How to Get Your Toddler to Sleep: Routine Charts, Sleep Regression and Reassuring Check-Ins

October 3, 2022 Madeleine Vieira

Toddler girl sleeping holding a teddy bear.

Putting a toddler to bed can be tricky.

And if your toddler is between the ages of 2 and 4, they’ll likely need about 10 to 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period.(4)

So how can you make naps or bedtime a treat, not a battle?

It may take some trial and error, and it will definitely take a whole lot of patience and love. But after experimenting with different approaches, you’ll get your toddler’s nap and bedtime routines down pat.

First things first, let’s make sure your toddler’s room is set up safely so they can sleep soundly. They are, after all, notorious explorers. So all that baby proofing you did may need to be kicked up a notch once you have an active toddler.

What to Feed Your Toddler and When! Plus: How to Deal With Picky Eaters

September 26, 2022 Madeleine Vieira

Toddler eating bite-sized fruit in a highchair

Does your toddler change their mind about foods at the drop of a hat? One day they love peas and carrots and the next they’re looking at them with utter disgust? Welcome to toddlerhood and the joys of trying to get your little one to eat!

Feeding a toddler can feel – like many things at this age – overwhelming or frustrating.

Assuming your toddler doesn’t have any known allergies, they can eat from all the basic food groups. If your family has a history of food allergies, talk to your child’s pediatrician about how to start introducing foods to your toddler.(1)

Stages of Play: Funny Things Toddlers Do That Are Actually Play Schemas

September 12, 2022 Madeleine Vieira

Have you ever wondered about the funny things toddlers do?

Maybe you’ve chuckled because your toddler carries rocks around in her purse or insists on playing with a potato instead of other children.

What looks like plain old silliness to you is actually the exploration of play schemas!

Play is how your child learns.(1) And it’s so important for healthy brain development that it’s actually been recognized as a basic human right all children should have access to by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.(2)

That’s right – play has been deemed a right that all children should have access to in addition to rest, leisure, and love.(2)

5 Tricky Toddler Behaviors for Parents and Caregivers to Understand

August 25, 2022 Madeleine Vieira

If you’re the parent of a toddler, chances are you’ve seen your fair share of temper tantrums, dealt with hitting or biting, or gotten into power struggles with your child.

While the toddler years are a wonderful time of exploration and development, they also can be trying on parents or caregivers.

One minute your child is being oh-so-sweet and angelic and the next they’re throwing a fit in the middle of the frozen food aisle.

Let’s tackle 5 tricky (but common) toddler behaviors and gain insight into why they occur.

Why the Toddler Years Matter So Much for Brain Development

August 1, 2022 Madeleine Vieira

If you have a toddler, you’ve witnessed firsthand how incredibly active they are and how fast they learn! So many amazing milestones are reached during the toddler years — from walking to talking to using their fingers to eat.

Toddlers can be larger than life. With their big feelings, bigger tantrums, and daily skill acquisition — you may be marveling at all the new things they’re learning and doing.

Every day is different with a toddler. And it’s in part because their brains are so incredibly malleable and developing at a wildly rapid pace.

So what’s going on inside that genius little mind of theirs?