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First Things Blog

Information and inspiration for parents and caregivers of babies, toddlers and preschoolers

Mother playing with daughter rattle

Pay attention to your child’s development

  • infants

Every child develops at their own pace, but there are certain milestones they should reach from birth to 5 years old.
Reading for life skills

Reading with your child builds more than just words

  • early learning

​​Reading together helps young children develop important life skills as well as language and literacy.
Screen Time

FaceTime can help babies connect with long-distance relatives

  • screentime

​​Video chat is an exception to pediatricians’ “no screens for babies” recommendation because it enables responsive, back-and-forth…
Parenteen: A survival guide

Teen parents: Keeping your dreams alive

  • parenting

​​Being a young parent isn’t easy, but with a team of supporters and a solid plan, you can achieve your goals and be an even better parent.
Father and son laughing

Bringing books to life

  • language & literacy

Reading engages parts of the brain that store memories for vision, touch, physical activity and other functions. Here are some suggestions to help make books…
Our list of best gifts for kids

Our guide to toys that help young kids learn and grow

  • play

Check out our interactive guide to inexpensive (or free) toys and gifts that promote learning and language development in babies, toddlers and preschoolers.…
Tip fo feeding toddlers

9 tips for healthy toddler eating habits

  • feeding

​Parents know that developing healthy childhood eating habits is important, but it’s not easy. Here’s some advice.
How early can a child share?

Sharing takes understanding

  • child development

Sharing is a big, complex concept for young kids. They aren’t able to understand it or develop the skills to share until they’re 3 or 4, or even…
conversation helps kids develop language skills

“In child development, conversation is the golden nugget.”

  • infants

What’s the best thing parents can do to support their child’s development? We asked Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, an expert on how young children learn and…

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