It takes more than movement to pick up a teddy
A lot of research has been carried out in recent years into how hands move, and this is all thanks to the development of robotics! It shows there is much more to the human grasp than just the movement of hands.
Different grasps for different tasks
A prediction machine – your toddler’s brain (and yours)
We often think we see something first, then our brain reacts to what happens around us, but neuroscientists suggest this isn’t quite how it works. Our brains are active all the time and constantly predicting what could happen next.[1]
Our brain could be described as, ‘a prediction machine.’[2]
What the ‘give them your stuff’ TikTok trend showed us about toddlers' learning
Did you see the TikTok trend where parents gave their toddlers stuff to see what they did with it? We saw toddlers running lipstick around their lips, rolling deodorant under their armpits and having a go at getting AirPods in their ears. This trend highlighted that as parents we don’t get much personal space! But it also clearly showed us toddlers' 'social learning' in action.
Social learning theory
A Montessori shelf – what's the point and do you need one?
You might have come across various Montessori at Home accounts on social media and noticed toy shelves with a few carefully selected toys on display. We could write a book about the background of and debates about Montessori approaches, so this is a simplified version of a small part of the discussion!
Who was Maria Montessori?
Helping your toddler to develop and learn – not just what you do, but the way you do it
In 2019, psychologists published results from a study looking at parenting styles and toddlers learning words.[1] While this study focused specifically on word learning, it can help us think about all your toddler’s learning.
Helping your toddler learn involves not only supporting their cognitive development, but also what researchers call ‘affective elements’ – which, put simply, is how your child feels.
Why does your baby love posting objects so much?
You might have noticed that your baby is showing an interest in posting objects – possibly ending up with your phone in a cereal box or your keys going through the letterbox! Shape sorters and other posting-type toys provide loads of entertainment, plus they're brilliant for your baby's development.
Babies learn a lot from the process of posting one object into another. They will most likely find opportunities to do this when they are ready, so having some toys or safe posting spaces made ready can help to avoid the stress of searching every container you own to find your keys or bank card.
How research is busting antiquated myths about dads
Much of the research we read about babies involves studies of mothers and babies, with fathers often left out of the picture. But increasingly, researchers are including dads in their work and finding more about the ways everyone who cares for your baby plays an important role in their development.
In 2014, Adrienne Burgess, CEO and head of research at the Fatherhood Institute, outlined five myths about dads, which (in most cases) are untrue.[1]
The gift of music, and how keeping a beat might help with cognitive development
Music is magical. It has the power to move us to joy and sorrow, to bring back memories, to make us move and dance and to let us sing out loud – whether we’re alone or not. Many occasions in our lives are accompanied by music, and a song can bring us back to a particular moment in time. But does it also play a part in your child’s development?
Your child will have been hearing the music they’re surrounded by since before they were even born, and as they’ve grown you might have noticed they have a preference for certain songs or rhythms. They may even be enjoying singing along, or making up their own words, to favourites.
Ethical, sustainable building!
Down in Dorset lives a man called Kev Potts, otherwise known as The Bearded Balancer. Kev has become known for his incredible stone-balancing abilities. This is a very addictive hobby which requires a sense of the size and weight of objects, and the patience to get them to perfectly balance together. Your toddler is busy learning all about how to predict, and check, the size and shape of the things they play with – see if you notice them doing experiments or moving objects in order to test their ideas.
Kev spends time on beaches, in streams, or anywhere where there are stones. His goal is to create one-of-a-kind sculptures out of the stones he discovers in each location. When the stacks are finished, Kev leaves them so that onlookers can admire them. The stones eventually return to nature. If you’d like to see more of his work, or share it with your toddler to spark some creative building, you can find him on Facebook, Instagram or Flickr.
How unusual art can spark your child’s creativity... and maybe save the world!
An inspirational British artist called Michelle Reader uses creativity to raise awareness of the environmental issues that face all of us today – while also creating astonishingly beautiful sculptures out of other people’s rubbish. Sharing her artwork with your child is a fantastic way to let their imagination run wild, and embrace the kind of creative problem solving the next generation will use to tackle some of the challenges the world is facing.
Realistic-looking animals ready to soar, expressive sculptures of people and even moving models (including a dinosaur!) can all be seen on Michelle Reader’s website, and they are all made of recycling and rubbish. Find more information and a gallery of her work here.
