Signs of Spring

The sight of a brave dandelion poking through the frozen ground. The fact that the sun is actually up before your toddler is. Along with the shedding of mittens and the gradual return of bare knees, these are happy signs of spring for parents of young children.

Growth is another indication. The jacket that was a size too large last fall is suddenly a size too small. The baby who was just taking a cautious step between couch and chair last winter now zooms past you in pursuit of the family cat.

Spring is a good time to reflect on growth. As a parent, you have a front-row seat to watch your baby’s accomplishments. Take a look this spring and you’ll see skills that have grown so gradually that, unless you think back a few months, you might miss the change. A baby who thought crayons were only for eating is now a toddler, scribbling in swooping curves and circles. A toddler who just months ago relied on pointing has added words to convey his wishes. A three-year-old who once grew frustrated at putting together the five-piece lamb puzzle can now almost assemble the dreaded fire-engine puzzle (the one that even his parents have a certain amount of trouble with).

If your child belongs to a playgroup, you'll see other signs of growth. “Who’s making all that noise?” you might wonder, then discover to your amazement that it’s last fall’s quietest, shyest child leading the other toddlers in a noisy game of chase. And the child who, from day one, proclaimed herself “boss of the playgroup” is actually letting him take the lead--if only for the moment.

Sure, your life is noisier. It’s busier. Your child has become not only taller, but more capable, curious, and confident. Enjoy the changes. As quick as dandelions, as bright as a robin’s eye, these changes are among the first true signs of spring.

Play Outdoors Together

•    Playing outside on showery days helps your child discover the pleasure of being out in various kinds of weather. Whether it’s sunny or rainy, enjoy a walk together. Even a short stroll, taken with the intention of stopping to look or play whenever your toddler wants to, can be an opportunity to strengthen a love of the outdoors.
•    Pull on some boots and wade through a puddle. If the sun is shining, make a trail of wet footprints on the sidewalk. It’s fun and creates an opportunity to talk about big and little.
•    If there’s a dandelion near that puddle, remember that dandelions make disposable and unique paintbrushes to use with water on the sidewalk.
•    Playing with water and joining in a grownup activity are two things most toddlers love.  After reading the selection “Car Wash,” have your child join you in giving a car or riding toy an enthusiastic scrubbing.
•    Young babies are fascinated with soap bubbles. Cuddle and rock your baby as you watch the bubbles drift away.  Bubbles disappear almost as quickly as the early months of infancy.
•    Older children love bubbles, too. Be sure to point out the rainbows in them.
•    Toddlers delight in watching insects and other small creatures such as those in “Froggie” and “Hanky Panky.” Simply looking is not enough, however. For young children, understanding comes through doing. Whether pretending to fly like a butterfly or hop like a frog, children permanently fix in their minds newly-learned insights about the natural world.

Read Together

Around nine months, babies sometimes reach for and even try to manipulate the pictures in a book.  But by the time another ten months has passed, they begin to point to pictures instead of trying to lift them off the page.  What’s changed?  Your child’s thinking. By exploring and talking about the illustrations in Babybug, you’ve helped your child gradually realize that that a picture is two things: an object itself and also a representation of something in the real world.