How to help your newborn learn without overstimulating them

Right now, your newborn is only awake for very brief periods. When you notice their eyes open, you can provide them with a little sensory stimulation—but not too much.

Why your newborn needs practice turning their head both ways

Have you noticed that your baby prefers to turn their head to one side?

Essential newborn toys to add to your baby registry

Here are the newborn toy essentials to add to your baby registry that will support your baby’s development. 

Our award-winning Play Gym just got an update—see what’s new

After numerous play studies, weeks of in-home testing, and thousands of customer surveys, we are excited to announce updates to our award-winning Play Gym, now designed with even more developmental support for your baby.  

Our award-winning Play Gym just got an update—see what’s new

After numerous play studies, weeks of in-home testing, and thousands of customer surveys, we are excited to announce updates to our award-winning Play Gym, now designed with even more developmental support for your baby.  

Our best tips for using black-and-white cards to boost learning

Discover creative ways to use black-and-white cards and patterns to help your baby learn.

Our simplest activities to do at home with your baby

Running out of new activities for your baby during quarantine? Don’t worry! Here are 14 of our favorite simple play ideas for spending time at home.

Endless fun with a sensory bag

When you just can’t face another major clean-up for the sake of sensory exploration, these bags are a great way to let you little one explore without any mess.

Our award-winning Play Gym just got an update—see what’s new

After numerous play studies, weeks of in-home testing, and thousands of customer surveys, we are excited to announce updates to our award-winning Play Gym, now designed with even more developmental support for your baby.  

Copy your baby to help them learn

Imitation is one of the main ways your baby learns about the world. Read about the link between imitation and learning.

Our simplest activities to do at home with your baby

Running out of new activities for your baby during quarantine? Don’t worry! Here are 14 of our favorite simple play ideas for spending time at home.

Endless fun with a sensory bag

When you just can’t face another major clean-up for the sake of sensory exploration, these bags are a great way to let you little one explore without any mess.

Introducing the Wooden Sound Cylinders, new to The Inspector Play Kit for months 7 and 8

Here’s what to know about this exciting new addition to The Inspector Play Kit.

Our simplest activities to do at home with your baby

Running out of new activities for your baby during quarantine? Don’t worry! Here are 14 of our favorite simple play ideas for spending time at home.

Endless fun with a sensory bag

When you just can’t face another major clean-up for the sake of sensory exploration, these bags are a great way to let you little one explore without any mess.

Pillow crawling

If you have a crawler (on average around 8-10 months) that needs more of a challenge, try creating a mountain of pillows. This activity is also great for babies who have skipped crawling or are quickly trying to move past the crawling stage.⁣

The surprising ways bathtime builds your child’s brain

When it’s just you and your child, face to face, bathtime becomes a natural opportunity to connect, play, and develop your baby’s brain. And The Bath Set includes thoughtfully designed tools for building new language, cognitive, and fine motor skills. 

Introducing 3 brand new playthings to The Explorer Play Kit for months 9 and 10

The Pincer Chime Ball, Transparent Tube Tower, and Roll & Build Cone Set keep your curious baby engaged as they build important motor and cognitive skills.

Why do babies love to dump things out of containers?

Emptying is the first part of an important kind of play called containerizing. Learn ways to support container play.

10 easy ways to build your 10-month-old’s brain

Your 10-month-old’s learning is more complex, and they can now coordinate input from different sensory systems. Read our activities to help boost their brain connections.

The surprising ways bathtime builds your child’s brain

When it’s just you and your child, face to face, bathtime becomes a natural opportunity to connect, play, and develop your baby’s brain. And The Bath Set includes thoughtfully designed tools for building new language, cognitive, and fine motor skills. 

Why do babies love to dump things out of containers?

Emptying is the first part of an important kind of play called containerizing. Learn ways to support container play.

Easy pincer grasp activities for babies

Babies typically develop the pincer grasp between 10 and 12 months. Learn a few activities to practice this skill with your baby.

Our simplest activities to do at home with your baby

Running out of new activities for your baby during quarantine? Don’t worry! Here are 14 of our favorite simple play ideas for spending time at home.

The surprising ways bathtime builds your child’s brain

When it’s just you and your child, face to face, bathtime becomes a natural opportunity to connect, play, and develop your baby’s brain. And The Bath Set includes thoughtfully designed tools for building new language, cognitive, and fine motor skills. 

Introducing 2 new playthings to The Babbler Play Kit for months 13, 14, and 15

The Babbler Play Kit has two brand-new playthings to support your 1-year-old’s rapidly growing brain: The Wooden Stack & Slot and Posting Lid & Trees.

The enveloping schema: what’s behind your toddler’s fascination in hiding things

Does your toddler love hiding under a blanket or stuffing little toys between the couch cushions? Covering up and hiding objects is a type of schema play known as “enveloping.”

4 types of pretend play—and why they matter

The way your child plays make-believe changes as they grow. At each stage, pretend play offers cognitive and social-emotional benefits.

The surprising ways bathtime builds your child’s brain

When it’s just you and your child, face to face, bathtime becomes a natural opportunity to connect, play, and develop your baby’s brain. And The Bath Set includes thoughtfully designed tools for building new language, cognitive, and fine motor skills. 

The enclosing schema: 4 simple activities for toddlers

When your toddler crawls into a cardboard box or places a cup inside a bigger container, they’re exploring the “enclosing” schema.

The enveloping schema: what’s behind your toddler’s fascination in hiding things

Does your toddler love hiding under a blanket or stuffing little toys between the couch cushions? Covering up and hiding objects is a type of schema play known as “enveloping.”

4 types of pretend play—and why they matter

The way your child plays make-believe changes as they grow. At each stage, pretend play offers cognitive and social-emotional benefits.

Teach your toddler to do more on their own in 4 steps

Allowing your toddler to practice each part of a self-care skill with you boosts their confidence and independence.

Subtle signs of your toddler’s developing focus

Some toddlers can pay attention to an activity for several minutes, while others may need more support to stay focused for even a minute.

Use your toddler’s fascination with touching things to teach language skills

Studies find that labeling an object as your child handles it can help them connect what they have in their hands to the words you say.

Ways to embrace your toddler’s love of destructive play

Destructive play is a powerful learning opportunity for your toddler. Learn how to make it work for both of you.

Teach your toddler to do more on their own in 4 steps

Allowing your toddler to practice each part of a self-care skill with you boosts their confidence and independence.

Subtle signs of your toddler’s developing focus

Some toddlers can pay attention to an activity for several minutes, while others may need more support to stay focused for even a minute.

Use your toddler’s fascination with touching things to teach language skills

Studies find that labeling an object as your child handles it can help them connect what they have in their hands to the words you say.

Ways to embrace your toddler’s love of destructive play

Destructive play is a powerful learning opportunity for your toddler. Learn how to make it work for both of you.

What playing with friends looks like for your 2-year-old

Learn about the 6 stages of social play—and what you can expect from this stage in your toddler’s development.

How long should my 2-year-old be able to focus?

Supporting your child’s ability to focus and concentrate helps them get deeper into play and lays a foundation for the mental stamina they’ll need later on.

Try a sound walk (and these 3 other activities) to boost your child’s language skills

Your two-year-old is likely starting to demonstrate more awareness of environmental sounds. Here’s how you can help them tune into sound.

5 things happening with your child’s language development right now

A lot of exciting language development happens between your child’s second and third birthdays. Here’s what you can expect now in terms of language development.

What playing with friends looks like for your 2-year-old

Learn about the 6 stages of social play—and what you can expect from this stage in your toddler’s development.

Activities to level up your child’s sorting skills

Can your child match objects by more than one attribute—like color and shape or shape and size? They may be ready to start sorting.

4 fun sensory activities that build neural pathways

Sensory activities engage the body and mind in a way that builds critical neural pathways. Here are some sensory activities with varying levels of messiness.

Is your toddler ready to take turns and share?

When we talk about sharing with two-year-olds, what we’re really talking about is turn-taking. Here are some tips for helping your child learn to take turns.

Why construction play matters—and how to do it

Did you know that young children who engage in a lot of construction play—using materials to build or create—tend to have stronger math skills later on?

How to help your child with the Twist & Pivot Pattern Puzzle—and why it’s worth it

The Twist & Pivot Pattern Puzzle may test your 2-year-old’s frustration tolerance, but it’s tricky by design 😉 

Let’s get gluing—DIY activities with developmental benefits that stick

Using glue to stick items together may not sound like cognitive development, but it is. Try these activities with your toddler to practice.

7 games to help your child master matching

Somewhere around 30 months, your child may be able to match identical or similar pictures of objects. Practice matching with these activity ideas.

Here’s how to make the most of playtime with your preschooler 

Is your child heading off to preschool? Even after they start preschool, studies show quality playtime at home continues to have a big impact on their development.

Simple ideas for pretend play at age 2.5

Just like other types of development, pretend play happens in stages.

Activities to level up your child’s sorting skills

Can your child match objects by more than one attribute—like color and shape or shape and size? They may be ready to start sorting.

This everyday item is a powerhouse for pretend play

Cardboard is inexpensive, plentiful, and just right for a two-year-old getting into new kinds of pretend play. Here are 4 cardboard activities for your two-year-old.