Choosing diverse toys allows children to learn about the world and the importance of inclusion naturally. Not only is it important for each child to see themselves in the toys that they play with, but it is also important for every child to be exposed to different cultures and backgrounds.

Cause and Effect is defined as the understanding that one action can bring about another action. If I do X, it will cause Y. Most school aged children have a well-developed sense of cause and effect, but babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are just beginning to develop this awareness. You may be surprised to learn that there are certain games, activities, and strategies that we adults can use to teach cause and effect to young children.

Here, we will summarize the typical child’s speech development trajectory and suggest strategies for supporting children’s speech at every stage. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s speech development at any age, always consult their pediatrician.

As much as I and many educators wish kindergarten was more focused on being outdoors, playing, and socialization, we live in a world where that is unfortunately not the case. Aside from homeschooling (which I know many of you have recently tried, and loved😉), your kids will have to attend the traditional kindergarten sooner or later. I created this post to provide practical tips on what cognitive skills they will need to have.

Listening skills develop through practice. Try these listening games and activities to get started.

Maybe you’ve never gotten into gardening. Or perhaps you’ve treated it as a solitary activity? Either way, gardening with kids can be a great bonding experience and also offer enormous developmental benefits. It’s never too late to get started to involve the kids in gardening! If you’re looking for new toy ideas, I’d like to suggest gardening as one. And here is why…

There have been many studies done on how exercise improves focus and cognition in children. So why just practice math while sitting down when we can do it while also building strength, gross motor skills, and coordination. Take a look at a few toy ideas that will get kids moving while learning math. You’re welcome!:)

By 2 years old your child should be able to use their hands to turn 3 pages in a book one at a time, place 3 shapes into an inset shape sorter puzzle, stack 4-6 cubes, and draw a vertical line.

When selecting toys for your toddler, you’ll want to think through the ways in which they’re developing and find age-appropriate options to support those areas.

Floor puzzles are puzzles with extra-large pieces and for that reason are meant to be completed on the floor. Floor puzzles are a fantastic kid-friendly version with so much to offer. Regular puzzles are great, but floor puzzles for younger kids are an absolute genius.

Here is why….

Selecting the best learning toys for your 2 year old can be a tricky task at times. With so many options available, it can be difficult to decide which ones are best suited…

Rattles are one of the most popular baby toys for good reasons. Check out 10 of those reasons here.:)

Being an occupational therapist, I often share toys from an OT perspective and thought it would be great to show how toys are used in physical therapy.

I put together a list of some of the most interesting blocks for babies that I’ve found over the year that I think you will love as well.

If you have young kids that are super active, check out these toy ideas that will help burn off energy while keeping them engaged.

These 9 pre-writing activities will help develop prewriting skills in preschoolers.

Here are 12 interesting toy ideas that your 1 year old will love.