Toddlers’ large muscles are still developing, but they are also beginning to coordinate their hands and fingers with more skill, so it is important that you provide toddlers with lots of places to run and climb; fairly low places to jump from; music for dancing; smaller items to fit together and take apart; sand and water to pour, carry, and sift; items to balance and dump and fit pieces together; things to push or pull; and the chance to feed themselves with spoons.

Do you feel silly talking to babies? Does talking encourage language development or is it an exercise in futility? Do babies really process and learn from what you say? Research shows that frequent verbal communication with babies is essential to their language and cognitive development. Essentials for Child Development Associates Working with Young Children has some tips that enable caregivers to use spoken language with babies more effectively.