Today Date Triggered Content

The first United Nations International Play day takes place on 11th June, with this day celebrating the power of play. We know that life with an under-five can be tiring, so we're sharing some ideas for when you're exhausted. 

We know communication involves much more than saying the right words. Research published this year suggests growing up bilingual provides opportunities for children to develop communication skills beyond learning words.^[1] 

There is considerable research about how children learn to communicate when they grow up learning more than one language. 

As we enter a season with lots of celebrations, you might be starting to feel the pressure to join in with the traditions you see around you. Your social media feeds might be filled with photos of visits to a pumpkin patch or families in fancy dress and you wonder if your child is missing out if they don’t have these experiences.  

The Disney Pixar film ‘Inside out’ gave us the idea of core memories, that some memories are particularly important and that we have a set number of these core memories.  

You probably find lots of people share their opinions about your child’s development – and if you hear something a few times you might wonder if it’s true. One of the things we’ve heard many times is that girls learn to talk sooner than boys, so when we saw a research paper reviewing this we thought we’d dive in and find out more.

In this paper, scientists from the Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies in Rome looked at research that had considered the development of language in boys and girls – looking at if, how and why this differed.^[1]  

Dark nights, crisp leaves and changing weather. Whether you prefer staying cosy inside or getting out and enjoying another season we have Autumn play ideas for you.  

Your first thought when it gets colder (and wetter) might be to stay inside, but with the right clothing, getting out and experiencing rain, wind and cold first-hand is a great way to learn about the changing seasons.  

Good mental health is important for you and your child, which is why we’ve put together simple ideas to support your wellbeing.

In this article, we’re going to focus on building positive mental health, rather than on mental illness, but we know the transition to being a parent is a time when there is greater risk of mental ill-health.

Doing chores has been linked with social^[1] and thinking skills^[2] as well as children’s happiness^[3]. Read on to get some simple ideas to help your child learn by getting them involved in helping with everyday tasks.  

You might leave tidying, cooking and other household chores until your little one is having a nap. Often having a tiny helper can make it feel like everything is taking longer, but children love to help.  

Life with an under-five is undeniably busy; going to groups, vaccination appointments, buying the right size clothes, playing with them and much more. If you’re parenting with a partner, you might share these tasks – but have you ever stopped to think if you are really sharing all of the task? Or is one of you still taking on more of the jobs that make the task happen? 

Taking your baby to a vaccination appointment isn’t simply about getting there at the right time, it involves:  

Picking your way through the various advice and opinions on your child’s development can be overwhelming. Throw into the mix a load of words that have never been part of your vocabulary and this parenting journey can feel like another world. 

But don’t worry – we’re here to de-code, decipher and demystify wherever we can, to give you the information you need to make the decision that’s right for you, your child and your family.

In the discover more section, on your Today screen, you’ll see articles that are tailored to your child’s skills. If you’re looking for a quick read about their development that’s a good place to start.  

Critical thinking might not be something you associate with your baby or toddler. But like many essential skills the foundations of analysing information and forming a judgement are laid in early childhood.  

The Cambridge Dictionary defines critical thinking as: