with your wee one, too. Essentially, anything you can do together--however mundane to you--is a learning opportunity for your baby.
You are building your little one's reality, so involve him in what you are doing, talk out loud, and let him explore toys and household items. Baby sensory activities are a fantastic way to bond with and educate your baby!
If you would like a few more ideas, read Baby Sensory Activities: A Guide to Promote Healthy Development.
Bonding with your baby is a crucial part of her development and has long-lasting effects on her well-being. By understanding the science behind bonding and practicing these practical steps, you can strengthen your bond and create a lifelong connection with your baby.
Take the time to connect with your baby while you can; this precious time slips away so quickly. Today is always better than tomorrow. Playtime with your baby is so much more relevant than social media.
Besides, the time you spend together now is the foundation for the rest of your relationship, so building a strong one now will benefit you both later. What are some of your favorite ways to bond with your baby?
Exciting News! Our product Moonkie Silicone Baby Food Containers and Moonkie Silicone Stacking Teething Rings have been nominated for the prestigious Baby Innovation Awards, and we need your support to win!
Your vote can make a difference! Help us win by casting your vote for Moonkie today. Click here to vote now!
Voting is open until February 13, so be sure to cast your vote before then and be a part of our success story!Follow the steps to check the vote page:
Traveling with babies and toddlers often means doing everything you usually have to do in a new place without all your tools. If your family prioritizes sustainable living, traveling may test your resolve.
Sustainable traveling with babies and toddlers is possible when you think ahead. However, "sustainable" is not a cut-and-dry definition. From packing snacks in reusable containers to arming yourself with eco-friendly toys, staying green on the go is a doable challenge with few compromises.
Since a myriad of articles exist on choosing eco-friendly accommodations and transportation, this article will avoid those topics. Instead, it will focus on actionable steps you can take to avoid compromising sustainability on a trip.
Usually, "sustainability" has something to do with environmental friendliness. But sometimes, "sustainable" means employing tactics for keeping cool and collected when you miss your exit and little ones are having a meltdown every few hours.
Here are nine tips for traveling "sustainably" with babies and toddlers that have helped me survive dozens of flights, road trips, and weekend excursions.
If you happen to have a toddler who likes to assert her independence, let her pack her own travel activity backpack. This may give you a chance to pack her clothes bag without much interruption but could also make her more excited about long hours of sitting and waiting.
Speaking from experience, your toddler or young kid will probably not pack "enough" travel-friendly toys, so prepare a small bag of backups and activities to do at your destination.
Some of my road trip, eco-friendly favorites have been:
recycled paper and beeswax crayons
wooden cars on a tray that rests on both sides of the car seat
stuffed animals made from renewable resources
little wooden ball mazes
small travel books
hand-held sand balls or hackysacks
a baby mirror
a hanging car seat rattle
You would think that we would heed this tip because we see it so often, but parents often put a lot of stress on themselves and their kids by not building extra time into their travel plans.
Whether it's a one-hour layover at an airport or only allowing a thirty-minute lunch break, the "time saved" by rushing around is probably not worth the stress and anxiety. An accident, traffic, or flight delays could put a halt on transit for a while.
Besides, the odds of not having a diaper blowout, vomit comet, or spectacular meltdown while traveling with babies and toddlers are next to nil, so you might as well add some margin to your plans.
Personally, I've learned to never take a layover less than two hours and to plan for one thirty-minute stop every two hours on the road. It's my way to avoid becoming disgruntled. And hey, if everything is sailing smoothly, I will be happy and content with our progress!
As a kid, you may remember stocking up on your favorite road-trip candy and snacks before embarking on a trip. Or maybe your family stocked a large cooler with sodas, sandwich meat, and candy bars. Either way, the odds are that you tend to eat more junk food when traveling due to convenience or nostalgia.
Yet most of that food causes an upset stomach, constipation, endless snacking, or low metabolism. Your little ones probably feel those same symptoms, which could increase whininess or keep them from sleeping normally.
Of course, traveling or being in a new place can contribute to these symptoms, too, but junk food certainly doesn't help. The alternative? Pack healthy snacks! These don't have to be bland, tasteless, or expensive. Just think ahead and prepare snacks your little ones already like.
Here are a few of our "mostly healthy" road-trip favorites:
prepared fruit packs of grapes, cut apple and orange chunks, and lemon juice
hummus and baby carrots and crackers
peanut butter and crackers
homemade granola bars
raisins and pecans
gorp (homemade trail mix)
bananas
cucumbers and cherry tomatoes
small bottled homemade smoothies
cheese, crackers, and grapes
homemade muffins or cookies
turkey sticks
Store these snacks in durable, food-grade silicone containers to avoid chemical leaching or cracking. Moonkie's silicone feeding set also comes with plates and fitted lids that you can use as a little snack tray. Nifty!
If your little one has a stuffed animal or blanket he clings to, bring it! Changes in place, food, time, and routine can be challenging for little ones, so bringing his favorite comfort item may help him calm down when he feels overly tired or overwhelmed.
If you forget or lose a comfort item while traveling, try to spend time doing something you do together at home. You can also try letting him choose a new toy on your trip.
We live in a day and age where biodegradable disposable diapers made from plant-based materials exist. If you are an eco-conscious parent of a little one in reusable cloth diapers, biodegradable disposable diapers may be worth buying for traveling.
Plant-based disposable diapers are not cheap, but avoiding rinsing out reusable diapers in someone else's bathroom may be worth the cost!
Pay attention to your little one's skin, though. She could break out in a rash if she is used to cloth diapers or has skin sensitivities.
If you want more ideas for eco-friendly baby product essentials, read our guide: The Ultimate Guide to Reusable Essential Baby Products.
As impossible as it may seem, maintaining some semblance of your wake-up and bedtime routine while traveling helps keep babies and toddlers comfortable. It's okay if you are in a different place with an adjusted schedule; just try to have a pattern similar to home.
For example, you could bring a book you always read at bedtime, follow the same hygiene routine, and do the usual evening activities.
Following these familiar routines will send the same signals your little one usually gets and leave less room for testing the boundaries. Don't be surprised if your toddler attempts to act out of line or throw extra tantrums. Just stay cool and continue upholding the same rules and discipline you do at home.
If at all possible, take breaks to rest and recharge! Even a ten-minute walk or a twenty-minute nap helps. Staying calm while your littles act out in unusual travel schedules will take a lot, so give yourself some space to recharge.
This could be sitting outside the hotel room door while your kids fall asleep, asking a friend or family member nearby to take them for a bit, or letting your kids watch a few minutes of a kid show while you rest your eyes.
Discipline on the go is hard to maintain because your little ones exhibit extra rule-breaking behavior when their environment changes. Kids, even wee ones who are not talking yet, are constantly testing the boundaries you've set in place for their health, safety, and well-being. It's how they learn!
So, if you let your kids break a lot of normal rules on vacation, they will understandably be confused when you reel them in again at home.
I'm not saying every house rule must be obeyed on vacation; I'm saying the "this-is-how-to-be-a-decent-human-being" rules should be upheld no matter where you go for your sanity and their development.
Choices are a privilege, but they can be overwhelming. Though your baby may not care much about making choices, your toddler likely will. Allowing your toddler to make a simple choice while traveling can help him build confidence and exercise decision-making skills.
It is easy to overdo it, though. One "big" decision and a couple of more minor decisions are a solid start for young toddlers or more timid personalities. For more outgoing personalities, making decisions that affect everyone can cause a somewhat humorous and mildly annoying "drunk-on-power" response.
As a parent, you know your child best. Giving him a role in the craziness of travel is a fun way to encourage him while also making this traveling thing a tangible adventure.
"Sustainable" sounds like an impossible quality, especially if you listen to all the hubbub about "how to be sustainable" broadcast in every conceivable media outlet. However, as with all labels, you need to dig deeper to understand what a baby product company means when they say "sustainable."
You can boil the "sustainable" label down to one of five definitions:
something biodegradable
something recyclable
something that is especially sturdy and enduring
something made in an eco-friendly process
something made of plentiful renewable materials (natural rubber, cotton, wood, etc.)
What a spectrum of meanings! But that's because you can't find anything "totally sustainable" that isn't born or grown naturally. As such, "sustainable baby products" always have a cost.
If you want to make eco-friendly baby product purchases, your best bet is items made from plentiful renewable materials because they are likely biodegradable, too.
The only caveats are how those resources are harvested, how far they travel, and how they are processed. Unfortunately, many baby toys and products made from renewable materials need to be replaced relatively quickly.
So, if their materials are not harvested sustainably or are shipped around the globe, then replacing such items becomes less "sustainable" than buying a baby product that would have lasted through several children.
Herein lies the never-ending balancing act of trying to live sustainably: knowing the cost and choosing the lesser of evils while staying within budget. Take a look at the following table for examples.
"Sustainable" Baby Product |
Common Environmental Problems |
wooden toys available at big retailers |
|
natural rubber pacifiers |
|
organic cotton clothes and blankets |
|
reusable baby bottles and food containers |
|
reusable cloth diapers |
|
So what can busy parents do? Parents have simply got to do their best with the options available to them in their respective regions and budgets.
While traveling, that means taking what you've got with you and resisting the urge to buy cheap, disposable products to get by.
Longevity and safety. Our purpose in choosing high-quality food-grade silicone in our baby products and toys is to create something that will serve your family foryears. And, if you are blessed with grandkids one day, our silicone baby toys may entertain them, too.
Though silicone comes from silica (sand), which is an unfathomably abundant resource, the process of combining silica with carbon is an incredibly hot chemical process that isn't top-notch for environmental friendliness. Moreover, silicone isn't biodegradable.
But silicone is an infamously stable material that withstands boiling, steaming, microwaving, freezing, baby teething, toddler tantrums, and jealous dogs (source). When designed for several stages of babyhood and toddlerhood, silicone baby products are fabulous for surviving the chaos without being replaced.
A silicone baby product cleverly designed for babyhood, toddlerhood, and beyond is even better! For example, our baby food storage containers are helpful for as long as you are willing to use them. Use them for holding snacks on the go or for chopped toppings in the fridge.
If a family member somehow manages to destroy a Moonkie silicone item, you can recycle it in a special facility that will break it up and turn it into heavy-duty mats, playground padding, or running tracks. You know, the outdoor mats that you don't want breaking down anytime soon.
However, a lot of discarded silicone products don't actually make it to these facilities. Research is being done to find better ways to recycle silicone (source).
We've delved into silicone sustainability in this article: Pros and Cons of Silicone Baby Toys: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents. Check it out to learn all the things!
Sustainable traveling is possible with babies and toddlers! You just have to be creative, plan ahead, and set firm boundaries. Staying green on the go starts with the product choices you make at home and how you pack. Once you get going, factor in plenty of flex time, involve your little ones, and enjoy it!
If the thought of reusable cloth diapers grosses you out, think about them in terms of savings, eco-friendliness, and health. Reusable cloth diapers are much easier on the wallet, but are they worth the hassle?
Reusable cloth diapers are an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to disposable diapers, even when calculating the average cost of water and laundry detergent in America. Carefully selecting a cloth diaper brand and setting water-saving cleaning habits will maximize your savings.
But with so many options on the market, it can be overwhelming to start. That's why I've put together this ultimate guide to reusable cloth diapers. If you're debating whether to dive into reusable cloth diapers, this guide will be helpful!
The average baby goes through about 7,000 diapers before potty training, and with the average cost of one diaper being somewhere between 20 and 30 cents in America, that's a significant cost (source)!
But why should baby parents consider cloth diapers nowadays? Disposable diapers are so convenient for busy parents. You don't even have to touch baby poop these days!
Like most modern inventions, disposable diaper convenience comes at a significant cost to the environment, a parent's wallet, and a baby's health.
Environmentally, 300,000 disposable diapers are thrown away every minute around the world (source). Some are incinerated, while others go to landfills or end up outside. An estimated 2% of all landfill waste is disposable diapers (source). The scary thing is that those diapers won't break down for about 500 years (source)!
Cost estimates of disposable diapers in America span a vast range, depending on where you live, whether you buy in bulk or in small packages, and the brand you use. The U.S. average comes to 20 or 30 cents per diaper, which, when multiplied by the 7,000-diaper use average, means Americans spend $1,400 - $2,100 per baby on disposable diapers.
When you look at the upfront cost of 15 to 20 reusable diapers, averaging $80 - $130, you can see the ridiculous savings reusable diapers can bring financially, even after adding $500 for a diaper cleaning setup, baby-safe laundry detergent, and water usage.
Once upon a time, everyone used cloth diapers, sometimes with rubber pants, to make them leakproof. But I'm not talking about white cloths fastened with safety pins; cloth diapers today have come a long way!
One challenge to starting with reusable cloth diapers is choosing a structure that works for you and your baby.
Reusable Diaper Type |
Description |
Prefold Diapers |
|
Fitted Diapers |
|
Pocket Diapers |
|
All-in-One Diapers |
|
In choosing the right diaper for your baby, think about your priorities. If you want a diaper with zero synthetic material, then old-fashioned cloth diapers are probably the way to go. If you want something super leakproof, opt for the all-in-one or the pocket diaper.
Would you rather use inserts or all-in-one diapers? The pro of pocket diaper inserts is their ability to soak up moisture. With inserts, you can swap out insert materials for summer heat, winter cold, growth spurts, illness, or random changes in lots of pee to lots of poo.
I loved using charcoal bamboo or hemp-cotton diaper inserts for my kids' pocket diapers. They wicked moisture well, were easy to clean, didn't stain easily, and dried quickly on the clothesline.
However, if you don't want to wash and line-dry two pieces for every diaper, go for the all-in-one style. If your baby is a newborn or really tiny in the first couple of months, you may need to use classic prefold diapers until her legs fill out the leg space for pocket or all-in-one diapers.
If you think caring for reusable cloth diapers is disgusting and time-consuming, you would be half right. Pee is obviously a lot easier to clean than #2, but once you get a system going, cleaning cloth diapers becomes a regular evening chore that you do without thinking much of it.
I suggest investing in a diaper sprayer splatter shield (a large funnel with clips at the top) that sits on top of your toilet, a stiff toilet brush, a handheld shower head, and a five-gallon bucket with a screw-on lid for cloth diaper cleaning. I've tried a lot of different methods, but this setup was the best for my routine.
Once your baby wets or dirties a cloth diaper, change it, and put the soiled diaper in a waterproof reusable bag until you can clean it. It is best to rinse it off and put it into a soak bucket right away, but that's not always realistic.
At the end of the day, you may have a stack of dirty diapers to clean. Clip one end of the diaper to the top of the spatter shield and rinse it off with your handheld shower head. If you've got a stubborn dirty diaper (solid food will do that), use a sturdy toilet brush solely dedicated to cleaning poopy diapers.
Once each diaper has been rinsed, put it into a five-gallon bucket with soapy water. This pre-soak will help keep any smells or stains away. After you've got five to eight diapers and their liners in that bucket, toss them into the washer to wash them according to the instructions you received from the maker.
I washed my kids' diapers with hot water and sensitive baby skin detergent. You don't need to add the extra chemicals in a fabric softener, but if you want to use something, add 1/8 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle.
When the diapers are done in the washer, hang them on a clothesline or a sock-drying rack with clips. When it rains outside, you can hang them on an extension rod in the shower with a fan or tumble dry them in the dryer. Avoid using the dryer with heat because it will weaken the elastic and wear the diaper out faster.
Experience note: I noticed that whenever my baby's pocket diapers were dried in the dryer, they did not soak up pee very well. After another wash and line-dry cycle, they worked just fine again.
Yes! Use a detergent designed for baby's skin with as few chemicals as possible. If you purchase unscented detergent, you will further decrease the chemicals put against your baby's skin day in and day out.
If your little one develops eczema or psoriasis, then you will need to consult your pediatrician for a detergent designed to not irritate your little one's skin.
After a few washes and time drying on a clothesline, you may notice that diaper inserts become a bit crunchy. Just tumble dry them in the dryer with no heat for a few minutes to soften them.
This can be a crappy situation! In all seriousness, you don't want a poopy diaper wrapped in a Walmart sack sitting in your car in the summer sun. So what can you do? Use a waterproof reusable diaper bag.
Many shops and brands now include a couple of these nifty bags with a reusable diaper set purchase, but if you need more, you can find them on Amazon. If your little one has begun eating solids and dumps remarkably stinky loads, you can double-bag it!
Another option for parents is to use disposable diapers when out and about for a few hours. Not every baby's skin can switch back and forth between disposable and cloth diapers, but if yours can, this may be a convenient option. Ideally, parents would all be able to use cloth diapers constantly, but reality occasionally begs to differ.
Cloth diapers will stain from time to time, and that's okay! It would be weird if they didn't. To remove stains naturally, place washed diapers outside in direct sunlight for two or three hours. Most stains lessen significantly in that time.
If a stain is still going strong, saturate the stained area with straight lemon juice and put it in the sun again. After the stain fades or disappears, rewash the diaper to rinse out the lemon juice; lemon would likely burn your little one's bottom.
Should a particularly stubborn stain persist, you can purchase a commercial stain remover, like "The Amazing Whip-It" or "Oxiclean."
Though they are significantly cheaper and better for the environment, reusable cloth diapers still drum up a lot of concerns and misconceptions.
Here are a few for your perusal.
Reusable cloth diapers are better than disposable diapers for diaper rash and other skin irritationsif your baby already has sensitivities to chemicals in normal diapers.And that benefit only comes when you stay on top of changing that reusable diaper immediately.
Baby skin doesn't do well with moisture being trapped against it for extended periods, despite the type of diaper you use. Skin needs air and cleanliness! Disposable diapers use a polymer-based layer to wick away moisture and keep it off your little one's bottom. Still, some wee ones' skin doesn't tolerate the chemicals in disposable diapers.
As a parent, you will simply have to experiment to see what sensitivities your little one has. I just happened to have two babies who broke out in an itchy rash with most disposable diaper brands, so I had to use cloth diapers. Honestly, I'm so glad I did!
Nope! Your baby will sleep fine in a reusable cloth diaper! Some reusable diapers, particularly the pocket diaper design, are thick and may seem uncomfortable for your little one. But they are snug and warm, which little ones tend to like early on!
If your baby has trouble keeping breastmilk or formula down, you can either purchase slimmer inserts for the pocket diaper design or slightly elevate one side of your little one's bassinet or crib. You can also purchase a wedge pillow designed to keep your wee one tilted upright just enough to keep milk down.
As your little bug grows, you may find that he likes to take his diaper off. Check to see if you are fastening his reusable diaper too tight. If not, you may just have a baby who loves being unencumbered!
This depends on where you live, the type of diaper you purchased, and the diaper's material. The main problem for reusable diapers is moisture. If you live in a location with hot, steamy summers, you will need to purchase a lighter cloth diaper design and change the diaper soon after use.
If you opt for the pocket diaper, choose inserts designed for moisture-wicking, like charcoal bamboo fleece (not entirely natural) or a hemp-cotton blend. These inserts performed amazingly well for my babies in a wet subtropical location.
I also let my babies stay in just diapers most days at home to keep them from sweating much. When venturing outside, I simply kept them hydrated, shaded, and changed as soon as they wet their diapers. It worked well!
Some parents like to switch to disposable diapers when traveling to avoid carrying around a wet bag full of stinky surprises. This is incredibly convenient if you will be overnighting somewhere that doesn't have a way to rinse and wash those diapers.
In such cases, you can purchase disposable diapers for the trip if your little one's bum can handle the switch. Mine couldn't go back and forth, especially in the summertime. They both broke out in an itchy rash whenever I put them into disposable diapers for travel emergencies.
If you are able, you can spend a little more to buy eco-friendly disposable diapers that will break down in a landfill. Though these are not eco-friendly in production, they eventually break down in the elements, so using them in a pinch (baby skin allowing) will make traveling more convenient.
I did. When my second came along, we had an extremely tight budget. So, I reused the first baby's cloth diapers for the second. I only had two diapers with stubborn stains and worn-out elastic that I tossed. The others were fine and worked well.
If you have another baby on the way, wash the used cloth diapers well, treat any remaining stains, and throw out anything with a funky smell. A foul odor is indicative of bacteria.
If the elastic is worn out, you can replace it or take it to a seamstress, who will repair it. Fixing a reusable diaper is much cheaper than replacing it! If you find that the inserts are not soaking up moisture well enough, then replace them.
Though I reused cloth diapers between my own kids, I do not recommend using someone else's used cloth diapers. You don't know how well they were cleaned and maintained, how they were stored, or what kinds of chemicals were used to clean them. In this case, it is best to stick with what you know!
If you are curious about other environmentally friendly baby products you can use, check out The Ultimate Guide to Reusable Essential Baby Products. Aside from sharing a list of sustainable product options for baby necessities, I also describe reusable wipes and how to make them at home.
There you have it! Reusable cloth diapers are a fantastic option for eco-conscious baby parents on a budget. They are overall more cost-effective, friendlier to your baby's bottom, and a better choice for the environment. Though cleaning reusable diapers adds another daily chore to your list, they are worth the effort!
You don't have to teach your baby to play. Left to her own devices, she will wiggle, giggle, and play with whatever she can reach, especially after the first two months. Why is the desire to play built into babies?
Play is crucial for a baby's physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language development. Parents can promote skill development in these areas by doing sensory activities with their babies. For example, talking about animal toys while playing with them in the grass will encourage babbling.
Playing is the most effective way to engage your baby's mind for any kind of development. This article will focus on how play helps your baby develop language skills and provides some of the best activities to do so.
Your baby has got to play; it is an essential part of his life! Not only is it fun, but it also helps him explore and discover the world around him. As your baby grows, you'll notice that his playing for discovery becomes experiments of putting random elements together to play out what happens.
That's how you will get those priceless memories of a very serious little cupcake-dinosaur doctor-magician telling you a fanciful tale that is only half understandable. But for a toddler to gain this stellar storytelling ability, he must first do a ridiculous amount of observation and listening in his first year of life.
As with everything, language development is tied to other areas of development, and play happens to cater to all of them simultaneously.
When it comes to laying the foundation of language development during the first year, baby sensory activities are the way to go. They help your little one build his understanding of reality by engaging the senses (taste, touch, smell, sound, and sight).
Sensory activities can be as simple as a few toys in a tub of water or a baby busy book with different flaps, colors, and textures sewn into the cloth pages. Whatever you do for a baby sensory activity, ensure you don't overwhelm your baby's senses.
The baby toy market is flooded with bright and flashy disco-noisemakers that are only entertaining because they distract your baby. A newborn doesn't need that craziness, and neither does a six-month-old (or even a twelve-month-old, for that matter).
Instead of "desensitizing" your baby to electric toys and TV shows, try letting him learn more naturally by soaking things up at his own rate by playing with classic baby toys or with sensory activities. When your baby is focusing on something with one or two senses, he is essentially studying reality.
If you want to learn more about baby sensory activities, how they work, and how to set up a sensory environment for your little one, read Baby Sensory Activities: A Guide to Promote Healthy Development.
Play aids in developing a baby's brain structure, brain function, and learning process ability, all of which are vital for shaping the way she will later pursue goals and focus on the task at hand (source). We see these same benefits across thousands of animal species.
For many baby animals, play is essential for learning to survive, hunt, flee, or hide. It's a safe time to try crazy things, act out scenarios, explore the area, and discover one's own abilities and limits.
Human infants will not be pouncing out of trees in their play, but they will be testing boundaries, seeing how far they can crawl, and reaching for things they haven't explored yet.
As parents react to what they say or do, babies take note of their parents' tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. Somewhere between seven and twelve months of age, babies can understand several spoken nouns and basic commands, but cognitively, they interpret your tone and mannerisms incredibly well.
When you invest time into playing with and talking to your baby, you are investing directly in her language development. The more she hears you speaking about what she understands in front of her, the better off her language development will be (source).
Play is the cornerstone of social and emotional development in human babies, toddlers, young children, and animals that play. Even human play that lacks verbal communication can encourage social and emotional development.
In those first weeks, smiling at your newborn, cuddling, singing, and talking to him about what you are doing are the beginnings of his social life. These activities make him feel safe and loved (even when he's crying).
As your baby's mind rapidly develops and gains new skills and insights daily, you will notice him being more vocal and seeking your attention with his voice. This cooing and crying for attention are your baby's first attempts at intentional verbal communication, and it skyrockets from there!
I won't go into the stages of language development in this article because I've already done that in a previous one. If you would like to read about that, check it out here: From Babbling to Words: A Comprehensive Guide to Baby Language Development.
Once your baby has become a toddler who knows a few words, you will notice that his play changes a bit. He will start playing through scenarios with his toys or with friends and family. This type of play is like fuel to the fire of language and thought development. Your toddler's vocabulary will explode along with his imagination!
As you can see, play is not a frivolous matter; it's serious business! So, what are some ways parents can play productively with their babies to ensure they give their little ones the best start possible?
Baby sensory activities and games are fun, engage multiple senses, and promote verbal communication. Here are seven of the best baby activities I personally used to have fun and get my baby babbling!
This was a favorite game for my babies in their first year. Around six months old, most babies have figured out how to bang things together, so it is easy to turn it into a game of funny faces, babbling, and laughs.
If your baby cannot sit up for this game yet, you can sit her into a seat or a high chair with a tray or hold her up yourself. Put a few blocks, a ball, and a toy hammer in front of her. Show her that the blocks make a sound when you smash them together or hit them with a hammer.
Make a big deal about it: a silly face, cover your ears, and say, "Bang!" But if your baby hits the ball, make a different, softer sound like "bump!" Your baby will likely catch on quickly and revel in making so much noise and goofy laughter.
Any kind of hand-sized ball will work for this one, but my favorite type was a racquetball. When your baby is four months old or older, start rolling a ball to him and say, "Go ball!" Somewhere between six and eight months old, he may begin grabbing it and throwing or rolling it back.
As your baby becomes more interested, you can set up a track for the ball or something to hit at the other end of a hallway. This game is a lot of fun to drum up and get excited over together! It's also fantastic for hand-eye coordination, gross motor skills, and learning to say "ball," "uh-oh," and "go."
This game starts off quietly but quickly devolves into giggles when you say, "You got me!" Some babies can play this at eight months old, but others may need to be a bit older. You will start by looking at your baby and making a funny sound while she is doing something.
If she doesn't look for you, keep making sounds louder and louder until she tries to make eye contact with you. When she looks at your face, look away with a silly face. After she looks down again, look at her until she looks your way again.
Keep going back and forth, making more silly faces and sounds until she catches you looking directly at her. Then say, "You got me!" and make a big deal about it.
Hide-and-seek starts with all players knowing the game, but the concept is difficult to grasp for babies less than a year old. So, you can play by hiding somewhere your crawling or walking baby can find you and say, "Where am I?"
When your baby finds you, jump out and say, "Yay! You found me!" or "Here I am!" Make a big happy deal of how your clever baby found you. It won't take long before your baby will start giggling in anticipation when you say, "Where am I?"
As a side note, I always hid where I could still see my babies just to make sure they didn't get into something they shouldn't while I was out of sight. This also made sure I didn't hide "too well."
Another great first-year game for language development starts with you either holding onto your baby or strapping her into a baby carrier. Then, name a direction or preposition, point in that direction, and move that way in three steps, counting as you go.
For example, you could say "right," point your baby's hand right, and count the steps out loud. Then, say "down," point your baby's hand down, and crouch down. Next will probably be "up," point your baby's hand up, and stand up again.
As your baby figures out the hand gestures, she will start emphatically gesturing directions and soon add verbal babble that you can reinforce with the proper name of the direction. If she gets mischievous by pointing you into a wall, you can come up with equally goofy ways to "crash."
You've probably already figured out that your baby wants to read the same books a few dozen times a day. If you're not there yet, that phase will come soon. This repetition is fabulous for your baby's learning but can certainly bore you, so why not mix it up a little?
You can go through books to name colors and things as you point to them for nine-month-olds and younger. Most babies in the first nine months only read for a few minutes, so you can try singing the words, using silly voices, or moving your baby's fingers to things in the pictures.
If your baby likes reading books and is closing in on his first birthday, you can start asking him to point things out in the pictures as you read. You can also pretend to fall asleep mid-sentence, read super fast, or really slowly.
My babies had an obscene number of stuffed animals, so to make an easy-to-imagine game for them after nine months of age, I would create a zoo in their room. It's easy to do, especially after you've visited a zoo or watched a short animal video.
Put all the animals of the same species together in groups. One group can be in the crib, one under the crib, one in a dresser drawer, one on the changing table, and so on. Then, you can talk about the names of the animals, how to take care of them, and which ones are friendly together.
If your baby starts to pull one out, you can say, "Oh no! The lion (or whatever it is) is out! Run!" and make a big, silly deal about running away from the animal or trying to catch it.
At first, your baby will not know what to do with all of this nonsense, but the game may become a favorite in the coming months if your baby becomes an animal-loving toddler.
Play is essential for language development in babies, so encourage it and play together as much as you can! Making funny faces, using repetitive phrases, and using silly body language all contribute to enriching the experimentation and creativity of imagination and playfulness.
And hey, if anyone tries to shame you for acting like a goof with your baby, inform them that you are investing in your child's holistic development and future success as a human being. That will throw them for a loop!
Thanks to years of being pummeled by "go green" campaigns in school, commercials, presidential debates, and billboards, you know going green is something you would like to do. But how can you create a sustainable home for your family on a tight budget with little free time?
Most advice revolves around buying eco-friendly cleaning products, reducing waste, and investing in sustainable baby and house products. Going green means changing your lifestyle to more sustainable habits. Not everything will be zero waste with a baby around, but you can take sustainable steps.
Now, there's a ridiculous amount of content on the internet for this topic, so this article will also cover more specific questions I asked as a new mom and struggled to find answers for.
If you think going green with a baby around will be a daunting task, you are not entirely wrong. According to the Environmental Protection Agency's 2018 waste report, the average American family produces 4.9 pounds of waste per person daily (source).
That was years ago--before COVID. Until the EPA releases an updated report, we can only speculate. But you can think about your own family and how many diapers you throw away daily, multiply that by the 3,745,361 U.S. babies born in 2023, and you have a rough estimate of how many diapers go into the trash each day (source).
300,000 disposable diapers are sent to landfills, get incinerated, or end up outside every minute in the U.S. alone (source). That's a significant number and a measurable amount for you to do something about.
Thankfully, we live in a time where access to sustainable baby products exists, albeit at a price. If you think about the cost upfront in terms of cost per use, however, you will find that many sustainable baby products actually give you more bang for your buck over the long run, especially if you have multiple kids.
Sustainable baby products include reusable diapers, cloth wipes, glass bottles, natural rubber pacifiers, wooden toys, and long-lasting, multi-purpose items like Moonkie's high-quality food-grade silicone toys and feeding sets.
At Moonkie, we are concerned about climate change and the wastefulness of plastic baby products. So, we have set out to create a line of sturdy, well-designed baby toys and products that grow with your child.
If you want to read a comprehensive guide on sustainable baby product essentials, check it out here: The Ultimate Guide to Reusable Essential Baby Products. In the spirit of not repeating myself, let's move on!
You've got to clean, and the sprays, soap, and scented cleaning products you use matter for the environment and your family's health. The products we use daily are chock-full of harmful chemicals--even the ones that are "rated safe."
But what is the alternative? "Eco-friendly" cleaning products are so expensive! Though you are not likely to get down to dollar store prices, you can leverage bulk natural soap, detergent, and cleaning product purchases every few months or go in on a bulk purchase with a friend or two.
Still, I had quite a few questions in this department as a new mom. Here are three of those questions answered for your benefit.
You can likely find a sustainability-minded soapmaker near you. Just ask about their soap-making process and the ingredients they use. Ask about bulk discounts if you like the quality and your skin isn't irritated!
Common soap ingredients that are NOT eco-friendly or good for your health are:
Ingredient |
Problems |
artificial, perfume, or natural fragrance |
often petroleum-based and may cause dermatitis, allergies, hormone disruption, or respiratory issues |
artificial coloring |
heavy metals absorbable through the skin |
sodium lauryl sulfate |
a common skin irritant used for foaming |
triclosan and triclocarban |
used for antibacterial properties, but they are probable carcinogens and impact the eyes, lungs, ears, thyroid, endocrine system, and reproductive system |
parabens |
soap preservative that is possibly carcinogenic and can cause skin irritation, fertility issues, or hormone imbalance |
ethanolamines |
DEA, MEA, and TEA are hormone disruptors |
dioxane |
a chlorinated solvent stabilizer that's bad for organs |
formaldehyde |
carcinogen, skin irritant, and toxin |
Once you start actually looking at soap ingredients, you may be horrified at how many chemicals you've been using that are awful for your family's health and the environment.
But thankfully, many people have picked up on the same issue and started businesses that make more responsible ingredient choices. Many small businesses make castile soap or coconut- or palm oil-based soap with essential oils.
The difference between soap recipes comes down to what natural resources are available to the soapmaker at reasonable prices. Coconut oil is a popular base for homemade soap because it is cheap in comparison to other oils.
An olive oil-based soap (castile) is an excellent option for those with super dry skin or allergies to coconut and palm oil. If environmental sustainability is a priority for you, ensure that it is also a priority for your soapmaker and ask about how their ingredients are harvested.
Yes! You can find many home laundry detergent recipes online. However, not all are safe, effective, sustainable, or wallet-friendly. Ensure you look into how each ingredient is sourced before going all in on a recipe.
For example, a typical homemade laundry soap detergent ingredient your grandma may have used is borax. Borax is a natural substance scraped out of dry lake beds or mined out of open-pit mines. Moreover, it is toxic to young children and builds up in your body through skin contact, your lungs (it's dusty to mix), or your mouth (source).
A super simple homemade laundry detergent uses washing soda and baking soda. Use around a 1/4 cup of white vinegar in the load's rinse cycle for laundry softener and deodorizer.
Dryer sheets are awful for your family's health and the environment! You can invest in three to six wool dryer balls instead and use those for years. Just pop three in the dryer with a load and let it run. If you really want a scent, add three to six drops of essential oil to one of the dryer balls.
You can either research homemade cleaning hacks and recipes online or find a company that creates eco-friendly cleaning products. If you are on a really tight budget, stock up on the homemade cleaning solution essentials.
If you opt to make your own cleaning solutions, you may be surprised at how cheaply you can make them. Watch YouTube videos, collect Pinterest pins, or search for cleaning recipes with natural ingredients online. Most recipes change based on the task, so don't expect an all-in-one spray cleaner.
Here are a few common homemade cleaner ingredients:
white vinegar
lemon essential oil
grapefruit essential oil
orange essential oil
baking soda
washing soda
castile soap
You can buy these ingredients in bulk online to save money over time. If you cannot afford a bulk purchase right now, you can split the cost with interested friends and family or save up for each purchase.
Sustainable house products are a bit easier to find but often come with a hefty price tag. That's because responsibly harvested natural materials are costly. But, if you truly want to make sustainable product choices, you'll have to make wise money choices.
You won't be able to get around the monetary investment unless you have some time on your hands. For instance, you could learn to make what you need yourself, go thrift shopping, buy when sustainable items are heavily discounted, or create a family home wish list for friends and family to help with.
If you don't have time for another hobby or hate shopping, you can save up for the products you need. You can also settle for having less and shift to a minimalistic lifestyle. Doing so would free up funds for what you really want and declutter your home!
If you are curious about how a minimalist lifestyle could work with kids, read Balancing Minimalism and Young Kids: What Do They Really Need?
Some people just love candles for the mood, scent, homeyness, and warm fuzzy feelings. Yet candles are often loaded with nasty ingredients that could harm you, your baby, and any pets you may have. Natural wax candles could be a middle ground, specifically soy wax or beeswax candles.
Beeswax is a natural, renewable wax that burns warmly and has a slightly sweet smell when burned in a candle. It burns cleanly, which is safe for your baby. However, the bee population is struggling a lot, so beeswax candles are expensive.
Soy wax is a slow-burning wax made from fast-growing soybean plants, which makes soy wax a renewable resource. It is also naturally biodegradable and clean-burning, making it safe at home.
Soy wax is not 100% eco-friendly, though. It requires vast fields, harvesting, cleaning, cracking, dehulling, rolling into flakes, oil extraction, and hydrogenation to go from bean to wax (source).
This takes a lot of manhours, machines, soil compaction from industrial farming, and shipping before a chandler uses it to make a candle. If you live in the U.S., your soy candle is likely made from wax grown and processed in the Midwest, which lessens the impact of shipping compared to other regions in the world.
Very few household products will work out to be totally eco-friendly; there is a cost to everything, unfortunately. However, learning the environmental cost of your family's items and daily routines is a step in the right direction.
By taking steps to minimize your environmental impact by buying sustainable products from responsible companies, repairing broken items, mending torn clothes, buying secondhand, and living more simply will help the environment. Thankfully, these steps will help you financially, too!
Millions of Americans don't have enough to eat, and that number increases every year. But the irony is that an American family also throws away an average of three pounds of edible food every week, which comes out to 168 pounds a year (source).
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), food waste accounts for 24% of all municipal waste (source). That's crazy!
You can markedly reduce your food waste by planning your week's meals in advance, not buying perishable food in bulk, and eating in more than out. Also, try starting a compost bin or getting some chickens (if possible) for kitchen scraps. That way, you are not sending your food scraps to the landfill.
Americans also waste a lot of water. The EPA states that an average household's leaks (running toilets, leaky faucets, and such) amount to roughly 10,000 gallons of wasted water annually (source).
Moreover, most of us are totally unaware of how much water we actually use on a daily basis. Most of us think we use less than 100 gallons of water a day, but the actual average is closer to 2,000 gallons (source).
That figure includes percentages of water used to produce the things we utilize daily, like our jeans, shirts, and smartphones. Additionally, it includes percentages of the water it takes to raise the food we eat, like meat, vegetables, and fruit. Thinking like this, we all may be shocked at our water usage!
Of course, you can look at your water bill to determine how much water you use in your house every day and take some steps to minimize it. Perhaps that means wearing your jeans more than once, washing breakfast dishes by hand rather than by dishwasher, and using pasta water for other things.
Once you start creating a sustainable home, you'll find more and more rabbit holes to go down and hurdles to jump through. Your family will use resources, and unless you live off-grid with a zero-waste mentality, you will probably leave a footprint.
However, you can safeguard your family's health and shrink your impact on the environment by educating yourself on what is in the products you use and how they are made, and invest in quality products that will serve your family for years. So, where are you going to start?
Imagine this: your living area is cluttered with toys and baby gear, and your little one(s) are running around in the chaos. You feel overwhelmed and frustrated, knowing it will take hours to clean up with your kid(s) coming behind you making more messes. You don't have time, energy, or brain space for this! Is all this stuff really necessary?
Tons of stuff is unnecessary for raising your children in a happy, healthy home. You can provide everything your children need and have a reasonably minimalistic lifestyle, but finding that balance requires reflection and experimentation. For example, are you willing to wear your baby instead of placing him in a baby swing?
Striking a balance between minimalism and young kids is possible, but that balance looks different from family to family. Let's look at minimalistic parenting, its benefits, and how to zero in on what your family really needs.
Minimalistic parenting involves simplifying your family's life by focusing on the essentials and reducing the excess. It's about creating a home environment that is calming, free of distractions, and promotes creativity and exploration for your little one(s).
Minimalism has a spectrum. Some minimalists live out of a backpack or with less than 100 items, and some minimalists ruthlessly slash stressful people and events out of their schedules but otherwise have a well-decorated home with toys and trinkets for their kids (these folks are not traditional minimalists).
I do not suggest that you become an extreme minimalist or a hermit, of course. Though it would be more entertaining if I took a hard stance, I'm not here to entertain.
Stress is a severe problem in America, with 27% of Americans in a poll conducted for the American Psychological Association in 2022 reporting that they are too stressed to function normally (source). And that was before inflation skyrocketed in 2023 and the presidential election campaigns of 2024 started.
In a world of stress, anxiety, and entities benefiting financially from blasting stressful information at you, it is no wonder that so many parents are feeling overwhelmed at home. By embracing some minimalistic parenting principles, you can reduce stress, save money, and teach your children the value of living with less.
The benefits your family could gain from minimalistic parenting depend on where you start and what principles you choose to implement. Taking slow, thoughtful action steps toward your family's goals in time, environment, and lifestyle could bring lasting rewards.
Generally speaking, most families see relief from clutter, gain more time for meaningful family activities, and save money.
One of the most substantial benefits of minimalistic parenting is that it reduces clutter and creates a more calming environment. When there are fewer toys, clothes, and other baby or household items, there is less to clean up and organize, reducing stress and anxiety and making it easier to focus on what matters most.
Clutter can cause stress and anxiety that, left unchecked, can harm our mental health and productivity (source). Add to that the stress of parenthood, especially that of young children, toddlers, and babies, and you can see why a cluttered home can lead to overwhelm (source).
Less stuff to pick up and manage may not only lead to less anxiety but also more time for family, cooking healthier food, exercising, and hobbies.
Americans are excellent at stuffing homes and schedules with extras; we almost feel guilty for not having "enough stuff" for our kids to play with or "enough things" to stay busy. Minimalistic parenting seeks to free up more time for family activities, which means saying "no" to extra events, hangouts, and opportunities.
Clutter can be a significant barrier to spending quality time with your family. Just think: how much time do you spend in a week cleaning, organizing, or pushing around stuff?
If you are not constantly cleaning and organizing to "get it together so you can think straight," you could spend more time with the family you work to raise well.
You could spend that time reading, playing, exploring, discovering, having tea parties, stacking legos, or anything else that is meaningful for your kids and creating lasting memories. Babies and young children need their parents to spend time with them.
Since you only have so much time, something has to give, which might as well be the time-consuming extras that are not part of your family's culture. These are different for everyone. For example, my family cut out or back on regular TV, movies, video games, shopping with friends, online deal hunting, and social media.
It's not that we never do these anymore; we just allow ourselves a maximum of four hours a month because our littles see us work online all day. So, we may have a family movie night, but that takes an hour and a half to two hours of that time allowance.
It's not for everyone, but this rule keeps us accountable to very little screen time at the end of the day, ensures we actively play with our littles, and saves us money. Now that we are used to it, honestly, we'd rather do family game nights, crafts, hiking, or yard games anyway!
And hey, if you have rules about how much stuff you allow into your home, then you will have less to buy, which will save you money! By focusing on the essentials, avoiding unnecessary purchases, and investing in durable, multi-stage toys and products, you can reduce spending and avoid debt.
With the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 years old averaging $237,482 these days, saving money by avoiding nonessentials can significantly impact your wallet (source). Now, this figure includes daycare and preschool costs in the early years, so if you plan to keep your littles at home, you'll save even more!
Taking some small steps toward minimalism is freeing when done well. But you've got to be strategic about it: doing too much at once may cause regret, while getting rid of stuff just to buy more will cause a vicious cycle.
Here are some tips from my own journey toward implementing some minimalistic parenting ideas.
As you take things away, replace them with something else. For example, if you get rid of your TV and the subscriptions you usually pay to watch shows and movies, you'll need a plan for using that new free time.
You could do anything that makes sense with that time and your budget; just make sure it is relevant to your family culture--not just more stuff.
You'll notice that some of these require things, equipment, or subscription fees, while others require time. The point of "replacing stuff" is to replace the excess with something more meaningful. And that "meaningful" could simply be margin or flex time to rest or a family hobby.
Marketing shapes people to buy a product whether they need it or not. If a product will serve your family well, then it is worth purchasing! It's even better if it is sustainably made, durable, environmentally friendly, and has an excellent cost-per-use ratio!
Your little one needs a safe place to sleep, nutritious food, seasonal clothing, a safe environment, learning opportunities, and your love and attention. Any other material things are extra fluff that will likely not make or break your child's growth and development.
So, instead of buying tons of toys and gadgets, invest in high-quality items that will last for years and can be used for multiple purposes. Depending on what you are willing and able to handle, this could include the following for your baby:
For a specific essentials list for babies that will last, read The Ultimate Guide to Reusable Essential Baby Products.
For a toddler, buying second-hand clothing, books, and durable, open-play toys is a superb way to focus on the essentials. Your toddler will also likely enjoy crafts, coloring, outdoor activities, and playing pretend with you. Keep it simple!
Find companies with a solid mission and commitment to producing sustainable products that won't need replacing every few months. For example, we design every product here at Moonkie to serve your family from babyhood through toddlerhood and beyond.
We use high-quality, food-grade silicone that is easy to clean and will not break down with sanitizing or break when your fluffy hooligan jealously snatches a baby toy for chewing. Rest assured, Moonkie has your family's health, safety, and environment in mind for every product we make.
Your little one may not need much in the way of material items, but she does need an engaging environment for exploring and learning. You can take her on walks outside, play at the park, meet friends for playdates, and talk about what you see while running errands in town.
At home, you can repurpose items you already have around the house. For example, you can clean out a milk jug and let your little one play with it for a while. You can add water or toys inside for your little one to shake or let her play with it in the bathtub.
You can also create a "rollercoaster" or "race car" with a laundry basket, build a fort out of couch cushions, or make a cardboard box fort. Everyday items to us can be super interesting to little explorers!
Another option is to invest some money into open-ended, durable toys that your little one will play with for years (and her little ones may play with one day!). Examples of this include wooden blocks and stacking cups.
You can read more about sustainable (by design and interest) baby toys here: Sustainable Baby Toys on a Budget: Affordable Options for Eco-Conscious Moms.
Yep, I said it. A considerable portion of the clothes and toys my kids got early on were from friends and family. This was a blessing at first, but every birthday and Christmas brought a whole new round of stuff. After a couple of years, I had to stop the relentless cycle of more coming in than going out.
I created an Amazon wishlist of what the kids could use or would enjoy and suggested family passes to the local zoo, museums, or kid-friendly events nearby. Nowadays, before someone buys something, they just ask what we are saving up for or what my kids specifically asked for.
Kids' toys are more manageable from my end, and the kids enjoy what they have, use their imaginations all day, and embark on adventures to whatever we have family passes for regularly.
Though I am not a full-on minimalist, employing some minimalistic parenting principles has freed up space, time, and money for my family.
You can do everything in your power to shield your kid from marketing or the shininess of new stuff, but it will get to her eventually, and it is powerful. Everything from fast food kids' toys to commercials to product pictures in the store will influence your little one and her desires.
As the parent, you can teach your little one about wants and needs: toys, influence, sustainability, sharing, saving, education, and donating are all hard lessons to teach.
Sometimes, teaching wants and needs means letting her buy that $5 plastic toy and watching her break it as soon as she walks out of the store. Compare that later to $5 spent on food, a ticket, or putting it in a savings jar for a family vacation. That's a lesson she can refer back to later.
Ultimately, if your little one grows up watching you balance minimalistic practices and parenting, she will likely understand it better and see the value of your actions. It's not about being a meanie; it's about quality over quantity in life.
Balancing minimalism and young kids can be challenging, but it is possible. Focus on the essentials, get creative, buy from sustainably-minded companies, ask those around you to participate, and teach your little one from the get-go as you can to create a simple and sustainable lifestyle.
Minimalistic parenting has many benefits, like less clutter, less stress, more family time, and saving money, but it has to be done thoughtfully. Take your time, make each decision count, and enjoy the benefits of a more streamlined home!
]]>Those brave souls who have decided to take on homeschooling their preschooler know that juggling a preschooler's interests, needs, skills, and education can be tough. So, what are some ways to balance a preschooler's need to explore with her impatience?
Preschool sensory activities are a phenomenal way to entertain and educate your preschooler. Your preschooler will explore a concept using their five senses (touch, taste, sound, sight, and smell). For example, you may set up a bin of soil, seeds, and some gardening tools to teach about farming.
Sensory activities can be fun, engaging, and educational for young learners. Even better, you can easily incorporate them into your homeschooling routine!
Toddlers and preschoolers are into everything already, so sensory activities are helpful in that they are designed to be messed with. Whether you set up an activity using sand and construction toys or fill a plastic bottle with water and glitter, preschoolers love sensory activities and essentially teach themselves by observation.
Making time to add preschool sensory activities to your pre-k homeschooling routine is also a wise move because of the following benefits.
Sensory activities engage your little one's senses and give him an opportunity to do something with that new sensory information. This could be talking through a process in imaginative play, solving a problem, thinking critically about how to use the tools at hand, and building sensory memories.
Immediately after birth, the brain creates neural connections primarily through sensory stimulation (like hearing and vision). By 4 or 5 months old, a baby is really beginning to hear syllables and experimenting with making sounds (source).
By the time a baby becomes a toddler (around 12 months old), he is making neural connections for higher cognitive functions, like working memory, mental imagery, and purposeful action (source).
The sheer number of neural connections a young child is making between 0 and 3 years old (1 million per second!) makes it a crucial time for cognitive development.
Add that some research suggests that 3 to 5-year-olds have advantages in reasoning, memory, and decision-making over older learners, and you can see why working with a preschooler's interests and innate desire to explore through activities is critical to his brain development (source).
Give your toddler a sensory activity and some space, and listen to what she says. She will probably begin using new sounds in pretend play to "describe" the sounds of the activity, and she may babble through whatever scenario she is playing through. This is fantastic for language development!
You can even sit by or play with her and talk through what you are doing in the activity. Don't use baby talk because your little one is listening to you to figure out how to describe what she's doing. Sensory activities are excellent for bringing up relevant vocabulary for specific contexts that may take a while to get to otherwise.
As you speak, use a variety of verb tenses to describe what you are now doing, what you did before, and what you will do next. English is a tricky language grammatically, so you might as well start showing your little one how to explain actions in time now!
Many sensory activities require your little one to use their hands and fingers, which is precisely what he needs to gain fine control of for writing and tedious tasks later in life. Obstacle courses and outside sensory activities encourage gross motor skills like jumping, crawling, and running.
Fine and gross motor skills are built by trial and error in lots of practice. The good news is that it is easy to provide practice opportunities! For fine motor skill activities, try these ideas:
Gross motor skill activities are lots of fun, too! Here are a few to get your preschooler started:
The way little kids can take anything and turn it into an imaginative game is astounding! And it turns out they need to play imaginatively to consolidate the information they have learned over time.
Pretend play is like a facilitator for speaking in new contexts, running through other ways a real-life scenario could have worked out, solving imaginary problems, regulating one's own emotions, figuring out how to communicate and work with others, and coming up with possible solutions to nagging issues (source).
Essentially, pretend play is integral to the holistic development of a child. Though sensory activities are often simple things thrown together for open play, they serve as the backdrop for exploration, observation, discovery, imaginative play, and creativity.
For example, let's say you've set up a big bin full of sand and tossed in a scoop, funnel, bottle, cup, paper towel tube, and bulldozer toy. Your preschooler will likely love feeling the sand, burying his hands, and letting scoops of sand fall onto his hand. But before long, he will try to use the tools you provided together.
During this sensory activity (and as you return to it multiple times), your little one will learn a few lessons through action and practice:
Obviously, your toddler will not use these words, but understanding these points will develop with repeated practice.
Other benefits your preschooler will gain from this sensory activity include:
Yep! All of this is from simply giving your kiddo time with a box of sand and a few random tools. Your preschooler will essentially teach himself through observation and exploration, which is what we want! I mean, how would you tell him all of these lessons?
Sensory activities work wonders for entertaining and educating preschoolers (and even babies). But having a few ideas now will give you time to prepare for a unique sensory exploration experience for your little one.
Sensory activities can be simple (like colored rice in a bottle) or complex (like setting up a finger craft). Here are seven unique sensory activities I've enjoyed doing with my own preschoolers.
Once I knew my kids could identify textures from memory, I set up a sensory scavenger hunt. All you have to do for this is collect various textured things and hide them around the yard or house. Then, you can guide your little ones with clues (older), saying "hotter" and "colder" (younger kids), or with pictures (younger kids).
For example, you can hide three to five uniquely textured things around a room or home, like a piece of coarse sandpaper, a squishy ball, a fluffy blanket, a little smooth chalkboard, and a woven basket. You could give the following hints for each one:
If your little genius has trouble figuring out the answer, give her a hint about the room or place where she can find something that matches the description. You may be surprised at how well your preschooler can play this game!
If your preschooler needs a simpler version, try asking her for something soft, rough, green, or something that makes a particular sound. She can build her confidence with this and then grow to do the more complex version above.
Cooking and baking are excellent sensory activities because they are a step-by-step process that can range in difficulty and involve many senses. Even better, cooking and baking are life skills your little one will need to learn eventually anyway!
You can involve your preschooler in helping you cook meals, prepare snacks, or bake a dessert to share with friends and neighbors. Making fruit salad, jello, bread, cookies, cake, scrambled eggs, spaghetti, you name it!
Of course, you must keep your little one safe from heat and sharp edges, but you can explain these precautions and show your preschooler how to pay close attention in the kitchen. After cooking or baking, you can even show him how to wash the dishes!
Take a box or bin and collect some of your little one's tiny house toys. Then, describe how a little doll will soon move into the box but needs help arranging her furniture. If your preschooler likes playing with dolls or "little people," then she may really enjoy this one.
You can make this as complex or simple as your preschooler can handle. My littles liked using dominos for walls or furniture and often ran off to grab other tiny toys to serve other furniture functions. This activity is superb for spatial recognition and fine motor skills.
If you have sensory story books (different textures on the pages), then use those for toddlers. But 4- and 5-year-olds may like to try to make the sensory elements happen as you read the story.
For example, you can collect a bin of random things to make sounds, textures, and colors come to life in the story you will read at storytime.
Items could be boots for the sound of walking, a rainstick for rain, a partially full water bottle for the sound of water, some playdough for "splat" sounds, a battery-operated fan for wind, a flashlight for sunlight,....get creative!
Gather a few textured or noisy materials and make an obstacle course out of them for your preschooler inside or outside. You can set it up for your little one to go through only touching a specific texture or color (avoiding all other textures or colors).
You can use bubble wrap, colored pieces of cardboard, couch cushions, wood, rocks, and anything else you can think of for this activity.
A listening challenge involves collecting things that make different sounds and asking your little one to identify what each one could be while he's not looking.
Once he's pretty good at this, you can assign a specific movement to each sound and see if he can get across the yard by moving according to the sound you play.
For example, you could do the following:
Get creative and have fun with this one!
Take a baking sheet or tray and put some Cheerios, raisins, peanuts, dark chocolate drops, mini marshmallows, and whatever other small snacks your little one likes. Set it on a sturdy table and give your little one a pair of chopsticks or plastic tweezers.
For whatever reason, my preschoolers LOVE this sensory activity and are really good at using chopsticks! To level it up, add a bit of colorful cereal in the bin and have your preschooler try to sort out the different cereals with a pair of chopsticks.
For some baby sensory activity ideas, check out our article: Baby Sensory Activities: A Guide to Promote Healthy Development.
If you are homeschooling your preschooler, sensory activities are a lifesaver! Sensory activities are beneficial for your little one's holistic development and also a fun educational opportunity to do together.
There will definitely be days that are harder than others, but know that homeschooling your preschooler is worth the hassle! Here are a few practical tips from experience:
Adding unique preschool sensory activities to your daily routine is an engaging way to entertain and educate your kiddo, and it's good for him! By providing these fun opportunities, you are investing in your child's cognitive, language, motor, and creative development. Besides, your little one may surprise you with how much they love sensory activities!
]]>
The Mom’s Choice Awards® has named Stacking Teething Rings, Stacking Cups, and Silicone Baby Food Containers as among the best in family-friendly toys and gear categories.
The MCA evaluation process uses a propriety methodology in which entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal, and cost.
"We're thrilled about this award and approval!” says Cindy, founder of Moonkie. “This honor reflects our dedication to providing premium baby products that make parenting easier, more enjoyable, and more memorable. We're proud of what we're doing and excited to keep bringing you more innovative, high-quality products in the future.”
To be considered for an award, each entrant submits five (5) identical samples for testing.
Entries are matched to evaluators in the MCA database. Evaluators are bound by a strict code of ethics not only to ensure objectivity, but also to ensure that the evaluation is free from manufacturer influence. The five evaluations are submitted to the MCA Executive Committee for final review and approval.
"Our aim to introduce families and educators to best-in-class products and services,” explains Dawn Matheson, Executive Director of the Mom’s Choice Awards. “We have a passion to help families grow emotionally, physically and spiritually. Parents and educators know that products and services bearing our seal of approval are high-quality and also a great value. The MCA evaluation program is designed to incorporate the expertise of scientists, physicians and other specialists; but we also engage parents, children, educators, and caregivers because they are experts in knowing what is best for their families.”
With the evaluation now complete, the testing samples of Moonkie products will be donated to schools, libraries, hospitals and nonprofit organizations.
At Moonkie, we understand the joys and challenges of being new parents. From our aesthetic and thoughtfully designed products to our commitment to exceptional customer service, everything we do is geared towards making your parenting journey a joyous and unforgettable one.
We set out to create a range of premium baby products that not only meet the highest quality standards but also elevate the parenting experience.
Join us on this journey and experience the magic of parenting with Moonkie.
The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for children, families and educators. The program is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. The organization is based in the United States and has reviewed thousands of entries from more than 55 countries.
Around the world, parents, educators, retailers and members of the media look for the MCA mother-and-child Honoring Excellence seal of approval when selecting quality products and services for children and families.
Learn more about the Mom's Choice Awards by visiting their website: www.MomsChoiceAwards.com.
]]>Babies are incredible! They build 1 million neural connections every second until they are 3 years old (source). And by 5 years old, your baby will have created 90% of all the neural connections he or she will ever make (source). So, what can parents do to keep up?
Every parent should know about the early stages of child development to inform their parenting, lifestyle choices, environment styling, discipline tactics, toy selection, and education decisions. The more parents know, the better equipped they are to give their child the best start.
In this article, we will list seven things you should know about your baby's development and provide some actionable steps to actually put that knowledge into practice.
Babies, even newborn babies, can learn and retain information (source). From the moment they are born, babies absorb information about their environment and the people around them like a sponge!
Since babies learn through their senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, it is crucial to show your little one a variety of sights, sounds, and experiences. However, it is easy to overdo it!
In those first weeks, your newborn will learn a ton just by being cared for and interacting with parents and family. As your little one's sensory skills improve, she will begin fixating on objects further away, react to your tone of voice, and seek to be held or comforted by select people.
However, as your infant grows in body and skill, she will need you to provide things to explore. Otherwise, she will get herself into trouble!
We talk extensively about how you can educate your little one in the way she is able to learn at each developmental step in Early Childhood Skills and Montessori Education: What You Should Know.
We all know babies and young children need social interaction to develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills. However, many parents are not aware of how crucial their role is in helping their child develop crucial language skills, all-important emotional intelligence, and useful problem-solving abilities.
Your little one needs you to talk to him, play with him, and interact with him to learn. Of course, interacting with others is necessary, too, but that connection with parents is by far the most vital connection for babies to learn social, emotional, and language skills.
By spending a part of your day or smaller blocks of time throughout your day playing with your little one away from devices and distractions, you will work wonders for your baby's social development. Add playdates outside, at friends' houses, in the library, or in any other group setting to add more social interactions.
Play is not just a way for children to have fun; it's also fundamental for their brain development and starts from birth! Play helps little ones develop their imagination, creativity, and problem-solving skills. It also helps them learn how to regulate their own emotions and interact with others (source).
Playing is all about sensory exploration and social connection at first. Giggling at your silly sounds and faces, grasping random things within reach, chewing on whatever is in hand, babbling to that other baby in the mirror, and all the other activities your baby does for play are integral to building foundational skills.
As your little one progresses through rolling over, pushing up, rocking, crawling, pulling up, cruising, and walking, new areas of your home come within reach, and new abilities allow further exploration.
As such, you will find that your little one will not stick to one area, fascination, or pattern for long--she will move on to figure out new things constantly!
Have you ever heard an adult look at a child and say, "I wish I had half your energy." With that little brain growing and learning exponentially, it's no wonder your little busy bee keeps going!
With all we know today about babies and child development, researchers have developed growth charts, percentiles, development patterns, and lists of milestones to look for at each step in a child's development. However, you must remember that every child develops at their own pace.
Your little one is unique with his own personality, genetic makeup, and gut microbiome. In fact, your host genome is 99.9% identical to your child's (and that of other humans), but your gut microbiome can be 80 - 90% different (source).
Add to biological diversity the difference in environment, parenting, discipline, resources, nutrition, and countless other factors, and then you can see why every child develops differently!
Milestones like rolling over, crawling, and walking are essential, but not every child reaches them at the same time. Your pediatrician is well aware of this, so you will find that your pediatrician will not worry about one skill being a bit "late."
Instead, your pediatrician will express concern if your little one is "behind" in multiple skills. To give you a basic idea of what pediatricians look for and ask about at each checkup in the first year, here is a chart compiled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) milestone lists (source).
Skill | Age in Months | ||||
Social and Emotional Milestones |
2 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
12 |
She calms down when you speak to her or pick her up. | ✓ |
||||
She looks at your face. | ✓ |
||||
She seems happy to see you when you walk near her. | ✓ |
||||
She smiles when you talk to or smile at her. | ✓ |
||||
He smiles to get your attention. | ✓ |
||||
He giggles when you try to make him laugh. | ✓ |
||||
He looks at you, moves, or makes sounds to get or keep your attention. | ✓ |
||||
She knows familiar people. | ✓ |
||||
She likes to look at herself in a mirror. | ✓ |
||||
She laughs fully. | ✓ |
||||
He becomes shy, scared, or clingy around strangers. | ✓ |
||||
He shows lots of facial expressions for common emotions. | ✓ |
||||
He looks at you when you call his name. | ✓ |
||||
He reacts when you leave (searches, cries, reaches, etc.). | ✓ |
||||
He smiles or laughs when you play peek-a-boo. | ✓ |
||||
She plays simple social games with you. | ✓ |
||||
Language and Communication Milestones |
2 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
12 |
He makes sounds other than crying (exhaling, gurgling, whining, etc.) | ✓ |
||||
He reacts to loud sounds. | ✓ |
||||
She makes cooing sounds like "oooo" and "aahh." | ✓ |
||||
She makes sounds when you talk to her. | ✓ |
||||
She turns her head to the sound of your voice. | ✓ |
||||
He takes turns making sounds with you (babble conversations). | ✓ |
||||
He sticks his tongue out and blows. | ✓ |
||||
He makes squealing noises. | ✓ |
||||
She makes a variety of sounds like "mamama" and "dadadada." | ✓ |
||||
She lifts her arms up to be picked up. | ✓ |
||||
He waves bye. | ✓ |
||||
He calls a parent "mama" or "dada" (or a different name) regularly. | ✓ |
||||
He understands "no" and hesitates briefly or stops when you say it. | ✓ |
||||
Cognitive Milestones |
2 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
12 |
She watches you when you move. | ✓ |
||||
She looks at a toy or object (like the ceiling fan) for several seconds. | ✓ |
||||
He opens his mouth when he is hungry and sees his mom's breast or bottle. | ✓ |
||||
He looks at his own hands with interest. | ✓ |
||||
She reaches to grab a toy she wants. | ✓ |
||||
She puts things into her mouth to figure them out. | ✓ |
||||
She purses her lips to show that she doesn't want any more food. | ✓ |
||||
He bangs two things together purposefully. | ✓ |
||||
He looks for objects when they are dropped out of sight. | ✓ |
||||
She looks for things she saw you hide, like a toy behind the couch. | ✓ |
||||
She puts things into a container, like a ball in a box. | ✓ |
||||
Movement and Physical Development Milestones |
2 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
12 |
He holds his head up when he's on his tummy. | ✓ |
||||
He moves both arms and both legs. | ✓ |
||||
He opens his hands briefly. | ✓ |
||||
When you are holding her, she holds her head steady without your support. | ✓ |
||||
She holds a toy when you put it in her hand. | ✓ |
||||
She uses her arms to swing at objects or toys. | ✓ |
||||
She pushes up onto her elbows when lying on her belly. | ✓ |
||||
She brings her hands to her mouth. | ✓ |
||||
He rolls from belly to back on his own. | ✓ |
||||
He pushes up with straight arms when on his belly. | ✓ |
||||
He leans on his hands for support when sitting. | ✓ |
||||
She sits up on her own. | ✓ |
||||
She can sit without support. | ✓ |
||||
She moves things from one hand to the other. | ✓ |
||||
She uses her fingers to scrape food toward herself. | ✓ |
||||
He pulls up to stand. | ✓ |
||||
He cruises (walks by holding onto things). | ✓ |
||||
He drinks from a cup without a lid with your help holding the cup. | ✓ |
||||
He picks tiny things up with his thumb and pointer finger. | ✓ |
You can go to the CDC's "Milestones" page for lists of milestones through to five years old. If you have any questions or concerns about your little one's development, ask your pediatrician.
Don't worry if your baby skips crawling entirely or begins babbling syllables at 10 months instead of 9 months. As long as your wee one is thriving, eating and sleeping well, and taking an interest in exploring and communicating with you, he's fine. He's just marching to the beat of his own drum!
Sleep is vital for your baby's growth and development. Babies and young children need A LOT of sleep---up to 17 hours a day for newborns! With so much growth going on in your little one's mind and body, sleep functions as the "consolidator" for all that a baby learns throughout her waking hours.
Sleep, specifically deep sleep, is known to help with brain growth and memory consolidation. In a deep sleep, brain waves slow down, which allows your little one's memories of social interactions, sounds, learned skills, and such to be transformed into a long-lasting form that will serve as a foundation for related information later (source).
If a baby doesn't get enough sleep (cholic, sickness, caffeine through mom's milk, etc.), then she may try to eat more, fuss more often, or struggle to concentrate on something at hand.
According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), the hours of sleep a little one needs is determined by age and health, but it is not an exact science (source). Everyone is different!
Here are the NSF's guidelines on sleep for the early years. Use these as a guide rather than a strict rule.
Age | Suggested Hours of Sleep |
Newborns (0 - 3 months) | 14 - 17 hours total (night and naps) |
Babies (4 - 11 months) | 12 - 15 hours total (night and naps) |
Toddlers (12 - 24 months) | 11 - 14 hours of sleep (night and naps) |
Preschoolers (3 - 5 years) | 10 - 13 hours of sleep (night) |
You've probably heard the saying, "What goes in is what comes out," in reference to the media content we consume daily. You can apply this principle to nutrition, too, though not in the obvious sense. The quality of the food you feed your child matters because it feeds your little one's rapidly building cells.
In the first six months, breast milk or formula provides adequate nutrients for your baby to grow. However, around six months old, your little one will need more iron than milk provides, so you will need to start introducing solids. For a guide on how to do that, read Introducing Baby to Solid Food: When to Start, What to Try, and How to Begin.
As your little one grows, expand his taste by introducing a good variety of healthy foods to make sure he gets all the nutrients he needs. Remember: the quality of the calories your little one eats is far more crucial than the calorie quantity.
For example, a burger and fries give a lot of calories, but they are not serving your child's body like veggies and chicken would. Initially, you won't have to worry about convincing your baby to eat quality calories, especially if he sees you eating them, too. Later on, you can explain how the body works better with healthy food.
Generally speaking, you want to put 30 plant-based foods in your little one's diet (and yours) each week. Yeah, that many! This way, you and your little one's gut microbiome will have a variety of nutrients to pull from to build a healthy mind and body while staving off disease (source).
Don't know where to start on a budget? Check out our guide: The Ultimate Guide to Simple Fresh Baby Food Recipes You Can Store in the Freezer.
Not to be cheesy, but you are your little one's key to healthy physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. As the parent, you are responsible for the quality and quantity of input your little one gets in exploration, discovery, nutrition, sleep, play, and social interaction.
Your love, attention, and guidance can help your child grow into a happy, healthy, and well-adjusted adult. And yes, that means taking care of yourself too! You bring your little one joy, but you also bring her other emotions to reflect.
Whether you like it or not, you are being watched and studied by that brilliant baby. And you may not realize just how much until that mini you starts walking and talking just like you do now. You set the standard and the rules, so be mindful and intentional.
And one more thing, don't miss out on this miracle growing in front of you. I know it's hard and long and full of ungratefulness, but the seeds you plant now will turn to fruit years from now, and you may miss this time dearly. Enjoy the journey! These are the longest yet shortest years you'll ever live.
Understanding the early stages of child development is crucial for parenting, guiding, and caring for your little one. Laying a solid foundation for a happy, healthy life in the first few years will help your little one reach for the stars and beyond. Cherish every moment--they grow up so fast!
The idea of preparing baby food at home makes some parents anxious. Either they think they don't have time, don't know where to start, or think the cost of making baby food is comparable to buying it from the store. Is making baby food worth the trouble?
Preparing and freezing batches of baby food from simple, fresh, puree recipes is an easy way to save money and time. Moreover, homemade baby food can provide a variety of nutrient-dense food for your little one, expanding her taste and feeding her body's growth.
With some planning and preparation, you can make and store plenty of baby food! Read on to learn about freezing baby food, how long is too long in the freezer, and seven simple yet flexible baby food recipes to get you started.
Yes, it is okay to freeze homemade baby food. Making baby food at home is a fantastic way to ensure that your baby is getting the nutrients they need on a tight budget, and storing it in the freezer is a convenient way to have healthy meals on hand whenever you need them.
Of course, following proper food safety guidelines when preparing and storing homemade baby food is vital to keeping your little one healthy. Here's a list of steps to keep in mind:
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it is safe to freeze homemade baby food for up to one month (source). However, the longer you keep it in the freezer, the more the quality and nutritional value of the food decreases.
It's an excellent idea to label your containers with the date you made the food and serve it within a couple of months. Otherwise, those containers will get lost in the deep-frozen abyss of forgotten freezer foods.
Frozen baby food can be as simple as a single pureed ingredient, like banana, and that's what you may start off with at the beginning to identify any food allergies. But, once you have three to five single foods that you know your little one can eat, you can blend multiple foods for a better nutrient density.
During the days when I was sleep-deprived, feeding a baby, and chasing a toddler, I relied on simple purees that I could throw together, divvy out, and freeze within five to ten minutes.
If I managed to get a block of time when both kids were napping or being entertained by grandparents, I would stock the freezer with an entire month's worth of nutritious baby food purees in less than an hour.
The secret is to utilize the fresh ingredients you already have on hand so you don't have to make a massive grocery haul across multiple markets.
If you're not one to keep plenty of fresh fruits and veggies stocked each week, then make a list of ingredients you know you can get from your primary grocery store. Keep things simple for your sanity!
Here are my favorite seven simple, fresh baby food recipes that were absolute winners with my littles.
This recipe is as simple as can be and requires zero cooking, but babies love it! Even better, it is packed with healthy fats, vitamin B6, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and manganese.
Peel two bananas for every peeled avocado you use and puree until smooth. Add a little breast milk or formula if it's too thick or just to add a few more nutrients.
You can add so many other ingredients to vary this basic recipe:
Simple yet sweet and delightful, this recipe is homemade applesauce. It is delightful for tiny foodies by itself or along with carrot, mango, peach, pear, avocado, banana, cinnamon, ginger, and many other fresh ingredients.
Peel, core, and cut four medium apples into about one-inch chunks. Bring about two inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the apple chunks, cover, and steam for fifteen minutes. Then, blend the apples in a blender or food processor until smooth.
If you have a baby food steamer, you'll simply add the apple chunks to the canister and set the dial to steam. Once it beeps, flick the knob over to blend until the apples are a smooth puree. Easy peasy applesauce!
No list of easy baby food recipes is complete without a sweet potato recipe! Sweet potatoes are terrific with a pinch of cumin or a bit of maple syrup.
Though you could boil or steam these, I liked to roast them for a different flavor. Take two medium sweet potatoes, scrub them well, and lay them on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet in the oven at 425°F (218°C) for 45 minutes or until tender.
Let them sit until they cool. Then, scoop the potato out of its skin and put it into a food processor or blender. Blend it until it's the right consistency for your little one, adding a bit of water if necessary.
Try adding any one or more of the following for new combinations to explore:
Here is a nifty and nutritious baby food puree that doesn't require any cooking! Simply rinse the berries, cut the tops off the strawberries, peel the bananas, toss them into a blender, and blend until smooth.
You can add any of the following to give this sweet puree even more nutrients without cooking:
Spinach leaves have a slight sweetness that kale and other dark leafy greens lack, making spinach a fantastic leafy greens starter for your baby!
Buy a bag of spinach leaves, chop them up, and freeze them (or buy them frozen and chopped already). A few hours before making the puree, defrost the spinach in its bag on the counter or defrost it in the fridge overnight.
You can also use the ever-helpful microwave's defrost setting or warm water. Once thawed, pour all the spinach and its liquid into the blender. Blend until smooth, adding water when necessary.
Try adding one or more of these to add more variety:
This one is unique but so surprisingly tasty for littles! You can blend this with ginger and even a bit of cumin for a different flavor.
Peel and chop four or five good-sized carrots into thick discs and cut about two cups of cauliflower florets.
Steam the carrots in a covered steamer basket over simmering water for five minutes. Add the cauliflower and steam for another ten minutes until tender.
Pour the vegetables into a blender with a pinch of ground ginger and blend until smooth. If it's too thick or not blending well, add a bit of water.
Okay, this may not be your grandma's chicken soup, but it's whatever made-from-scratch chicken soup recipe you like that isn't spicy or overly salty (you can add that after scooping enough out for your baby).
I liked doing different variations of chicken soup from scratch because it was enough for everyone! All I had to do was scoop out a bit for my baby and blend it. Chicken soup is an easy recipe to change up, feed everyone, and provide a nutritious puree for your baby!
At first, dole out your baby food purees into one-ounce or two-tablespoon compartments (silicone ice cube trays with a lid are perfect for this). After a few weeks, you will need to either increase your block size to two ounces (silicone freezer trays are about this size) or thaw two or more blocks for one meal.
You will find that your little one will eat like a bird some days and like a football player on other days, and that is okay! Just keep any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. Do not reheat or refreeze baby food because there's too much risk for bacteria growth.
You can put a block or two of purees into a container and set it in the fridge overnight to thaw. You can also pop it into the microwave or on the stove for a few seconds or until the puree has thawed. Mix it well and test for heat to ensure the puree isn't too hot before serving.
Purees don't always have to be warm. It is actually helpful for your little one to explore food at different temperatures! Some babies prefer warm food, while others prefer cool or even cold purees. Cool purees may soothe sore gums when your baby is teething.
Don't overthink making baby food! Look at what you already buy to feed yourself first. Fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat are the best options for babies. Start by pureeing and offering one thing at a time. Later, you can combine an ingredient or two.
Giving your little one pureed baby food out of the fresh ingredients you already buy normally will lift some weight off your mind.
However, what you offer your little one counts nutritionally. Every bite will help build your little one's brain and body, so don't go for cheap calories like sugar and bread.
For the first six to twelve months, your baby's primary source of nutrients will be breastmilk or formula. Around six months old, your pediatrician will recommend that you start introducing solids to help your little one get more iron and begin building his sense of taste.
You definitely shouldn't feed your baby purees or solid food until they are four months old, so wait for six months if you can (source).
Once your baby has begun eating baby food, add as many ingredient colors as possible for each meal (source). If you only give your baby mashed bananas all day, then you will not have given much variety in nutrients, textures, or tastes. For the recipes above, consider providing a different colored puree for each meal.
When your baby grows beyond purees, you can offer the same food you processed for purees in a bigger form. Cooked peas, beans, oats, carrots, chicken, bell pepper, and peeled fruit are all tasty options to explore with color and texture.
Generally speaking, offering a variety of colors and textures from various fresh foods every day will ensure your little one gets exactly what he needs to grow and develop healthily!
Honey contains bacteria that can make a baby sick, so wait until your sweet baby is over twelve months old before letting her experience honey. Keep choking hazards like raw carrots and nuts away as well.
You can incorporate grapes into purees from the get-go, but you should wait until your little one is chewing solids before offering cut grapes. Whole grapes will remain a choking hazard for several years.
Water is excellent for babies venturing into the solid food world, but juice should be avoided because of its high sugar content. All your little one needs before twelve months old is water and breast milk or formula.
Try again later! Sometimes, your baby will balk at different tastes or textures, which is hilarious! It is totally normal for your little one to struggle with some foods and textures because she's been used to drinking her food.
Thankfully, babies are curious and explore with their senses. Not only does everything they grasp go straight to the mouth for tasting, but teething causes babies to chew and chomp. Introducing solids starts around the time babies start teething.
So, you may have to introduce a food eight to twelve times before your little one will care to swallow it, but that is normal. Just don't decide your baby doesn't like a particular food after two or three rejections---keep offering it!
The short answer is yes: food-grade silicone containers are safe for freezing baby food. Plastic containers can have harmful chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and PVC, but food-grade silicone is non-toxic, odorless, and does not leach harmful chemicals into food.
Silicone is a safe and effective material for food storage and preparation as it is easy to clean, holds up superbly to freezing as well as heat, and flexes rather than cracks. Silicone food containers are durable and long-lasting!
However, not all silicone food containers are created equal. So, ensure you choose high-quality food-grade silicone containers free of fillers and additives.
If you are unsure what to look for, check out our discussion of how silicone is made and why it's everywhere in the baby product world here: Pros and Cons of Silicone Baby Toys: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents.
Moonkie's silicone feeding set is made from 100% food-grade silicone, which is free of BPA, phthalates, and PVC. They are dishwasher safe, can be boiled for sterilization, and can be used repeatedly, giving you more bang for your buck in the long run.
Don't let making homemade baby food intimidate you; it's actually a really fun process! When I learned that I could make enough baby food for a month in under an hour, I was sold. Doing so saved us a lot of money as well! So, which puree will be your baby's first taste test?
]]>Introducing solid foods is one of the most fun experiences parents have with their baby. From adorably hilarious dislike faces to GIVE-ME-MORE responses, solid food introductions are a milestone for the books! But when is the best time to start? What do you try? And how do you begin?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most babies can typically start eating solid foods at four months old, but it is better to wait until around six months old (source). However, every baby is different; you should always consult your pediatrician before starting solids.
For such a basic life skill, a lot of thought and care goes into starting a baby on solid food. Let's get to it!
The AAP recommends introducing solids around six months of age but no earlier than four months old (source). However, every baby is different, so it's a good idea to consult with your pediatrician before starting solids.
The AAP has guidelines to help parents determine when their little one is ready to embark on their first culinary adventure. If your baby can do all of the following and has a green light from the pediatrician, then he is ready for solid food (source):
swallows food instead of pushing it out of the mouth
No, breast milk or formula should be the main nutrition source for babies until they are six months old. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a baby should be totally breastfed for the first six months to pull off optimal growth, development, and health (source).
Think about it: breast milk is safe, contains all the nutrients your baby needs, and contains nifty antibodies that help protect your little one from illness (source). Breast milk is powerful stuff, and it helps your little one for as long as you are willing to feed her!
But even if breastfeeding is not an option, baby formula is the next best thing until six months of age. Part of this is due to your little one's digestive system's maturity and ability to break down solid food to get the nutrients he needs.
So, if the WHO says your baby should wait for solids until six months old, why does the APA say your baby can start eating solids if she is physically ready at four months old? This difference in recommendation simply sets guidelines for what's best and what's possible.
If your little one is breastfeeding, awesome! Start introducing solids during family meal times whenever she's physically ready and interested in doing so. Do likewise for formula babies.
But for those few babies who struggle with eating, gaining enough weight, or feeling satisfied with the amount of milk they are getting, starting solids between four and six months may be necessary just to keep up with baby's needs if the pediatrician recommends it.
When it comes to what to try, it's essential to introduce a variety of food to help develop your baby's taste buds and ensure she's getting all the necessary nutrients. Though you could start with the run-of-the-mill rice cereal or pureed fruits and vegetables, why not try something like pureed avocado blended with fruit or sweet potato blended with kale?
You can also try adding common spices like cinnamon or cumin down the road to introduce new flavors. Just get creative and enjoy it! Introducing a large variety of foods early on can help prevent picky eating later in life (source). However, you should introduce only one new food at a time and watch for signs of an allergic reaction.
Here is a list of typical starters for early food explorers:
Pediatricians often recommend iron-fortified cereals like rice cereal as a first food because they are a good source of iron. According to online reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), iron-fortified cereals are easy to digest and provide all-important nutrients for tiny tummies (source).
Breastfeeding babies get plenty of iron until around six months old. After that, their not-as-tiny bodies need another source of iron through solid food to keep up with growth. However, formula-fed babies typically get plenty of iron through their formula until they are around twelve months old (source).
Iron-rich solid foods you can make for your little one include cooked red meat, fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, and dark green leafy vegetables. Again, introduce one of these at a time to check for allergic reactions, and ask your pediatrician for food your baby needs specifically.
Pureed fruits like apples, pears, bananas, or peaches are classic options for babies because they are easy to digest and naturally sweet. Your little one's eyes will light up with these sweet treats!
Some babies don't like the tartness of pureed berries at first, which is totally fine! Try blending the berries with breastmilk or formula milk to see if it makes them palatable. My babies quickly overcame any initial food aversions if I blended tart flavors with bananas.
Sweet potato, squash, carrot, and pea purees are not enjoyable for teenagers doing "Guess What This Is" baby food challenges but tasty for baby foodies.
Vegetable purees are easy to make, packed with nutrients, easy on the belly, and can be mixed with some breast milk or formula to create a smooth puree. Don't avoid giving your little one veggie purees because you hate peas; he hasn't decided for himself yet!
Avocados are an exceptional source of healthy fats and can be blended with breast milk or formula to make the puree much smoother. Thanks to its creamy texture and taste, avocados blend well with bananas, leafy greens, berries, peaches, pears, mango, sweet potatoes, zucchini, oats, and seasonings.
Avocado purees will brown quickly, but they keep well in the freezer if you divide the puree into ice cube trays or silicone cups and place an airtight lid on them within a few minutes of blending. You may like avocado purees, too!
At first, you don't have to add sugar, salt, or seasonings to your little one's purees because she doesn't know the difference yet. She is just interested in tasting all the things. As the weeks go on, you can start introducing spices like cinnamon or cumin to their purees.
Of course, a little goes a long way for baby, so don't overdo seasonings and spices just yet! Wait until she has a few solid foods she enjoys regularly before you begin spicing things up.
And just as you do with solid foods, only introduce one spice per meal to test for allergic reactions like hives, rash, swelling, vomiting, or diarrhea. If you notice any of these, stop giving her that food and contact your pediatrician right away.
There are so many unique foods for your baby to try, but one that may not be obvious to avoid is honey. Don't feed your baby honey until she is over twelve months old. The problem is a bacteria called Clostridium that causes infant botulism, which can cause muscle weakness, constipation, and a weak cry.
If you think your baby ate some honey from a well-meaning sibling, friend, or family member, call your pediatrician immediately for symptoms to look for and what to do next.
Making delicious homemade baby food can be a superb way to ensure your baby is getting fresh, nutritious food. If you enjoy cooking at home, it can be fun and cost-effective, too!
Here are some beginner tips for making homemade baby food:
A fantastic, reliable blender or food processor makes a world of difference! Look for one with positive reviews for use, durability, ease of cleaning, and puree smoothness.
You can even opt for a baby food maker that will steam and puree the food all in one cycle!
Choosing fresh ingredients is one of the culinary joys of making your own baby food! Giving your little one fresh food is integral to expanding his taste, and providing real food early on may lay the groundwork for healthier eating habits later in life.
Buy ripe fruits and veggies that are in season and organic if possible. Rinse well or peel before cooking. If you choose to buy locally from a farmer's market, you'll support local farmers, too.
Cook the fruits or vegetables until soft, then puree them fully in a blender or food processor. If the texture isn't smooth enough or your baby's puree seems a bit thick, try adding a little breastmilk or formula.
There are tons of free baby food recipes online that you can try to learn which fruits you need to cook before pureeing. Not all of them need to be cooked! Otherwise, steaming, boiling, or cooking before blending helps break vegetables and starchy fruits down before blending, resulting in a much smoother puree.
After a few weeks of introductions, you can simply puree whatever you are cooking yourself for dinner. One way to make early introductions and solid food meals more manageable during the week is by making large batches of baby food purees and freezing them.
Just scoop individual servings of puree into ice cube trays or silicone baby food trays with an airtight lid and freeze. Once frozen, you can pop them out into an airtight bin or bag for freezer storage and keep them for up to two or three months, depending on the ingredients.
Introducing solid foods will give your little one's belly new stuff to break down, inevitably resulting in more rumbles, bubbles, and gut activity. So, yes, solid foods can impact your baby's sleep, but is it for the better or the worse?
It is a long-held belief that solid foods actually help babies sleep longer because solid food takes longer to break down, leaving babies sleeping longer between night feedings.
One study in particular seems to confirm this, but the benefits came out to two fewer night wakings per week and sleeping for an average of 17 minutes more each night (source). This seemingly insignificant difference means the world at this stage of parent sleeplessness!
It is also possible, however, that your little one could stay up with an upset belly if they ate something that didn't sit well. Generally speaking, a baby's developing gut microbiome will adjust admirably to a varied solid food diet (source). So, let your little foodie explore!
Yes, introducing solid foods can change your baby's diaper habits. As he eats more solid foods, his bowel movements may become more solid and less frequent. This is normal, but don't hesitate to talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns.
Sometimes, your little one will have lumps of food in his diaper. Grape skins, carrots, and corn are the common culprits. Ideally, you will either avoid these or cook them down and puree them before giving them to your baby. Cut grapes into little pieces before serving them to your baby.
Paying attention to your baby's cues is essential when it comes to giving him solid food. Look for signs that he's hungry, like smacking his lips or reaching for food. On the flip side, watch for signs that he's full, like turning his head or pushing food away.
Let your baby guide the feeding process, and don't force him to eat if he's not interested. Also, don't make him finish the last few bites! Trying to make him do so will only lead to unhealthy eating habits later (source).
One skill your baby needs to learn is using a spoon to scoop food out of a bowl or off a plate. As you can imagine, spoon skills are a messy lesson to learn! You can make cleanup super easy with Moonkie's soft, durable, easy-to-clean silicone feeding set.
We thought of everything when we designed this 14-piece feeding set!
Item | Benefits |
1 silicone suction plate |
|
1 first-stage infant drinking cup |
|
2 silicone baby food containers |
|
1 infant feeding spoon |
|
1 silicone baby bib |
|
1 silicone placemat |
|
1 silicone suction bowl |
|
2 self-feeding utensils (spoon + fork) |
|
Even better, every piece can easily be tossed into the dishwasher for cleaning!
Introducing your baby to solid foods is such a fun experience that only lasts a short time. Try out a variety of foods, get into making homemade baby food, keep tabs on what your little one likes, and consult your pediatrician if anything seems odd. Enjoy taking your little foodie into this new world of possibilities!
Babies are simple relative to older kids. They just want to eat well, sleep a lot, poop when they need to, wiggle toward movement mastery, learn about the world around them, and connect with you. So why do we buy so much stuff for babies? And why are most of these things terrible for the environment?
Sustainability-minded parents want to give their baby the best start in life and lessen their environmental impact. Thankfully, reusable baby products exist for many baby essentials and postpartum care, such as cloth diapers and washable nursing pads. The only downside is adding some steps to your daily chore routine.
If minimizing what goes to the landfill is worth the upfront investment and extra daily chore time to you, read on to find out what that may look like!
At first, reusable baby products are pricey because they require more resources to create than ordinary disposable items. But after that, reusable baby products actually save you money, reduce waste, and may even minimize the amount of chemicals your little one is exposed to.
Not all of these seem realistic off the cuff, so here is a brief discussion of each benefit.
At first, you may gawk at the cost of reusable baby products, especially if you choose to buy from a local maker or select completely sustainably sourced, organic material. But, when you add up the cost of replacing disposable items over time, you will likely see significant savings within the first few months.
For example, a large box of disposable diapers from Sam's Club, Costco, or some other bulk-purchasing store will cost you over $25 for around 150 diapers, depending on the diaper size you purchase. With the average diaper career blasting through 7,000 diapers before potty training (pun intended), you're looking at $1,166 or more in diaper costs (source)!
Or you could spend $70 to $150 on a nice set of reusable diapers, eco-friendly and non-toxic laundry detergent, and a scrub brush for the duration of your baby's diaper days and possibly that of the next baby, too. Monetarily, cloth diapers offer more bang for your buck!
Disposable baby products, such as diapers, wipes, and nursing pads, contribute to a staggering amount of landfill waste each year. In fact, it's estimated that disposable diapers alone make up around 2% of all landfill waste (source).
You can significantly shrink your family's contribution to this waste by using reusable baby products. For example, a family that uses cloth diapers can save between 3,000 and 7,000 diapers from ending up in a landfill over the course of their baby's diapering years.
Reusable baby products can promote better health for your baby if you do your homework and select them carefully. Many disposable baby products contain chemicals, fragrances, plastics, polypropylene-based materials, and polymers, all of which can help get the job done but may harm your baby's delicate skin.
By using natural, chemical-free, reusable products (remember: not all reusable baby products are created equal), you can reduce your baby's exposure to these potentially harmful substances. But you have to do your homework and observe your little one closely with reusable baby products.
For example, cloth diapers can reduce incidences of diaper rash and other pesky skin irritations compared to disposable diapers if your little one already has sensitivities to chemicals in disposable diapers. Otherwise, cloth diapers will only prevent diaper rash when changed frequently and cleaned properly with a baby-friendly detergent.
Left on too long while wet, a cloth diaper may cause a diaper rash more quickly than a disposable diaper because it doesn't have the polymer-based layer separating the soaked inner layers from your baby's bottom. So, cloth diapers require you to stay on top of things but contain fewer chemicals.
When you use reusable baby products from local makers, you support local businesses. Many reusable baby products are made by small businesses and artisans who use sustainable and ethical practices to create their products.
Join a few Facebook groups to find these businesses, or attend a nearby farmer's market to meet your local farmers and makers. Whether you opt for handmade wool baby clothes from a local sheep farm or unique wooden baby toys from a local carver, you're supporting these businesses and their sustainable practices in your community.
This is a minor point, but it is a fun one! If you buy a reusable baby product from a maker or small business, you can probably request some personalization or submit a custom order.
For example, you can have your little one's name engraved on her toys, stamped on her cloth diapers, or embroidered on her bibs and spit-up cloths. Or you can pick out your own patterns, colors, and fabrics in a custom order. Small businesses are often more than happy to add special touches to your order.
Essential baby products are plentiful, but only a few can be found in an eco-friendly, reusable version. From cloth diapers and wipes to nursing pads and food pouches, reusable baby essentials can save your family hundreds every year!
Here is a list of the top 10 essential reusable baby products and a condensed breakdown of helpful points to know.
Cloth diapers have been the primary example in the above sections, so I'll stick to new information here. When I say cloth diapers, I'm not referring to white cloths held up by safety pins and rubber pants; I'm talking about the all-in-one, all-in-two, pocket, fitted, and prefold diapers.
Any of these are solid options for saving money as they can be washed and reused hundreds of times. If the elastic around the legs begins to wear out, use a seam ripper to open it up, replace the elastic band, and hand or machine stitch it closed. Nifty!
How many diapers your baby will go through in a day depends on his age and weight. Here is an estimate from birth to three years old for disposable diapers:
Age Range in Months | Weight in U.S. Pounds | Estimated Diapers Per Day |
0 - 2 months | first weeks | 10 - 12 diapers |
0 - 4 months | 8 - 10 lbs. | 8 - 10 diapers |
3 - 8 months | 12 - 18 lbs. | 8 - 9 diapers |
5 - 24 months | 16 - 28 lbs. | 6 - 7 diapers |
18 - 36 months | 22 - 37 lbs. | 5 - 7 diapers |
For low-income families, the cost of diapers is enough of a burden that "diaper insecurity" has become a real issue that local governments and nonprofits are working to address (source).
Investing in cloth diapers and environmentally friendly baby detergent ensures that you always have diapers available without having to throw more and more money away every month.
Let's say you buy eco-friendly cloth diapers created from bamboo, hemp, or organic cotton. Knowing that the environmental impact of their production process is spread out over the number of uses, you may feel pretty good about your decision. However, there is one caveat: washing.
Washing reusable cloth diapers consumes a lot of water (source). You've got to spray off the contents into the toilet, flush the toilet, and then wash the diapers in a washer. You can minimize the amount of water you need by using a scrub brush to get the contents out faster and spraying out two or more diapers at a time (one flush).
This process is a lot easier if you have a sprayer in your shower, a splatter shield over a bucket or the toilet, and a "rinsed diaper" bucket with warm, soapy water that you can shift to the washer at the end of the day. As long as you use environmentally friendly baby detergent and line-drying diapers, you will have minimized your impact as much as possible.
Quick tip: purchase a few waterproof bags for used cloth diapers away from home. All you have to do is wash and dry them just as you would the cloth baby diapers. Though waterproof diaper bags have a higher environmental impact in processing than cloth diapers, they will also serve your family for years.
Waterproof diaper bags are nifty for holding wet swim clothes, dirty clothes for overnight stays, pet supplies on the go, liquids and gels while traveling, and a myriad of other little things in life. Just buying a set of three to five is enough to get you through multiple diaper careers and years of miscellaneous waterproof bag needs.
Since you can safely sanitize and reuse cloth diapers, it stands to reason that you can do the same with cloth wipes. Speaking from experience, it's not difficult at all, especially if you already have a cloth diaper spraying setup, and it saves you more money.
Just as with cloth diapers, cloth wipes can be made from a range of materials, including cotton and bamboo. The trick is the solution you use while making the wipes. You can find several recipes for homemade baby wipe solutions online.
This is NOT a recipe, but you will typically find that homemade baby wipe solutions are some combination of the following:
Since every baby's skin is different, you may have to try a few recipes before you land on one that works incredibly well.
To make reusable baby wipes, simply roll up or fold the cloth wipes, place them in a glass or food-grade silicone container, pour your chosen wipe solution over the cloths (enough to make them functionally wet, but not dripping wet), and put a tight lid on the container. You can use these on bottoms, hands, feet, faces--anywhere!
Again, speaking from experience, don't go more than two or three days without making fresh wipes. Just like all fabric, homemade baby wipes can sit and mildew. My family made up baby wipes every other day to keep up with two littles in diapers.
Nursing mommas may go through a lot of disposable nursing pads, depending on feeding or pumping frequency and unique body chemistry. Besides, these are an absolute lifesaver in public! If reusable cloth diapers and wipes are a thing you're willing to do, then why not add reusable nursing pads too?
The first point you need to know about nursing pads is that they come in different materials, shapes, thicknesses, and sizes. You could opt for simple circles or pads with a slight cup shape. Materials range from bamboo or hemp to organic cotton or wool. Some come with a leak-proof synthetic material on the outside as well.
Thankfully, reusable nursing pads are much easier to maintain than cloth diapers. Simply rinse them after use, and either hand wash them or toss them in with your clothes. Line dry reusable nursing pads to ensure they maintain absorbency and softness while lasting longer overall.
If you make your baby's food at home, reusable food containers and pouches are the way to go! You can use high-quality food-grade silicone freezer trays or cups that come with a sealed lid for preparing and freezing single-serving baby purees ahead of time or collapsable baby bowls for sharing meals when out and about.
Though many baby snacks from the store come in packaging, you can buy snacks in bulk from wholesale retailers and only take along what you need in reusable snack bags made of cotton, hemp, bamboo, or other natural materials. Since these can be washed and reused multiple times, reusable snack bags beat disposable plastic bags any day.
For meals at home, use baby dishes and utensils that are safe, easy to clean, soft, and durable, like our baby feeding set. These are perfect!
If you hear conflicting arguments on silicone baby products, check out this article: Pros and Cons of Silicone Baby Toys: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents.
Though you could technically use your little one's cloth diapers as a swim diaper, it won't work as well as a reusable diaper designed for swimming. Reusable swim diapers are made to hold solids but not urine.
Since the absorbent pads that soak up urine in a regular cloth diaper fill with water quickly, they become totally ineffective in water. So, you can either take the absorbent insert out of your baby's reusable diaper before swimming (if it is designed with an insert) or buy a reusable diaper designed for swimming.
The smaller and lighter reusable swim diapers are easier for your little one to move and run around in. They also tend to be thinner so that they dry faster.
Not all reusable baby products are eco-friendly or sustainable. Some are made to last forever, but the process of making such products is often awful for the environment (though often less so than alternatives) and results in a product that won't break down for hundreds of years.
On the other hand, some are made with natural materials but break down quickly. "Sustainable" is a term that can mean one or more of the following things:
How a baby product's "sustainability" is interpreted is left up to a company's discretion and government policy. Though you will quickly find that very few of our modern conveniences are 100% eco-friendly, you should do your homework and make decisions that fit your family's lifestyle, ability, and budget.
For more on sustainability and how to implement it in your home, read Sustainable Baby Toys on a Budget: Affordable Options for Eco-Conscious Moms.
Reusable baby products are an exceptional way to reduce waste, save money, and do your part to protect the environment for your little one's future.
Since disposable baby products account for a ridiculous portion of solid waste in landfills and last for hundreds of years, making sustainable lifestyle choices to use and maintain reusable baby products is crucial for the health of our planet. Hopefully, more and more parents will be willing to chip in!
Finding affordable and eco-conscious baby toys can be ridiculously challenging financially. In all of our bewildering progress in modernity, you would think that we would have made more affordable, sustainable baby toy options available to the populace. Alas, marketing and inflation exist alongside outright greed.
You can find sustainable baby toys on a budget locally or online, but you may have to get creative with what you buy. Affordable options for eco-conscious parents are buying secondhand high-quality toys, making DIY toys and sensory activities with things you already have at home, and saving up for durable, long-lasting toys.
Though these options may not necessarily come in brand-new packaging or seem sleek and spiffy, they are solid alternatives for those on a tight budget.
Sustainable baby toys are worth investing in because they are typically eco-friendly and non-toxic. This automatically disqualifies toys with batteries because batteries (even rechargeable batteries) are not sustainable.
But what makes a toy "sustainable"? This term is flung around frivolously in baby product marketing, but we can narrow it down to meaning one of five things:
As you can see, there are a range of interpretations here, and short of a wooden bird carved by hand from a tree in your backyard, very few baby toys or products are completely sustainable.
Toys made from abundant renewable materials tend to be biodegradable, too, making them the best eco-friendly option. But, how those materials are sourced and processed sinks many toy options that look good on the surface, and when those need replacing relatively quickly, these become even less "sustainable."
That's not every natural material baby toy, but it certainly crosses out the most readily available wooden, cotton, and natural rubber toys and products from massive retailers. If you really care about eco-friendly product creation processes, look into each company brand's process to weigh its practices for yourself.
Another way to look at "sustainability" is the product's longevity. For example, silicone baby toys are created from a naturally plentiful resource, silica (basically sand), which manufacturers combine with carbon in an extremely hot chemical process to create silicone.
Though the creation process of silicone is not environmentally friendly yet, it does come from an abundant natural resource, holds up to lots of punishment (durable), lasts forever (not biodegradable), and can be recycled (in a specific way).
Moreover, when not mixed with fillers by manufacturers trying to cut corners, food-grade silicone is safe for humans (source). Just pinch or twist a part of the silicone item to test for fillers. If it turns white, there is a filler, which shouldn't go to your baby. If it holds its color, then it is pure silicone.
So, investing in high-quality, food-grade silicone baby toys that have been rated safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the European Commission (CE) is "sustainable" from a cost-per-use standpoint.
Genuine food-grade silicone baby toys are easy to clean, long-lasting, and resilient to punctures, breaks, tears, and cracks. So, buying a well-built silicone baby toy is suitable for growing families and those who intend to buy secondhand or pass their family's baby toys on to other families.
Most eco-conscious parents, unfortunately, end up settling for the lesser of evils with any given baby toy or product. Still, there are a few major no-no's that you need to keep in mind.
Harmful chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and lead are the main things to avoid in baby toys and products. So, cheap plastic, vintage, and pre-1978 painted toys should probably be scrutinized closely or avoided altogether for your little one (source).
Since your baby needs to nom things for exploration and soothing teething pain, you should opt for chew-safe toys made of natural materials, such as wood, organic cotton, and natural rubber, or toys made of high-quality food-grade silicone, which is well tested.
Sustainable baby products also matter because they encourage open-ended play. Open-ended play is when children can play with passive toys that don't have a "right way" for kids to play. Little ones can use their imaginations to play with these toys actively.
Electric toys for babies and toddlers can certainly be played with creatively, but not to the extent that open-ended toys like wooden blocks can. Besides, how many electric baby toys are meant to distract a baby or make a toddler sit and watch?
Babies and toddlers need to move, explore, and discover to develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, and even social skills. However, toys that play for little ones are not as effective as toys designed for little ones to play with.
Remember:
Passive toys usually lead to active play.
Generally speaking, sustainable baby toys are more expensive to make than plastic toys, so they tend to be a bit pricey. It doesn't help that any baby product with an "eco-friendly" or "organic" stamp is instantly trendy and, therefore, more expensive.
But there are some things you can do to minimize the cost!
Choosing toys that last through one child's baby and toddlerhood is sustainable in a sense, especially if it endures multiple children's early development. Durable toys are typically well-made with an intelligent design and high-quality material.
Avoid toys that are cheaply made or made from low-quality materials because they may break easily and need to be replaced frequently. Although these toys may be less expensive initially, they can cost more in the long run.
If you are reading this and thinking, "So, I should buy heavy natural rubber dog toys for my baby," you would be humorously correct in choosing a lasting toy that your baby can chew on but wrong in that the design is not for little hands and mouths.
No, your baby is not likely to chomp through a dog toy, but he probably won't bite through a silicone or natural rubber toy actually designed for human babies, either. It's best to go with a durable baby toy!
One way your baby toy choices can be more sustainable is by opting for baby toys that have numerous uses or can grow with your child. Again, this has a higher cost upfront but less in the long run if your child continues playing with the same toys well into toddlerhood.
For example, silicone stacking cups are excellent for grasping in the first few months, chewing on in teething, stacking and tower-building as a crawler, and scoops for sensory activities as a toddler. You can even use these same cups for snacks, paint, or small bead holders for crafts later in childhood because these are easy to clean and super versatile!
Functional versatility is essential to clutter-free living and a key tenant behind our product designs here at Moonkie. By creating durable, high-quality silicone baby toys and products that grow with little ones, we serve families from babyhood through toddlerhood and beyond to keep our products out of landfills!
If you are strapped for cash, shopping secondhand may be the way to go. Look for gently used toys at thrift stores, online marketplaces, and consignment shops and events. Facebook marketplace may also be an option for you, depending on your community.
You may also ask friends and family members with kids older than your own if they would be willing to pass outgrown toys down to your family. Many parents would likely be happy to declutter their home by letting go of baby toys.
You can find many secondhand toys in excellent condition and buy them at a fraction of the original cost. However, you need to inspect secondhand toys carefully for any signs of wear or damage. Avoid toys that are broken, missing pieces, made of plastic, or painted with lead paint.
For more on buying classic baby toy designs and vintage toys, check out this article: Are Classic Baby Toys Good for Babies?
In some families, birthdays and Christmas days involve lots of gifts, especially for little ones. One way to get sustainable toys for your little bug is by creating a family wishlist and passing it around when asked what your child needs or wants. Family and friends may be happy to have a solid idea of what to buy.
This wishlist doesn't have to just be toys, though. You can include experiences like zoo or museum memberships, movie tickets, local craft event passes, state or national park season camping passes, or a fund for a family vacation. Be creative!
If you know a local, sustainable baby toy or product maker, try offering to barter something you can make for an item. You may be surprised to find what you can trade: vegetables from your garden, chicken eggs, a painting, piano lessons, vintage items, a trade skill....almost anything!
If you are a small business owner or freelancer, you may even join a legitimate barter exchange network to trade officially with other small business owners and freelancers. This is a unique option may serve you well if you lack cash.
Another way to choose sustainable baby toys on a budget is to sign up with your favorite baby product brands to test baby toys. If you cannot find an open opportunity there, you can open a freelancer account on Upwork and possibly get paid to take baby toy test jobs.
Obviously, this option requires some discretion, thorough questions, time, and close observation, but it is a possibility for some. In most cases, you actually get to keep the product too!
Ultimately, the best way to choose sustainable baby toys and products for your little one is by being content with what you've got. Your baby doesn't need everything marketing and parent culture say you need. Arguably, less is more (source).
Choosing a few sustainable sensory toys that promote open-ended play and grow with your little one will keep you from buying new toy sets every couple of months and keep the clutter down. Moreover, you can rotate toys every few days or weeks to keep things fresh for your little one.
If you are curious about minimalistic living with a baby or toddler, read our article: Is Minimalism Good for Babies and Toddlers?
If all else fails, you can always create something for your little one at home with what you've already got. With a little patience and creativity, you can make a toy or sensory that will entertain your little busy bug for hours.
Not only is this a cost-effective option, but it also allows you to control the materials used and ensure they are safe and non-toxic for your little one.
DIY Toy or Activity | Explanation |
Sensory bottles |
|
Fabric blocks |
|
Cardboard box playhouse |
|
Rainbow rice sensory bin |
|
DIY rattles |
|
Nature bin |
|
These are just a few ideas for DIY sensory activities and toys you can make at home. If you'd like a few more ideas for sensory activities or toys, read this guide: From Teething to Tummy Time: The Top Sensory Toys for Every Stage of Babyhood.
By prioritizing sustainable and non-toxic baby toys, you're creating a healthy environment for your little one and contributing to a better future for the planet she will inherit. With these tips and affordable options, you can give your baby the best toys for her education and development without breaking the bank.
Finding a gift for a little one can be tricky, yet this is the most straightforward time to find something they will be content with. If the little one you are shopping for is a baby or toddler, sensory toys are a great way to go!
Sensory toys are a superb option for a unique baby or toddler gift set because they are designed to encourage exploration, stimulate the senses, and promote cognitive and motor skill development. Plus, sensory toys do all of this without requiring batteries or driving parents crazy with noises and tunes!
Not all baby sensory toys are created equal, so here are a few tips on what to look for and why, as well as a few solid options and playful ways to make the gift set fun to unpack.
Sensory toys come in various shapes, sizes, materials, colors, and functions, making this a daunting world to venture into, especially online. Age-appropriate engagement is the key to finding a unique sensory toy gift set for a baby or toddler.
Little ones' brains develop rapidly from infancy to kindergarten. In fact, from 0 to 3 years old, a little one is creating 1 million new neural connections per minute (source)! And by 5, that mind will have created 90% of the neural connections it needs for adulthood (source)!
So, instead of buying a flashy, electric-disco noisemaker or yet another screen, why not invest in helping that little one make quality neural connections? Sensory toys, particularly Montessori-inspired sensory toys, are designed to get a wee one active in play. There's no "sit and watch" with these, precisely what little minds and bodies need!
Looking for something you cannot find at Target, Walmart, or Etsy? Check out Moonkie's Personalized Luxe Playtime Gift Set! Made with high-quality food-grade silicone, the variety of sensory baby toys in this set will surely delight the little one you have in mind through multiple stages of early development!
Within this gorgeous set, everything is "nommable," which is perfect for teething babies. The Koala 2-in-1 Teether is adorable and easily graspable with a textured top for soothing those sore gums. The Stacking Teething Rings each have a unique texture for baby to explore with her fingers and her mouth, and she can still get fun out of them through toddlerhood!
The UFO Silicone Pulling Toy is a sensory explorer's dream toy with all kinds of textures and things to push, pull, twist, and chew on. And don't worry, none of those pieces will come off without scissors or some other tool in more adept hands. Toddlers love playing with the UFO, too!
Other toys included in this beautiful and distinctive baby sensory toy set are our Fine Day Stacking Cups, which are a hit with babies and toddlers alike, our Silicone Phone Press Toy for riding in the car or sitting still, and a wooden bead Pacifier Clip that you can personalize at purchase.
All of these fun baby sensory toys come packaged in an elegantly designed gift box with a handle for carrying. Concerned about silicone? Don't be! Read all about it here: Pros and Cons of Silicone Baby Toys: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents.
This 14-piece Personalized Silicone Beach Toy Set is as cute as it is engaging! Take little ones of all ages to the beach and build little cities, fruit baskets, and anything else that comes to mind with this plastic-free beach toy set.
Each silicone beach toy set comes with a sand bucket, hand shovel, hand rake, cotton mesh bag, five little building molds, and five little fruit molds. If you want to make this set even more unique, ask us to personalize it with a little one's name and add our chic gift-carrying case!
Like all of Moonkie's toys, these beach toys are made of high-quality food-grade silicone, which means they are non-toxic, durable, soft, and long-lasting. This set is an outstanding option for years of imaginative play!
We don't hide our admiration of Montessori toys at Moonkie. We just love that they are made of natural materials, designed for hands-on learning, and get little ones thinking and moving. Though we do not currently carry any Montessori-inspired wooden toy sets, they are well worth mentioning in a list of unique baby sensory toy sets!
Some of our favorite Montessori-inspired wooden toy sets that you can find in unique styles relatively easily are organized into the following table.
Montessori-inspired Wooden Toy Set | Age |
wooden rattle set | 0+ |
wooden stacking ring set | 6 months+ |
wooden bead maze set | 9 months+ |
wooden shape sorters | 1+ |
wooden ball and mallet set | 1+ |
wooden block set | 2+ |
wooden puzzles | 2+ |
wooden train and track set | 3+ |
wooden tool set | 3+ |
The cool thing about wooden toys is that you can find them unpainted and unsealed, so you can paint them yourself! If you choose to do this, ensure you opt for a non-toxic paint that won't peel off very easily. Or, you can use beeswax (source)!
The most popular play mats on the market these days are loud and busy with a million things for a tiny person to do--no wonder they can be overwhelming! If shopping for a baby, consider finding a charming activity blanket made by a local quilter.
Hobby and small business quilters have a sharp eye for colors, patterns, and textures, so they are brilliant at creating beautifully crafted play mats that engage a baby's senses of touch and sight without being overwhelming.
A quilter will show you a range of patterns to choose from and have a neat idea of which fabric textures to use in the pattern you choose. They can even create some pocket blocks or blocks that stand up so that little hands can grasp, fold, or chew on them. Add a couple of small baby sensory toys to play with on the mat, and you'll have a cute gift set!
Moreover, buying from a local quilter will support a local artist, give a fun project to someone who sees less and less appreciation for their craft these days, and bless a baby with a fun, unique gift that will last for years with care.
A love for reading is one of the most rewarding gifts an adult can give a child, but babies are just not that interested yet. You can get around this short attention span by gifting a set of sensory board books.
Sensory board books are sturdy baby books with patches of textured materials in printed pictures. For example, you can find a sensory book about animals. Each page will have an animal, reptile, or fish picture with a patch of fuzzy, furry, scaly, bumpy, sleek, or scratchy material for little hands to feel.
You can find several topics for sensory board books; these don't tear as easily as pop-up or pull-tab books. Save those for the pre-k year. Speaking of tearing, sensory books don't have to just be board books; they can also be quilted books! Etsy is a convenient place to find unique quilted baby sensory books that can also be washed in a washing machine.
Yet another unique baby sensory toy set you can put together is a bath toy set. These are entertaining for parents because playing in the water is exciting for little ones! Though you could go for the generic bath toys at Walmart, you could be more creative by combining several different items that make water move interestingly.
For example, you can add a waterproof stacking cup set, a kitchen funnel, a scoop, and a silicone ball or two. Little things like this promote productive play during bathtime for babies and toddlers alike!
As a sidenote: don't get too many things because bath toys are definitely in the way outside of bathtime. Add a little waterproof basket that corrals those toys and allows them to drain to be extra parent-friendly.
Okay, not all baby gift sets can be free of noise; kids love making noise! And who can blame them? They've got to experiment with sound to learn and develop their hearing skills. A set of musical toys with different sounds and textures will do just that!
Invest in musical toys with natural material bases, like wood or leather. Plastic is cheap, but it can be destroyed pretty quickly and create a choking hazard or sharp edges.
Some options here include:
Musical instruments help little ones learn to associate sounds with rhythm, motion, and materials. Furthermore, this exploration can help promote language development, problem-solving skills, cause-and-effect relationship identification, fine motor skills, and sensory exploration through feeling, seeing, and hearing.
Kids love to stick their hands in bins with many tiny things, like uncooked rice, dried beans, or sand, because these stimulate sight, touch, and hearing. Creating a sensory bin kit for parents to set up as a sensory activity is a unique baby sensory toy set that little ones will love!
Even better, if you are buying gifts for a sibling group, you can make a sensory bin set for each kid that they can either play with alone or share with siblings! The keys are choosing age-appropriate sensory activities and getting the proper bin for each type of activity.
Here is a chart of some sensory bin kit ideas:
Sensory Bin Kit | Component Ideas |
uncooked rice, uncooked pasta, uncooked oatmeal, dried corn, or dried bean bin | scoops, cups, funnels, weighted balls, cotton pouch, chopsticks, spoons, toy bugs, plastic tweezers |
sand bin | scoops, cups, weighted balls, chopsticks, spoons, cars, pastry scraper, sand molds |
flour, cornstarch, or cornmeal bin | 6x8" tray, scoops, cups, funnels, chopsticks, spoons, pastry scraper, cars, flour sifter, straw, egg carton |
cereal | scoops, cups, wide funnels, chopsticks, spoons, blocks, construction toys |
pudding | scoops, spoons, cars, spatula, popsicle sticks |
jello | scoops, chopsticks, spoons, pastry scraper, plastic butter knife, forks, blocks |
Of course, you can combine all kinds of things in sensory bins; you don't have to stick with the ideas above! This list ought to spark some ideas for you!
Sensory balls can be big, soft balls with different textured fabric hexagons on the surface or heavy, smooth silicone balls full of sand. There is such a range here that you can easily collect interesting ball toys made for babies and toddlers of various colors, textures, materials, weights, hardness, and flexibility for a gift set.
For example, you can find a beautifully painted wooden ball, a small, sand-filled silicone handball, a bouncy racketball, a hacky sack, a baseball, and a football for a baby already crawling around. The range of weights, materials, and textures will be just as entertaining as they are educational!
Want more to know more about Montessori toys and sensory toys? Check out our article Are Montessori and Sensory Toys the Same Thing?
Now for the creative part: wrapping the gift set in a fun way to unpack! Whether physically present to behold the entertainment or hearing of it later, taking the time to make opening a gift set creative is well worth the time and may become a quirky family tradition.
Here are a few ideas:
The first option is an oldie but a goodie: parcel packaging. You can take the smallest item, wrap it, put another item on the other wrapped item, and then cover that.
Keep going until all the gift set items are wrapped up as one multi-layered parcel. Make unwrapping a game of only tearing off a layer when the music stops!
Another amusing way to package a gift set is in a "nesting doll" style, but this will only work if you have containers. For example, you can put the smallest toys, scoops, and cups into a little box with a sensory bin set.
Then, set that box into a box full of sensory stuff (dried beans, rice, little Ziplock bags of flour, etc.). You can then place that box into the container, which you fill with larger tools and toys. Finally, you can wrap the whole thing up in a giant box.
The best thing about this option is that the little one will have plenty of boxes to color and play in for a couple of days.
Littles love ribbons! Luckily, you can find spools of lovely ribbons in the clearance bin nearly any time of year. Pick a few colors and textures and tie them to various items in the gift set. For toddlers, you can tie the other end to other items or to the basket or box to make getting the toys out a slight challenge.
Just ensure that little ones are not able to play with those ribbons alone! They are a choking and strangulation hazard for unsupervised kiddos.
Yet another fun way to give a gift set is by scattering the different items throughout the house and setting up a scavenger hunt with the whole family. This one definitely takes some planning beforehand, but it is a lot of fun for toddlers and young children!
Even teenagers get into this one, which makes it a fantastic option for sibling groups or large family Christmas gatherings.
A sensory gift set is a unique and thoughtful gift option. By choosing Montessori-inspired gift options, you are giving a toy that will aid a little one's cognitive and motor skill development for years to come. And by wrapping it creatively, you could make opening the gift set a unique game in itself!
We all want to help our little ones grow into solid, well-rounded adults ready to take on the world and everything life holds. But your little one's mind doesn't need formal instruction to get there just yet. She needs playtime.
Playtime is crucial for babies, toddlers, and young children to develop cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically. However, finding the time and space for playtime can be challenging while juggling work, chores, and parenting. By making playtime a part of your family lifestyle, you are more likely to create room for productive playtimes.
The living room is often the heart of the home, and with a few simple strategies, you can turn it into a productive play space for your little one.
Playtime is critical for a baby or toddler's development as it helps them to learn new things, explore their surroundings, and develop their cognitive, language, and motor skills. Playtime also helps babies and toddlers develop social skills, creativity, and imagination (source).
Playing does all of this by allowing little ones to explore but also synthesize what they've learned. In other words, your child makes sense of what he's learned so far in life by playing. So, encouraging playtime is akin to encouraging research!
If you want to learn more about why playtime is indispensable for babies and toddlers, check out From Comfort to Language Skills: The Many Benefits of Toys for Infants.
Preparing a space in your home and schedule for a productive playtime will make room for what really matters: time together. Thoughtfully planning ahead of time will provide some structure, keep things safe, and foster learning.
Even better, planning ahead each week will help you stay one step ahead of your little one's mood swings and developmental shifts in interest and ability.
Whether "planning ahead" means swapping toys out, doing a sensory bin activity on a day with less busyness, or going outside on a sunny day, doing so can lift the stress off your shoulders and help you avoid resorting to screen time.
The first step in setting up a productive playtime in your living room is to choose the right toys. When it comes to selecting baby and toddler toys, less is often more. So, you need to choose toys that are age-appropriate and engaging but avoid toys that are too complicated or require a lot of setup time, as these can be frustrating.
When weighing toy options, consider each toy's purpose and how they can help your child learn and grow. Don't rely on the package's marketing or a commercial! Read reviews, ask other parents, and think about where your little one is right now in ability.
Here are some other things to think about before you buy a toy:
Consideration | Explanation |
Age |
|
Exploration |
|
Creativity |
|
Physical Activity |
|
Socialization |
|
We've put together a nifty guide of the top sensory toys for each stage of development from birth to the toddler years. If you want to peruse it for ideas to help you settle on a few toys for your little one's playtime, then check it out here: From Teething to Tummy Time: The Top Sensory Toys for Every Stage of Babyhood.
Once you've chosen toys that will delight and engage your little explorer, it's time to create a play area in your living room. This can be as straightforward as laying a blanket or play mat on the floor. Just ensure it's away from potential hazards and health risks, like electrical outlets, sharp corners, hairy dog beds, and small toys from older siblings.
However, if you have the space and desire to create a dedicated play area, go for it! Providing a safe and sound environment that stimulates learning and exploring will ease your worries about your little explorer getting into all the wrong things.
As a side note, having most of your little one's toys and activities in one dedicated play space reduces clutter in other areas of your home. Moreover, knowing the toys should all return to that one space makes cleanup time around the house a lot easier to teach.
Here are a few safety things to think about as you set up a play area:
Consideration | Explanation |
Safe Location |
|
Furniture and Equipment |
|
Safety Gates |
|
Safe and Non-toxic Materials |
|
I know this one seems obvious, but putting off investing in some solid storage bins for your little ones' play area will only drive you mad. Buying storage bins that are easy for little hands to access will corral those toys and set a visible limit to how many toys your family has.
An example that works for my family is the storage bin rule: if toys begin to overflow and can't all be put away properly in storage bins, then it's time to give some away and reorganize.
Thanks to Christmas and birthdays, this happens every three months in my house, but it gives me a chance to pass on the toys they no longer play with as they grow while teaching my littles how to manage space and donate. It's a hard rule to establish, but after a year, you may be surprised at how thoughtfully your little ones participate.
Storage bins also make rotating toys trouble-free. Just put two or three away and rotate them out every few weeks. Watching your little one rediscover old favorites is fun and keeps the urge to buy new toys at bay.
Playtime is a superb time to incorporate learning opportunities that suit your little learner's age and development level.
Think things like sensory mats, balls, blocks, and teethers for three to six-month-olds, and tasting a variety of baby-safe foods, shape sorters, stacking rings, simple activity boards, and sensory books for six to twelve-month-olds. For toddlers, sensory bins, musical instrument toys, activity tables, coloring, playdough, toddler books, and wooden puzzles are dandy options.
Setting activities like this up gives your little learner opportunities to grow in a loosely structured way. These activities and others like them can help build your child's problem-solving skills, creativity, social skills, and imagination. You can heighten these benefits by playing with your little one!
But, whatever learning activity you add to playtime should be simple and age-appropriate. Adding a game or activity with many rules will only cause your little learner to become frustrated or feel unable to keep up. Early on, open-ended activities rule because little minds can make up their own games and rules when they are ready to.
Setting a routine for playtime can help your little one develop a sense of structure and routine. Choose a time of day that works best for your family, and try to stick to it as much as possible. For example, a few common timing options are right after breakfast, before lunch, or after an afternoon nap.
It's not going to be perfect, but intentionally making time in your family's schedule for your wee one to play will help you prioritize her development and build a sense of being loved and respected in her over time. Of course, she won't pick up on everything you do now to ensure she has time and space to learn, but she will one day.
Here are a few tips for making the most of playtime:
Tip | Explanation |
Limit screen time. |
|
Focus on play, not performance. |
|
Provide a variety of toys and activities. |
|
Encourage exploration. |
|
Be present. |
|
It is worth noting that your little one's playtime duration and frequency will change over time. At first, tummy time may only last a few minutes at regular intervals throughout the day. By the toddler years, your little one may actively play for a couple of hours without interruption.
Other ways your little one's playtime will evolve will be in interest, depth, and variety. For instance, you will need to update toys and activities to match your little explorer's age and interests. You can manage this a bit by investing in toys that suit multiple early development stages, like our toys here at Moonkie.
Depth of play will grow as your child's imagination grows. Before long, you will see her building cities of blocks or combining toy functionalities to carry out a story in her mind. These imaginative games are some of a parent's most treasured memories!
The desire to play with other kids will grow along with your little one's ability to communicate, empathize, problem-solve, compromise, and share. You can evolve playtime with your child's socialization by meeting with friends once or twice a week or embarking on a field trip of some kind with friends or family members once a month.
By far, the most inspiring thing you can do for your little one's playtime learning is to get involved. Parents are a young child's world, so when they set aside what they are doing to play with them, it makes their day.
Young kids are always asking for or demanding things, and should you play with them, they will ask for more time from you. But time is what they need. Spending time with your little one gives assurance that you love her. And this honestly doesn't go away as they become teenagers; they just ask in different ways.
Remember that playtime should be fun! Don't put too much pressure on yourself or your little one to accomplish specific goals during playtime. Instead, focus on the time together and watching your child learn and grow.
It's one of the most amazing processes to behold in life. Though I haven't made it to grandparent or great-grandparenthood yet, I hear from the wisest among us that this parenting time is by far the best and one of the quickest in life. Enjoy this time together; it's worth it!
Setting up a productive playtime in your living room doesn't have to be complicated. By following the strategies we've listed in this article, you will be well on your way to making play a part of your family's lifestyle. Remember to keep it simple, and enjoy the time together!
Trends are not the best way to parent, but one in particular has had a significant impact on the baby product industry: minimalism. Sure, those beautiful, clutter-free homes from other moms on Instagram and Pinterest look simplistically gorgeous and relaxing, but is minimalism good for babies and toddlers?
Minimalism is the art of living with less, and you can apply it to all aspects of life, including parenting. Practicing minimalism is excellent for young children because it helps them focus on one thing at a time rather than being overwhelmed by lots of stuff and to-dos. Even better, strategically having less can relieve parental stress.
As it turns out, babies and toddlers don't need everything marketing says parents need to raise happy, healthy children. Let's take a closer look at minimalism and how to implement aspects of it in your home.
Before we dive into the specifics of minimalism for babies and toddlers, let's first define what minimalism is. At its core, minimalism is about simplifying your life and living with only the things you need or enjoy.
Minimalist principles include decluttering your home, simplifying your schedule, and focusing on experiences rather than material possessions. The hope is that you will feel free to breathe and live well by having less to worry about and manage.
The benefits of this are evident for adults living busy lives managing family, bills, and work, but one should ease into minimalism. It is not as simple as throwing everything out and starting over. One must work on allowing themselves to let go of stuff. Those with family heirlooms and a history of needing stuff should be especially cautious.
But what about the kids? Does minimalistic living take too much away from their childhood?
Done in a healthy and mindful way, minimalism provides a wealth of opportunities for babies and toddlers to grow and develop at their own pace. And with parents living without the stress of clutter, little ones may feel more at ease in their environment than they would with parents constantly fussing about stuff.
Note, however, that you can practice minimalism at varying degrees. Perhaps one is very minimalistic when it comes to furniture and decor but not minimalistic in kitchen tools and utensils.
Or one is moderately minimalistic overall to pay off a mortgage or save up for travel, meaning they do have some extras but resist collecting and storing all the niceties, like trinkets, extra clothes, and holiday dinnerware.
Extreme minimalism (no furniture and everything-I-own-fits-in-a-backpack minimalism) is not what we refer to in this article. So, keeping that in mind, let's take a look at the benefits of minimalism for littles.
While growing and developing so rapidly early on, babies and toddlers exploring with their senses can easily be overwhelmed by lots of stuff. Little ones learn by sensory stimulation, so the more they can concentrate on one thing, the better they can practice.
Dr. Maria Montessori, the creator of the Montessori Method, observed that children learn best when allowed to focus on something with primarily one sense (source). This observation led to the creation of simple "sensory toys and activities" that each catered to a particular sense.
Even today, Montessori-inspired sensory toys and activities aim to allow young children to explore by actively engaging with passive things at their own pace. Moreover, preparing the space before children enter the room is a notable principle of Montessori education.
Part of preparing the space is removing unnecessary clutter. With fewer toys and distractions, babies and toddlers are able to focus more on the toys and activities that they do have. Sure, he will bounce around a bit, but fewer distractions help improve his attention span nonetheless.
Considering the fact that Montessori Education has been well-respected and utilized for over 100 years, it is safe to say that we can learn a thing or two from it.
If you would like to learn more about the Montessori Method and how it helps prepare your little one for a successful life, read our article: Early Childhood Skills and Montessori Education: What You Should Know.
With fewer toys, children are more likely to be creative with what they've got. Imaginative play is crucial for developing problem-solving skills, encouraging independent play, and building communication skills.
More specifically, kids practice "navigating symbolic relationships," interpreting characters' mental states and behavior, and musing about what could have happened with counterfactual thinking (source). All of these are integral to living and functioning well in life!
Minimalism can also promote healthier habits for little ones. With a focus on experiences rather than material possessions, children are more likely to engage in physical activity, outdoor play, and other healthy behaviors.
Kids are sponges constantly soaking up everything their parents, home environment, community, and life has to offer them. If you model healthy habits of not holding things too tightly, regularly tidying up your home, and prioritizing connections with people and experiences, your kid will likely do the same later in life (source).
Minimalism is not for everyone. Each family has its own unique culture, preferences, needs, and wants. Where one family will value tiny homes and simple living, others may cherish having the latest gadgets or owning a fully-stocked game room.
One fear many people have about minimalistic parenting is having too few toys and baby gear. By not having more than a couple bins of baby toys, would you rob your little one of choices and opportunities for exploration?
This drawback actually has a simple fix: get only what your little one needs for her stage in development and pass them on to someone else once your family no longer needs them. Another option is to divide the baby toys into two or three groups and rotate them out every few days or weeks.
You can also "listen" to your wee one by observing her independent play. Is she tiring of toys quickly? If so, try changing a couple out, hand her a safe kitchen utensil, or set up a sensory activity. Read Baby Sensory Activities: A Guide to Promote Healthy Development for some ideas.
Another drawback is the social pressure many parents face to provide their little one with the latest and greatest toys and gadgets. Embracing a minimalist lifestyle may go against the norm, and you may have to defend your choices to others, especially around Christmas and birthdays.
Finally, parents may struggle to balance their child's needs and wants. While a minimalist lifestyle can help you prioritize your needs over wants, it is an entirely different thing to say no to your little one's desires, particularly when they are old enough to strongly desire something but too young to understand why you make the choices you do.
Parenthood can be a wonderful and fulfilling experience, but being responsible for little people can also be overwhelming, especially with baby products. From cribs and strollers to toys and clothes, navigating the vast sea of baby products on the market can be challenging.
However, with a minimalist approach, it's possible to cut through the clutter and focus on what's truly essential for your baby's needs while keeping your home clutter-free. Here are a few tips to get you started.
With baby products, it's easy to get caught up in the latest trends. However, a minimalist approach means focusing only on the essentials, prioritizing products that will genuinely benefit your baby's health and well-being.
For example, essential items include:
Focus on what will be used most frequently to get the most value.
There are also things that some parents deem essential that may not be essential for you. Take baby swings, for instance. Some parents feel they need a baby swing to keep their baby in one place while they get something done. But others find swings too tempting for buying time or bulky for a small living space and opt to wear their baby instead.
For minimalists, it's vital to focus on quality over quantity. Investing in high-quality products means you'll get more use out of them and won't need to replace them as frequently.
For example, investing in a high-quality stroller or baby carrier can last you through several children and save you money in the long run. Resist the temptation to buy cheaper products that may not last as long and could end up costing you more in replacements.
For baby toys and dishes, start with high-quality, long-lasting materials like food-grade silicone and wood. Though these are more expensive upfront, you will find that the cost per use is much better over time.
Another way to minimize baby products is to opt for multi-functional items. Instead of buying separate items for different purposes, look for products that serve multiple functions.
For example, you can invest in a convertible car seat that can be niftily adjusted from infancy to toddlerhood, eliminating the need for separate infant and toddler car seats. These silicone teether rings are also part of a stacking toy set for later fine motor skill development stages.
Another way to minimize clutter and save money is to borrow or buy secondhand baby products. Many friends or family members may be happy to lend or give away baby items they no longer need. You may also find a consignment event like Rhea Lana's nearby.
Additionally, purchasing secondhand items can save you money while still providing great quality products for your baby. As a precaution, inspect any secondhand items carefully for safety and cleanliness before using them.
One of the largest sources of baby clutter is clothing. Babies grow quickly, and buying an abundance of cute outfits for your little one can be tempting. Or perhaps family members can't help themselves when they see adorable clothes.
However, you will thank yourself later if you stick to being super intentional about what you buy. Instead of overbuying, focus on essentials like onesies, sleepers, and a few outfits for special occasions. Does your little one really need 40 outfits and 12 sleepers? With how often you've got to do laundry to keep the smell down, probably not.
Toys are another huge source of clutter in many households. However, babies don't need a lot of toys to be happy and entertained. And you will likely be surprised at how little toddlers require for contented playing and learning as well.
Embrace simple toys, like wooden blocks, balls, stacking toys, shape sorters, and pull-along toys that encourage creativity and imagination. Toys like these are fun for several early development stages, so they grow with your child.
Shielding your little one from the majority of toy marketing will also help them. With statistics saying American children view 40,000 ads per year on average through content consumed online, TV, child-oriented apps, and other media sources, you can see why some kids quickly become discontent with the mountain of toys they already have (source).
You can get around the sheer number of ads by simply taking a minimalistic approach to screen time and avoiding walking through the toy section in stores. Doing so will help your little one discover what she enjoys by herself in her own time rather than being told what she wants by marketing.
Instead of spending money on material possessions you may end up kicking around, prioritize experiences with your child. These don't have to be crazy big or far; you can take trips to the park, have a family board game night, play a sport together, go hiking, cook together, and anything else that prioritizes time together.
Yes, playing board games with a baby is not easy, but letting her sit in your lap and fiddle with some game pieces will mean more to her than you can imagine. Even traveling before your little one will really remember it can build a confidence and competence in exploration that makes the toddler travel well worth all its ridiculousness.
Adopting a minimalist approach to baby products can help you simplify your life and create a clutter-free living space. Moreover, minimalism may free you from the stress of constantly moving, managing, and cleaning stuff, especially baby toys, clothes, and products.
By focusing on absolute essentials, investing in high-quality products, opting for multi-functional items, borrowing or buying secondhand, avoiding overbuying clothes, and embracing simple toys, you can create a functional and free space for you and your little one.
]]>