Development

Learn about behaviors, first friends, language, manners, delays, and more with these developmental touchstones. Our month-by-month guide prepares you every step of the way.

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Top Features
Milestones
toddler clapping

Don't put that camera away so quickly. Your toddler has a lot of exciting milestones ahead of her, and you don't want to miss a thing. Here's what to expect at every age and stage from dressing and undressing, potty training, early sentences, drawing, and so much more.

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Physical Development
measuring child

What comes after baby's first steps? You'll be surprised how quickly your toddler will pick up speed. Here's what you need to know about his physical development from running to jumping to grasping a pencil. Plus: How does your child rate on height and weight charts compared with his peers?

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Social Development
children playing together

Is your child's social development up to snuff? Find out how to bring your toddler along with these simple ideas for manners, playdates, tantrums, and more. Get the know-how you need to raise a socially-savvy kid plus tips for helping shy kids.

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Intellectual Development
count to ten

From brain-boosting games to language-building tricks, we've got all the know-how you need to understand your child's intellectual development. Plus what you need to know about pre-reading.

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Behavioral Development
toddler smiling

Learn how to relate to your young child and nurture positive behavior. We have everything you need to know about his development from temper tantrums to good manners and everything in between.

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Language Development
toddler holding green telephone

Is your child's language development on track? Find out how many words your toddler should have, learn about language delays, and see if your child will need speech therapy.

see all 38 features »
Development Problems
toddler sitting on the floor

Is your child keeping up with his peers? Read about common developmental problems, including language, social situations, sleep, and more. Plus: Learn how to get your child back on track.

see all 16 features »
Speech Delays
one year old

Here's what you should know about your child's language development, including speech delays, when you should worry, and how to find a great speech therapist.

see all 13 features »
Reading
mother reading to children

Reading is fun. Here's how to make learning letters, phonics, letter blends, and sight words a fun experience for both parent and child. Plus: Comprehension techniques to improve information retention and literacy programs to help you be your child's best first teacher.

see all 15 features »
Manners
Little girl with big eyes

Here's what you need to know to encourage your toddler and preschool age child to use good manners. Saying please and thank you is a good place to start, then take it to the next level with these tips for mealtime, playdates, and more. Our basic modeling techniques deliver a winning outcome.

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Writing
learning to write

Is your preschooler ready for writing? Here's what you need to know about helping kids get a grip, learning fundamental techniques, and practice worksheets.

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Sibling Rivalry
Sibling Rivalry

Sibling relationships are the longest lasting personal relationships any of us will ever have, but they don't necessarily come easy. Learning to get along with siblings can present many challenges. Here's how to manage sibling rivalry and bring out the best in all of your kids.

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Friendship
friends

When do social relationships begin to matter for toddlers and preschoolers? Learn when and how little ones make friends and how you can support these budding relationships. Here's everything you need to know about parallel play, planning play dates, and managing arguments.

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Fear
toddler

When do social relationships begin to matter for toddlers and preschoolers? Learn when and how little ones make friends and how you can support these budding relationships. Here's everything you need to know about parallel play, planning play dates, and managing arguments.

see all 8 features »
Playdate with a Purpose

Playdates are fun, interactive reading events to enjoy with the children in your life!

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