Toddler crying for no reason? Why it’s happening and useful tips to save your sanity

Here are possible explanations for the waterworks

By Kelli Catana Updated May 21, 2024

Child crying in a house by a window. — Marcos Paulo Prado / Unsplash

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Kelli is a freelance writer who has covered the world of entertainment, pop culture, parenting, and lifestyle for various…

Activities

A complete guide on how to get your toddler to start tying their own shoes

Fun tips to help toddlers master shoe tying

A parent teaching a toddler girls how to tie her sneaker

Getting your child to tie their shoelaces isn't always an easy task. Like many milestones, there are no hard and set rules as to when a child will suddenly master this task. While there isn't a magic number as to when kids should reach the shoe-tying milestone, most children master tying their shoes by first grade, while others may accomplish the task with confidence in second or third grade.

Learning to tie shoes is an important accomplishment that can be difficult for some children. While adults think nothing of double-knotting shoes before heading out the door, the simple action is rather involved. Shoe tying encompasses visual perception skills, hand-eye coordination, and defined fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are the small muscles in the hands and fingers. Shoe tying relies on those fingers to make and pull those bunny ears tightly so shoes don't quickly become untied.

Activities

9 simple steps that’ll help teach your toddler to read

Use these tips to help your toddler on their reading journey

Happy toddler boy reading a picture book

Learning to read is a critical milestone for all children. It's a skill they will use throughout their lives, and fostering a love of reading at an early age will help them as they progress through school. As an adult, reading is an essential part of every day.

Since reading is so vital, it's easy for parents of young children to wonder when they should start teaching a toddler to read. Is it even normal for a two-year-old to read? While some children will begin reading as early as age three, most children will not. Developmentally, many children begin to make the connection between letters, sounds, and words at the end of kindergarten or in first grade.

Activities

5 great activities to teach your toddler to listen

These activities may seem like games, but they'll teach your kiddo to listen

Most parents agree that things start to get fun once their child reaches the toddler stage. This is when children are more active, more verbal, and let’s face it, they have more energy than should be humanly possible. Sometimes, getting your toddler to stop (or even slow down) long enough to listen to you can be a challenge.

If you're wondering how to teach your toddler to listen, we have some activities that can help. These may seem like games, but they're ways of how to teach a toddler to listen when it’s time to be quiet and pay attention to someone else when it's their turn to talk. Let’s check out toddler listening activities that you’ll both enjoy doing.
Games to teach a toddler to listen

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