Whether you’re ready or not, school is right around the corner and prepping your preschooler for their first day of preschool can be a daunting task. Your child may feel both excited and nervous about starting preschool. Let’s try to ease your little one’s mixed feelings, with these tips: Before School Starts Go […]
Play is vital for newborn development and well-being, helping babies discover and interact with their environment. It fosters brain connections and promotes growth. Movement-based play enhances muscle strength and motor skills. Verbal interactions during play boost language understanding and vocabulary. Playing together strengthens the bond between you and your baby, […]
The short answer is “No”, you can’t spoil your infant. There’s a reason babies cry as much as they do; it’s their main (and mostly) only way they can communicate their needs. Babies cry for a number of reasons; they’re hungry, tired, overstimulated, and sometimes babies just cry even if you’ve done […]
Raising children can be one of the most fulfilling things you can do in your life; while simultaneously being one of the most frustrating, infuriating and hair pulling experience you will ever come across. Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Boosting a child’s self-esteem starts in infancy; to help build it here are some tips: […]
Sparkler chatted with Shenell Samuels — a mom of a five-year-old with autism who is also a teacher in a school readiness program in Hartford who serves students with autism and other diagnoses — to share her experience and insights related to autism. Could you tell us a little bit about your son? My […]
Play is vital for children’s healthy development, as it enhances social, cognitive, physical, and emotional skills. Through play, children learn: Problem-solving Cause and effect Creative thinking Communication Proprioception It also promotes fine and gross motor skills. The benefits of play accumulate over time, helping children build upon their abilities. Play allows children to understand […]
Sometimes going to the Doctor’s can be scary, especially when there’s talk about a shot or having to undergo a non-routine procedure (blood work, x-ray, CT scan, etc.). Kids can feel overwhelmed in the Doctor’s office; it’s a (relatively) new space, there are people they don’t know and tools/machines that they have no idea what […]
Summer is fast approaching and with it comes your kids complaining of being bored and having nothing to do. Meanwhile, your to do list is just as long or longer than ever. So, here are a few free/low cost activities and ideas to (hopefully) keep the kids occupied for a little bit. Go […]
Initiating toilet training can be especially difficult for parents of children with special needs, but when those children understand what they need to do, parents are often overcome with a sense of joy as it means that their child’s development is progressing. Potty training neurotypical children can be difficult enough, but potty training a child […]
Most parents want and try to offer their children more than what they received from their own parents. While children love to receive new toys, the novelty of those toys tend to wear off fairly quickly. Children tend to spend more time with items or playing games that promote their imagination and help expel excess […]
