Child development research shows that during the first three years of life, our mental abilities increase by leaps and bounds. Here are some month-by-month ideas for making the most of your play time with your toddler.
  • Thirteen months: Encourage talking by naming items aloud as you go about your day: “Look at the red sign. It’s telling me to stop. See the big, blue truck go by? There’s your brother’s school!” When baby joins you, show you’re interested in what he has to say by repeating his words back to him. Though it sounds simple, talking to your baby is one of the best ways of building brain power, according to this article in the New York Times, "From Birth, Engage Your Child with Talk"
  • Fourteen months: Provide your child with a set of chunky crayons and plenty of scrap paper for coloring and scribbling.
  • Fifteen months: Make the transition from cutesy baby talk to proper names. For example, stop calling them piggies and start calling them toes.
  • Sixteen months: Help your child work on fine-motor skills by providing “manipulative” toys such as shape sorters, blocks, wooden puzzles, connecting beads, and other baby activities.
  • Seventeen months: Turn the tub into a science lab. Experiment with bubbles and without, and work together to see what items float and which ones don’t.
  • Eighteen months: Check out your library—many offer toddler story time once a week, with the best baby books, games, songs and socialization, all for free.
  • Nineteen months: Write out simple paper labels for items such as “door,” “lamp,” and “window,” and post them around your child’s room to encourage reading.
  • Twenty months: Review your child’s library, adding traditional books to the board versions. Make it a habit to visit the library once a week to borrow new ones.
  • Twenty-one months: Play make-believe with your child, and make sure she has plenty of props such as dress-up clothes, telephones and kitchen utensils.
  • Twenty-two months: Play quality kid music to get your child moving—and learn A-B-C and 1-2-3 concepts along the way. Borrow CDs from friends, look for used albums at garage sales, or check them out at the library.
  • Twenty-three months: Arrange play dates with friends, both at home and at the other child’s house, so you toddler can learn to share, cooperate, and get along with non-family members.
  • Twenty-four months: Start shopping for preschools to find the best fit for you and your child. Get background information through the EduGuide article “Your Child’s Ready for Preschool: Choose One That’s Right for Your Family."