Ever heard the saying that parents are their child’s first teacher? Your family, whether it’s made up of two or twenty members, is the best place for your young child to learn about the world. If you add siblings, cousins, grandparents, aunties, uncles, best friends, foster siblings, and step family, then there are even more Read More
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Activities Using Books to Build Empathy
Books build empathy by sharing stories that can be used for conversations about feelings and offer perspective taking. Book-based Dramatic Play Using stuffed animals or other toys, role play a story your child knows well. Start with the story the way it is in the book, but then create new stories with your child. Introduce Read More
Apps for Tracking Developmental Milestones
Here are some apps with milestone tracking, suggestions for dealing with challenging behavior, and ways to keep active. Milestone Tracker (Free) Google Play Store | App Store “Keep track of your child’s developmental milestones with checklists, illustrations, photos, and videos. The CDC’s Milestone Tracker app provides tips for encouraging your child’s development and what to Read More
Books to Build Empathy
When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith (Toddler, Preschool) This simple story helps us explore what it means to be kind to yourself, to your family, the environment, and the people around you. What does it feel like when we are kind? What do others feel when we are being kind? With its sparse Read More
Tips to Use Books to Build Empathy
Here are three great tips for developing empathy skills by reading with young children: Ask “What if?” Encourage your child to think about cause and effect by standing in the shoes of a book character. Ask them how they might feel if the situation in the book happened to them or what they might say Read More
Books Build Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand an experience from their perspective. We sometimes talk about feeling for someone or getting where they’re coming from – that’s our empathy in action. Empathy can seem simple, but it is like a muscle that needs to be trained. Empathy is taught and it’s important to a child’s overall Read More
Developmental Milestones
How many times have you asked yourself: is my child where they should be developmentally or emotionally? Is what they’re doing “normal”? It’s a common fear among parents that their child might not progressing through appropriate developmental stages. As a caregiver, you know your child and shouldn’t ignore signs that your child might need an Read More
Milestone Books for Milestone Moments
This Beach is Loud! by Samantha Cotterill (Preschool, School Age) Days at the beach are supposed to be fun, but sometimes it can be overwhelming with all the sights, sounds, and sensations. Fortunately, one dad has some tips and tricks to help his young child regulate their emotional response and get back to having fun Read More
Tips for Diving into Developmental Milestones
Help Me Grow Alaska is a program under the umbrella of the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership. They are dedicated to promoting healthy child development by providing support and information to families and organizations. HMG’s call center is staffed by family support specialists who can answer questions and help you move forward (1-833-HMG-ALASKA). Their services are Read More
Activities for Self Reliance
Simple ideas for play and activities that will help give your child confidence to be self-reliant: Initiating My Own Play: Toddlers love to do what other people are doing. Adults can be good role models for young children on how to play independently. Care for Animals: Toddlers have a difficult time taking on another person’s Read More
