Exploring and Learning
Exploring the world around them helps kids learn new skills.
Watch the video together and create your own obstacle course indoors or outdoors to help kids learn math and language skills!
With babies…
Hold baby in your arms facing outwards so they can see the world around them. As you walk around together, describe your movements using spatial concepts: “We’re walking through the door, underneath the light, and into your room!”
With older children…
Create a simple obstacle course using household objects. For example, you might open up the flaps on both sides of a cardboard box and place it on the floor. Encourage kids to walk around the box, crawl through the box, or, if they’re big enough, step over the box. You can also incorporate other movements such as skipping, hopping, or marching.
With groups of mixed ages…
Encourage older children to help set up the obstacle course as a challenge for you and the younger child. Call out (or let the older child call out) spatial directions (such as “Climb on top of the stepstool!”), and hold the younger child as you move through the obstacles together.
Parenting Moment: Describing
The way you talk with children matters! Your words have power.
6 Ways to Practice Nurturing Parenting
Tips from a pediatrician on understanding, empathizing with, encouraging, and positively guiding children.
For Providers: Using These Resources
Print and refer to this page as you implement the materials in this initiative.
Toddler Tips: Meltdowns
Strategies for during and after a meltdown…and even some ways meltdowns might be avoided.
Milestones: Your Four-Year-Old
All children grow and develop at their own pace; use this chart to guide your expectations and observations so you can talk to your child’s pediatrician about questions or concerns.
Milestones: Your Five-Year-Old
All children grow and develop at their own pace; use this chart to guide your expectations and observations so you can talk to your child’s pediatrician about questions or concerns.
Milestones: Your Six-Year-Old
All children grow and develop at their own pace; use this chart to guide your expectations and observations so you can talk to your child’s pediatrician about questions or concerns.
