For generations moms and dads have joked about the need for children to come with an instruction manual, with good reason! I don’t think a day has gone by that I don’t turn to Google to figure out SOMETHING that Little Lion is doing.

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Even with an elementary teaching degree, a minor in child development, and almost 2 decades of teaching and caring for children, I still watch him in awe on a daily basis, trying to figure out what is going on in his quickly developing little world. Since I am sure I am not the only one constantly trying to learn more about why my kid does the things he does, I thought I would share some of my favorite resources so far!

1. Montana’s Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers – This one  is very long, but it’s mostly charts and pictures. It gives a summary of each of the 5 main domains of development (Physical, Emotional, Social, Communication/Language, and Thinking Skills/Cognition) with charts that explain milestones for each age (birth-3) and suggestions for what parents can do to support development. I know that I will be referencing this one often!

2. ITERS Materials Checklist – ITERS (or Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale) is the rating scale that is used to evaluate the quality of various infant/toddler childcare settings. (More about the rating scales here if you are interested). I love this checklist because it gives me an idea of what toys and materials are most appropriate for Little Lion’s current development. I like knowing that his at home environment is providing him with the same opportunities he would be getting if he was enrolled in a quality daycare.

3. Process vs. Product – This article explains that when children are playing, the process they go through is where the learning happens, regardless of what the finished product looks like. For example, finger painting isn’t about the art that is produced… it is about the process of the child feeling the texture of the paint and learning to use their fingers to move the paint across the page.

4. Learning Environments for Infants and Toddlers – The target audience of this article is childcare providers in a group setting, but it contains a lot of very valuable information for parents as well. It gives specific examples of how to talk to, interact with, and read to your child, as well as how to provide an appropriate environment. There is also information about planning a daily routine and lesson plans, and while these are obviously more important in a classroom setting, they can be helpful for stay at home parents as well.

5. No Bad Kids – Toddler Discipline without Shame (9 Guidelines) – I love love love this article. Toddler discipline might just be one of the most difficult things we face as parents in the early years. While I am not there yet with my own son, I have seen these strategies in my experiences as a toddler teacher. Consistency, natural consequences, firm but loving language. This article provides an excellent explanation of several strategies that really do work!

All of these resources are bookmarked on my personal computer for future reference. I hope you find them as useful as I do!

What are your favorite resources for learning about your child’s development?