Ages & Stages

For children ages 3-5 years old, it is important to lay a strong foundation of language and literacy skills. Early exposure to a variety of language concepts and literacy themes can prepare your child for success in preschool and ensure they have adequate time to master skills that will help them to thrive in kindergarten. ...

For children younger than age 5, the body is organizing itself and learning how to move using two types of skills: gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Parents should watch their child’s development and mastery in these skills closely, as delays in one area likely predict other issues. ...

When it comes to helping a child deal with worry, it's important to remember that the content is largely irrelevant. What’s important is how parents are responding to their kid’s worry. Learn five steps to help your child deal with their worries, no matter the cause. ...

Parents want the holidays to be a fun time for kids, but sometimes it seems almost impossible to manage their behavior around this time of year. When your child starts to act out of character, they are probably just overstimulated — taking in too many sights, sounds and smells can be overwhelming for little children. Keep these things in mind to help reduce holiday meltdowns. ...

Until now, feeding your baby has been your job. However, as your baby gets older, your little one will want to do this more and more on their own. Now that they’re joining the rest of the family for meals, older babies are ready — and often willing — to try more table foods. ...

Sign language can help ease frustration for children between the ages of eight months and 2 years. At this age, children begin to know what they want, need and feel, but don't always have the oral-motor and verbal skills to express themselves. Basic sign language can help decrease frustration for both caregiver and child, promote early language skills and enhance the bond between the infant and those who sign. ...

... ...

There aren’t any magic tricks that we can use to prevent all tantrums, but there are some tips to help avoid some of the outbursts that may be happening more regularly. Learn how to identify causes of tantrums and several ways to use communication to diffuse the situation and get your child what he or she needs. ...

With many schools and parents putting more emphasis on unity, empathy and caring for others, kids often are left with the desire to do good. Since it can be hard to come up with concrete ways for small hands to make a big difference, here are 50 acts of kindness for kids of all ages to do year-round.  ...

A lisp — which is a sound substitution or distortion in which the “s” and “z” sounds are produced inefficiently — is one of the most common articulation errors targeted in speech-language therapy. Learn about the two different types of lisps and how they are treated. ...