Ginny Cruz's Blog: Grow with Ginny

The Christmas shopping season is here! Advertisers and social media influencers are already busy shaping your choices. However, let me cut through the noise and give you my top ten recommendations that will not only be fun (for years to come) but also help your baby meet all their developmental milestones.

Toys are expensive. Since you work hard for every cent, I want you to see your purchases not only as entertainment for your child, but also as an investment in their learning. Toys should be fun because children learn best when an activity is fun. However, many of today’s toys are merely entertaining and cannot teach real-life skills. My toy suggestions teach essential skills, including communication, problem-solving, emotional connection, and navigating the environment safely.

Let’s get started, shall we?

10 Christmas Gifts for Babies and Toddlers

Baby safe mirrors. Babies love to see faces! When your baby looks in a mirror, they learn to identify a few body parts, such as eyes and nose (communication skill). They learn to imitate certain facial expressions (cognitive skill). Looking into mirrors also improves eye contact (social skill).Foam floor mats. Youngsters need to move, and foam floor mats provide a safe, padded surface. Plus, they’re easy to clean. I prefer those without removable letters or numbers because I’ve found babies chew on them and can choke.Pop-up toys. When babies begin sitting and crawling, they adore toys that pop up. Look for ones that include various switches, push buttons, slides, and turning knobs (cognitive and fine motor skills). Push button switches are prevalent today and offer minimal opportunity for your baby to learn something more challenging. The more difficult the activity, the more cognitive skills your baby masters.Balls and targets. Babies and toddlers love balls. Putting them into containers, shooting them into a hoop, or tossing or kicking them to another person improves gross motor, communication, and social skills. When your baby creates their own game with the balls, they are enhancing cognitive skills, as well.Simple shape puzzles. I prefer simple shape puzzles with knobs so your baby can work on their pincer grasp to pick them up. They don’t need anything more than circles, squares, and triangles at this age. Shape sorters can often be too complicated and frustrating for young children.Picture books with chunky pages. Pointing to pictures and turning pages improve fine motor skills. Hearing you label what the images are builds vocabulary (communication skill), and doing this together enhances social skills. Longer storybooks are for older children. Look for ones with pictures such as cups, cats, bananas, books, and babies. Avoid those with push-button sounds and things to touch and feel. These often distract children from looking at the pictures on the pages.Climbing and riding toys. Toddlers love to walk, run, and climb! Offer safe climbing toys and toys they can ride. Avoid battery-operated riding toys, as they do not enhance gross motor skills.Painting and drawing items. Look for inexpensive, blank paper (like butcher paper), chunky crayons, finger paints, and sidewalk chalk. All of these promote creativity (cognitive skill) and fine motor skills. They’re not yet old enough to stay within the lines of a coloring book. Finger painting or painting with a brush is ideal.Play sets, such as kitchens or tools. Toddlers begin to imitate everyday activities, such as stirring a pot (pretend cooking) or banging with a play hammer (pretend building). These activities reveal that your baby is learning to do things in real life. Cognitive, fine, and gross motor skills are all improved. Additionally, when your child plays with someone else, their communication and social skills expand.Blocks and building sets. Look for wooden blocks that are stamped with letters, colors, shapes, and animals, as these are useful for a variety of play activities in the years to come (cognitive, communication, and fine motor skills). Building sets, such as magnetic tiles, enable your child to develop fine motor skills and expand their creativity (cognitive skill) by constructing what they imagine.

The best toys to help your baby meet their developmental milestones in every area (gross motor, fine motor, communication, social/emotional, and cognitive) are worth every penny.
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They are timeless and last the longest. For more information on how to help your baby meet milestones, check out my latest book, The New Mom’s Guide: Help and Hope for Baby’s First Year (available now on Amazon).

If you have toys your baby no longer needs, please consider donating them to a local charity. I’ve been in many homes where the children have nothing to play with.

Keep your boxes! Those make great indoor houses, tunnels, and even something to draw on during the unpleasant days of winter.

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The toddler phase is messy! As babies learn to do more for themselves, whether it’s feeding themselves solid foods or trying to pull on their clothes, as a mother, you’ll spend most of your time wiping up and picking up. And truth be told, getting frustrated.

Practice Makes Perfect

You’ve heard the saying, “practice makes perfect.” Well, that’s what is happening during the toddler phase. As your baby figures out how to scoop food and get it into their mouth without dropping any, many errors will occur. When we learned how to feed ourselves a variety of foods, from soup to steak, we also made many mistakes as we mastered these complex motor skills.

When it comes to picking up toys, stacking blocks into towers, or completing simple puzzles, it’s helpful to understand that toddlers are in the deconstruction phase of play. The construction phase comes later. What does that mean? In the deconstruction stage, children take apart, tear down, or dump things out. The construction phase, when toys are put together and placed back on the shelf in their place, comes later.

Expect a Mess

When I understood why my toddler was doing what they were doing, it changed my expectations. And when those expectations changed, my frustration decreased. Messy play is part of toddler life. You can bank on it just as you anticipate the sun coming up tomorrow morning.

Setting up areas of your home where messy play can occur will help alleviate your anxiety about your house being disorganized. Offering fewer toys for your child to play with is another strategy to decrease the mess. If your baby can pull everything off the shelf, they will. But when you rotate toys so that not all your child’s toys are available all the time, you will enjoy less chaos.

Offer Grace

Think back when you’ve learned something new, maybe it was cooking an omelet or playing pickleball. Did you make mistakes? Perhaps you dropped some eggs on the counter or hit the forehand shot out of bounds. You made messes along the way as you mastered a new skill. Your toddler is doing the same thing. It’s a part of life.

Take a few deep breaths, smile and laugh, and give your toddler grace. This phase of development can be challenging, but on the flip side, it’s fun and magical.

Do your best to remain patient yet still allow your baby to try to do for themselves. Allow your child to practice feeding and dressing themselves. Say “help me” when you’re picking up toys and they may help.

The more your toddler practices, the faster they will learn more independence. #childdevelopment #toddlerlife
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After all, that is what you want.

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When your baby begins to stand and walk, mothers often ask, “Should my baby wear socks while walking?”

Experts have long agreed that walking barefoot is best for babies. The reason is that the soles of the feet contain thousands of nerve endings that are stimulated more when barefoot than when wearing socks or shoes. When your child can fully experience the surface they walk on, it teaches them a great deal about the world around them.

For example, how sand feels and how hard it is to walk on. Water is slippery and can cause you to fall. How painful it is to step on something sharp, like a small toy. And, most importantly, how to balance and navigate on all kinds of surfaces without taking a tumble.

Are Socks Harmful

In years past, doctors believed that children should wear shoes as soon as they began walking. Shoe companies saw a market and sold shoes for new walkers. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with your baby wearing shoes, socks are another matter entirely.

Socks are slippery, even those with nonskid bottoms. Walking in them increases the risk of slips, falls, and serious injury.

Footed onesies usually have nonslip soles, but those get twisted, so the baby ends up walking on slippery fabric. Walking in socks provides more sensory feedback through the soles of your child’s feet than shoes, but socks can be slippery and more hazardous. Barefoot is ideal.

Prevent Falls

We’ve all learned that walking on slippery surfaces, such as wet floors or icy sidewalks, can be challenging and may cause a fall. Anytime we fall, we risk serious injury. Broken bones, busted teeth, and concussions are not uncommon, even when wearing shoes with good traction.

Your baby is learning to walk and is not yet as skilled as you are. When you place slippery socks on their feet, it increases the chance of a fall that could cause harm. I’ve treated children who’ve broken legs, strained muscles, and suffered concussions from slips and falls. Many of them feared a return of the pain when trying to walk again.

Barefoot is Best

There are approximately thirty muscles in each foot. Those muscles get stronger the more you walk. Your child needs strong feet to maintain balance and develop the ability to run, jump, and climb.

Walking barefoot stimulates all those nerve endings and strengthens the muscles in the feet.

Walking in socks can lead to hard falls and injuries that cause pain and a fear of walking. #newwalker #babywalking #babysocks #grossmotordevelopment
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What are your thoughts on footwear vs. bare feet for new walkers?

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Once your baby begins to move around, it’s time to transition away from using containers, such as seats, exersaucers, or jumpers. Too much time spent in these types of equipment prevents exploration and falling, and will not help them gain the balance necessary to move safely.

The Purpose of Stationary Baby Holding Equipment

Let’s explore what baby-holding equipment accomplishes beyond the marketing claims. Baby seats (such as a Bumbo) do not help a child learn to sit. These devices support a child who cannot yet hold themselves up in a sitting position. They are merely places to put your child when you don’t want to hold them or lay them on the floor. Learning to sit without support requires practice and protection from injury as they develop this skill. Mastering sitting is best done on the floor or in a playpen where a fall is safe.

Exersaucers or standers of various sorts are excellent places for your baby to stand and play without falling. Often, babies spend most of their playtime sitting in these, which is why they do not aid standing. Standing requires balancing when you lose your balance. Exercising those balance muscles occurs only when not safely held by equipment.

Ditch your jumper, please. Babies should not learn to jump before they walk. Those skills are out of order according to the gross motor development timelines. And if your baby loves jumping, they may suffer a delay in walking because they’ve not developed the balance necessary to walk.

Learning to Move Requires Practice

There’s an old saying that says, “You learn what you practice.” For babies, that saying is true, as well. Suppose you want them to learn to sit without support. In that case, they must practice it, including mastering the skill of righting themselves when they wobble.

When learning to get in and out of a sitting position, practice is again required. This transitional movement cannot be mastered while being safely held in a baby-holding device. Sitting should be learned on a firm surface, such as a playpen or a designated play area on the floor.

Crawling and pulling to standing need lots of practice and many tumbles. Again, a safe play area on the floor or a playpen offers a place where your baby is happy, and you are free from chasing them around constantly to prevent injury.

The Epidemic of Gross Motor Delays Created by Lack of Practice

Over my years as a pediatric physical therapist,

I've seen many cases of children being delayed with their gross motor skills because they had inadequate practice moving around. #motordelays #childdevelopment
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Moms must get engaged with their babies as they learn these motor skills. There is no app or anyone to call to help. You are the one who must attend to and offer opportunities to your child during those six months or so as they learn these all-important motor skills.

Get a Playpen

Most families have a pack-and-play for overnights and travel. These can double as a playpen. If you can afford a stand-alone playpen, get one. For those with more space and extra cash, consider setting aside an area of your family room. Have a padded or carpeted floor. Remove most toys (tripping hazards) because a fall on one can cause harm to your baby. Ensure your baby can’t reach electrical outlets, cords, or access a higher surface and pull something down onto themselves.

Remember, this phase of moving around is just the beginning of the excitement you’ll feel when your child begins walking. Start today by baby-proofing your home because when your child crawls and walks freely around the house, you want it to be as safe as possible.

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You survived the pregnancy and birth. The nursery is complete, and the baby is now home. You did it, Mom!

Now, in those quiet moments between feedings and changings, you may wonder, “What toys do we need?” or “What activities should I do to help my baby develop properly?”

Before addressing how to boost your baby’s brain and body development, give yourself some credit. You are asking the correct questions and want to do what’s best. Great job!

While providing loving attention and meeting your child’s needs is your main duty, offering play opportunities that boost their brain and body development is also essential. So, what should you be doing with your baby?

10 Ways to Boost Your Baby’s Development

Before we address what you should do, let’s address how you can harm your child’s development. Things such as daily excessive screen time, inadequate attention, or absent emotional attachment. Most mothers do not realize how easy it is to do the wrong things each day and how simple the right activities are. Let’s help your baby excel by doing my top ten things to boost your child’s development.

Do tummy timeTalk to your baby a lotMake direct eye contact frequentlyTouch and move your babyMinimize the use of baby holding equipmentMinimize the use of electronic screens, including TVRead and explore physical booksPlay with a purposeStructure regular daily routinesTrack your baby’s milestones

While these activities may seem too simple, they have been proven to be the best ways to help your child meet the first-year milestones.

Common Causes of Developmental Delays

Having evaluated hundreds of babies and toddlers, some of the common causes of developmental delays are the result of environmental deprivation, poor emotional attachment between mother and child, and conditions associated with delays, such as Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy (CP), etc. While we can’t prevent or cure Down Syndrome, CP, or other such conditions, changing the child’s home environment is doable.

What is environmental deprivation? It occurs when the child’s home environment lacks attentive parents, age-appropriate toys, good books, predictable daily routines, and safe outdoor play environments. In other words, the home environment deprives the child of the necessary ingredients for healthy development. Often, it is associated with poor families who lack resources. But not always. Some well-to-do families lack emotional attachment, attentive parents, and regular healthy routines. So, financial status is not the cause.

What You Should Do

Children need parents who pay attention to them, talk frequently using loving language, take time to explore picture books, follow predictable feeding and sleeping routines, and offer daily outdoor play time. Without these foundational components, a child’s development is often delayed, and milestones are not met.

To learn more, download my FREE resource, 10 Ways to Boost Your Baby’s Development. And also, sign up for my quarterly newsletter to receive even more information to help you and your baby succeed during these vital early years.

Don’t wait, get started today!

 

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The W-sitting position is when a child sits on the floor with their legs splayed outward. When you stand in front of your child and look down directly over their head, their legs form the letter “W.”

Physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons dislike children sitting in that position, especially if they have motor developmental delays or low muscle tone. However, if your child moves in and out of that position to sit in other ways on the floor while playing, the W-sit position should not pose a problem for your child. However, if it’s the only way your child sits, it becomes something to worry about.

The Problem with W-Sitting

Under age two, the bones and joints are not fully hardened and are prone to deformity caused by poor alignment. For example, the femoral head (top of the femur or thigh bone) grows into the preferred alignment when a child sits in various positions during the first year. Suppose the child mostly sits in a W-sitting position. In that case, the femoral head will develop an abnormal alignment, leading to poor hip, knee, and ankle joint development. Surgical repair is the only remedy for these problems.

Therapists and doctors recommend limiting W-sitting to prevent joint issues, future surgeries, and the associated pain.
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What Does W-Sitting Cause?

Developmental experts caution against young children W-sitting because the hips are forming. If the baby sits in the W-sitting position most or all of the time, the hip sockets will form abnormally. Abnormally shaped hip joints can cause the rest of the leg to be crooked. Common problems that develop are are knock knees and fallen ankles (flat feet).

Remember, your baby’s bones are forming. If abnormal stresses (W-sitting) are applied to the bones and joints while the bones are hardening and forming, deformity can result.

Why Do Low-Toned Children Love To W-Sit?

Some babies are born with lower-than-normal muscle tone. Some conditions, such as Down Syndrome, cause low tone, and sometimes, no known cause exists. Low muscle tone causes weakness. When the core muscles are weak, the W-sit position is easier for a child.

Low muscle tone often goes hand in hand with lax joint ligaments, leading to joint instability and pain. While there is no cure for low tone or lax ligaments, increasing the probability the child’s bones and joints form normally is a primary goal of physical therapists (PTs). PTs also treat adults with hip pain, hip joint replacements, and arthritis. Your child can develop these conditions later in life if the bones and joints form abnormally. Prevention of these future problems is why PTs discourage W-sitting.

What To Do About It

If your child prefers to sit in the “W” position, please do not nag them. Some children can not sit in other positions due to hip or muscle tightness or weak core muscles. If your child has these conditions, sitting in other positions feels unstable. Try helping your child sit in a side-sitting position while playing on the floor. You can gently reposition their legs during the day. Expect your child to return to the preferred W-sit position because they feel comfortable and stable there. Your plan should be to reposition consistently but not nag.

Finally, seek a referral for a physical therapy evaluation to get personalized recommendations and assistance.

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Disclaimer: All information presented is general education and is not intended as specific prescriptions for your child. If you have concerns about any aspect of your baby’s development, talk with your doctor. If your child receives any intervention or therapy, this information is not intended to be used without their knowledge.

“She’s just lazy,” the new mother shared when asked how her newborn was doing. “She doesn’t cry or fuss. We put her on the floor mat, and she lies there, watching everybody.”

As a pediatric physical therapist, I have evaluated thousands of babies. When a mother shares that her new child is lazy, my radar goes up because it is not normal for a baby to be lazy.

Babies Move

Movement is normal, and lack of movement is not. For example, if your child doesn’t move her arms or legs, something is causing that, and it isn’t laziness. Children are not lazy by nature. The term lazy means “unwilling to work or use energy.” We often use the word lazy as a criticism when we assume the person can move and work but chooses not to.

Your baby’s brain and body are wired to move. Movement is how they get stronger and how they explore their environment. For example, if he wants to look at your face, he turns his head. When he is hungry, he nuzzles your breast. She wants to eat faster, so she grabs the bottle. These are examples of how your baby moves to meet their wants and needs.

Typical Causes of “Laziness”

Babies do not choose to have poor head control or act like they cannot move their limbs. If they do not move, it is because they cannot, or it requires great effort.

While a thorough evaluation by a medical professional is necessary to determine the exact cause of your child’s “laziness,” some common reasons are fatigue, weakness, poor vision, or paralysis.

Perhaps your baby has limited vision and does not move because she does not see. Babies who cannot see or have blurry vision are often less active. They move to touch, feel, taste, or get to things they see. Therefore, if vision is poor, the tot waits for things to come to her.

Some diseases or birth defects cause weakness and fatigue. Low muscle tone, often seen with a diagnosis like Down syndrome, causes muscles to fatigue quickly. If your child has low tone, he must exert more effort to move, and that increased effort creates fatigue quickly. When children learn that movement is strenuous, they often prefer to wait for others to help them.

Is It Harmful to Accuse My Child of Being Lazy?

Words have power. I am sure you love when others say, “You’re a great mom!” Those words warm my heart.

The Bible teaches in Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In other words, what we say can bring joy and encouragement or hurt feelings and resentment.

When parents realize there are legitimate reasons for their child’s lack of vitality, many feel sad. They had assumed their baby was intentionally lazy. We have all been guilty of reaching a conclusion based on limited information. If that is you, I encourage you to please forgive yourself.

Give yourself grace and begin a healthier approach. Instead, embrace the wisdom of the English proverb which says, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” This saying means you will be more successful in getting your little one to comply or come to your way of thinking by being gracious, kind, and encouraging. Being unkind, calling them ugly names, or demeaning their intentions causes anger and resentment.

No one enjoys being called lazy—even children. Babies are little humans and must feel loved to be all they can be. So, use encouraging words, not ones meant to shame.

If your baby struggles to move around and do things independently, share your concerns with the doctor and request a developmental evaluation. In the meantime, do not lose hope. If your child is weak, he can get stronger. If your child has vision issues, there are ways to help him explore and move despite these difficulties.

The earlier you help your child get going, the easier it will be for him to catch up with his development.

A “lazy” baby or one who is “chill” needs to be evaluated because babies should be moving.
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Loving parents care about their baby’s development. They learn the developmental milestones expected at each age. They keep regular medical appointments to ensure their child is on track.

When around other babies, moms and dads may compare their little one’s skills with those of others and ask themselves questions, such as, “Why isn’t my girl holding her head up yet?” or “He’s already sitting up, and my child isn’t. Is something wrong?”

While babies develop on their timelines, most meet the developmental milestones around the same age (within a month or two). If the birth was premature, the pregnancy complicated, or the birth difficult, your child may experience some delays.

While your child’s doctor should track your baby’s development, parents can also be aware of developmental red flags and report them to the doctor. When a delay is present, intervening when the child is young is the best way to help a child catch up quickly.

Here are some developmental red flags between birth and one year of age. If your baby has any, report them to your pediatrician.
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Birth to 3 monthsFeeding difficulties, especially if the baby is irritablePrefers to turn their head to one side more than the otherFlattening of the back or side of the headPrefers specific postures (back arched, head tilted, clenched fists, etc.)Decreased movement of one side of the body compared to the otherExcessive arching of the back or the baby is stiff or floppyDifficult birth history (trauma, complications at birth, etc.)4 – 6 monthsConsistent arching of the back in any positionKeeping one or both hands clenched most of the timeDifficulty rolling onto the side and/or staying on the sideConsistently falling forward or extending backward when sitting (at 6 months)7 – 9 monthsScooting on the back, bunny hopping on the legs, or butt scooching instead of crawlingUnable to get the hands together at the midline (center of the chest)Unable to sit without supportTrouble bearing weight on hands or armsLimited desire to move, explore, or climbUses one side of the body more than the otherSitting with legs spread wide or W-sitting10 – 12 monthsLack of desire to explore the environmentStrong preference to use one side of the body more than the otherCruising along furniture in only one directionConsistently standing, cruising, or walking on tiptoesWaiting for others to do everything for themStruggling to grasp and release objectsAt Higher Risk for Developmental DelaysLow birth weightAlcohol and substance abuse during pregnancySudden or noticeable regression in abilities

Developmental delays are common and do not mean a child will not catch up. However, experts agree that early intervention services offer the best and fastest way for a kid to master those skills and get back on track.

If you have concerns or questions, talk to your child’s doctor.

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The crazy gift-buying season is almost over. Soon, you’ll put away the Christmas tree and store the tinsel. Your home will downshift from holiday crazy to normal crazy. And when that shift to normal returns, it will be time to open the gift you gave yourself—permission to rest and reflect.

When I was knee-deep in the diaper days, the holiday season was magical. But almost every year, I’d get sick, either before Santa arrived or soon thereafter. Mama always told me, “It’s exhaustion. You need to take better care of yourself.” While it didn’t help that kids are a walking-talking germ factory, she was right. Being exhausted does make it easier for the germs to take you down. At the time, however, I thought her advice was old-fashioned.

Years later, I realized her advice was sage. You do need to rest and refresh yourself for the journey. Here’s how.

3 Ways Moms Can RestSchedule breaks. If you’ve ever had a paying job, you know hourly workers must take rest breaks. Most salaried jobs have a lunch break. Rest is like recharging your phone. You understand the importance of that daily activity. Well, your body and mind need recharging, too. Use your phone’s calendar and schedule short rest breaks. For example, while your child naps. The laundry will wait. Your mental wellness is more important.Seek help. A coffee date with friends, some reading time in the park, or a quick decompression nap in the car are all things you can do if you have a babysitter for an hour or two. If your husband will help, take time for yourself. You do not need to schedule a trip to the zoo, a coffee-sipping date with your husband and baby, or anything else. Your hubby and baby would love to stay home and lounge in their pajamas while you do something for yourself.Permit yourself. Social media influencers negatively impact many young moms. My kids are grown, and I even doubt my abilities while scrolling. I know it’s all staged perfectly, but doubt creeps into my heart, making me anxious and sad. Permit yourself to unfollow, block, and do whatever you can to stop scrolling and doubting your worth. It isn’t easy, but give yourself the gift of permission to stop caring about what others are doing.

If your mother tells you to schedule less busyness and rest and relax more, take her advice. She’s trying to save you from mistakes she made.

And if she’s not telling you to slow down, listen to me. My grandmother used to say, “If you burn the candle at both ends, you’ll eventually get burned.” I got burned when my physical and mental exhaustion morphed into generalized anxiety and panic attacks. I don’t want that to happen to you.

If you need more rest, and honestly who doesn’t, which of the above three things can you begin today?

 

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Are you wondering what to buy your toddler for Christmas? Or are grandparents asking for gift ideas for their grandbaby? As a pediatric physical therapist and early intervention specialist, I suggest you get your child a busy board instead of whatever the toy industry pushes this year. Here’s why.

Toddlers Need Toys That Spark Curiosity

Everyone knows youngsters love handheld screens, such as smartphones and tablets. What’s not to love? The fast-moving, brightly colored images suck all of us into the virtual world. But when babies and toddlers “go down the rabbit hole,” they are not using their minds and bodies to learn how the physical world works.

Young bodies and brains should spend most of their time interacting with the physical world—not the virtual one. A busy board filled with fine motor activities, such as switches, locks, rotary dials, and so on, will pique their curiosity. Each item on the board offers your toddler a real-world challenge to master. Screen-based activities, even educational ones, are always physically passive. Your child sits and watches. Toddlers should be moving and exploring. While both videos and busy boards spark curiosity, the latter utilizes more brain power.

Toddlers Need Toys That Keep Their Bodies Active

Babies and toddlers love to move and explore. From learning to hold up their heads to jumping off the sofa, they must master controlling their bodies to care for themselves and others.

Yes, all of this activity is exhausting for adults. But youngsters need it, and parents should provide a regular level of off-screen time that offers healthy choices, like turning a key or building forts.

Busy boards are a great indoor activity that keeps children’s minds and bodies active. The height of the board can be adjusted so your child must stand to play. Standing for extended periods while exploring different switches, textures, or other fine motor activities qualifies as active. Children engaged in physical play during the day often eat and sleep better.

Toddlers Need to Learn Real-World Skills

Early educators report that today’s children arrive at school with poorer fine motor abilities than previous generations. Many cannot hold a pencil or crayon or trace on paper. They can’t open their food containers, fasten their shoes or clothes, or sustain focus for tabletop activities. Most become easily bored because they have grown accustomed to being entertained by screen-based activities that do not require as much mental or physical energy. All those problems can be minimized if your toddler spends more time playing on a busy board than watching videos.

The toddler phase is magical. When your child learns to turn on the light switch, open the door, or zip a zipper, their confidence level rises. Meaningful brain connections have been made that will set them up for success as the years go by. Your child’s early learning play should build brain and body interconnectivity and coordination. So,

set your toddler up for future success by getting your toddler a busy board for Christmas.
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And here’s a little secret: some of the best ones I’ve seen were made by dads!

What is on your toddler’s Christmas list?

To save your sanity, I’ve created a Pinterest board filled with busy board ideas to jumpstart your success.

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