how to help with child development

Parents often ask at the two year old visit what they can do to help with their toddler’s development. My top 5 responses are:
1. Go to the park everyday – Outdoor play is great for gross and fine motor development. The social environment of the playground is also helpful for developing social skills. Toddlers learn to take turns on the slide, or wait until the swing is free. Safe climbing structures are excellent resources for physical development.
2. Get your toddler a library card – Circle and story times at your local public library are excellent resources to help your toddler develop a love for books. Toddlers also learn how to listen to the different speech intonations and tones of other adults. It is also a friendly place to learn how to sit at circle time. This becomes important when your toddler graduates to a preschool or kindergarten environment.
3. Puzzles – puzzles help with the development of problem solving and spatial skills. Research out of the University of Chicago recently revealed that toddlers who played with puzzles had better spatial skills when evaluated at age 4 1/2 . Early puzzle play may help with the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematic skills.
4. Nutrition – We are what we eat. Encourage your toddler to try new foods. Stay away from the easy pre-packaged foods that are marketed directly to parents of young children. Incorporate fish, nuts, legumes, whole grains, vegetables and fruits into your family meals. Make a game of it, and try to include a super food into every meal.
5. Rest – children (and adults) need sleep. Work on your bedtime routine so that your toddler gets the rest he needs to have a good day

Ressurection Rolls

What you need:

I can crescent rolls
Marshmallows
Bowl of melted butter
cinnamon and sugar mixture
Dip marshmallow in butter


Roll marshmallow in cinnamon and sugar mixture

Place marshmallow into crescent roll

Roll bread around marshmallow




Jesus us the marshmallow and the roll is like the tomb
Place in oven
When they are done open the tomb the marshmallow is not there
He is Alive!

Palm branches

On a leaf shape patter cut lines with a dot at the end indicating where to stop have each child cut slits in their leaf like a palm leaf. I make these before palm sunday and we walk around the schiol shouting hosanna hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord

Smash eggs

So last year when one of my class parents asked if the could bring confettii eggs for are parties I thought it was a little nuts but the kids had such a great time and loved them so much we had to do it again this year. I only let the kids smash them above there own heads but they also get to throw the confettii that lands on the floor they had a ball