Help your 4 to 6-month-old learn to roll with the blanket wrap.

1. Position baby at one end of the blanket with his head above the edge of the blanket
2. Slowly roll your baby wrapping him up as you go
3. The roll the other way to unwrap him out of the blanket

If your baby is already crawling, he’s getting a lot of good experience with balance. Challenge him even more by having him crawl over pillows, folded up comforters, even sofa cushions. ​

After toddlers learn to walk well, they challenge themselves. Doesn’t it seem like they carrying things wherever they go? And they’re constantly bending down and picking things up. These guys can really balance. If your toddler is bending and carrying, challenge her balance a little bit more:

1. Make a balance beam with a board or tape a line to the floor
2. Have her step on an off a pillow, cushion or folded up comforter
3. If your toddler is ready, you can practice walking up and down the bottom step of the stairs or on and off a step stool (with you nearby)

Challenge your preschoolers balance by helping him:

1. Stand with his eyes closed and sing his favorite sone
2. Stand on one leg
3. Walk across the room on his tippy toes.
   
4. GAME: Place a bucket (container / basket / box) filled with items at one end of the room and an empty bucket at the other end of the room. Use a bord, the edge of a rug, or even a line of tape on the floor. Encourage your preschooler to walk on his tippy toes to the bucket. Pick out an item. Walk the line on the floor to the empty bucket and drop it in.
5. Obstacle course. Allow your child to design a balance obstacle course with squishy surfaces (pillows), balance beams, ramps and more! Be sure to check it out for safety before he begins the course and stand by if needed.

There’s a lot to balance these days. What things in your life are balancing just right today? Which things are close to toppling over? Is anything out of balance?

Take some time to take a breath, to prioritize, and figure out how to get everything in balance for today. In order to give balance to our kids, we need to find some for ourselves. Take the time you need to take care of yourself so you’ll be better able to take care of you child / children.

Remember the most important thing isn’t the blanket wraps or the obstacle course. The most important thing is that you are there for your child.
​
With love,
Angela

Photo: ​Chiến Phạm on Unsplash

Tummy time helps babies gain strength and learn to balance.
When your baby is awake, put him on his tummy and play with him. A younger baby can lift his head in this position and turn it side to side.
TIP: If your little one doesn't like tummy time, lay on your back or recline and place your baby chest to chest. This will help him get used to the position and encourage him to lift his head and look around.
​An older baby is ready to put weight through his forearms and look around, or even push arms straight. 

​Toddlers who are cruising and walking still crawl sometimes. And that’s great. Crawling is a good workout.
One way to increase strength is to let your toddler crawl up the stairs.
This works arms, legs, and both sides of the body. Just take a look at how big those stairs are compared to the size of a toddler's legs. Could you climb stairs that big all day long? Give your little one a chance and she will want to do it over and over again!

Preschoolers like to see the results of their efforts.
What can you encourage your preschooler to do for work that will build strength? Think of something that will make them stand back and say, “Wow! I just did all that!”
Preschoolers usually like repetition, especially if there is a goal in sight. So have your little one stack all of the cans in the next room, move the pile of firewood, carry 40 books or magazines up the stairs one at a time, or move some rocks from one bin to another.
When the job is complete, be sure to offer praise and let him know he is a great help - even if you plan to have him reverse the process in a day, or a week, or a month. 

​Strength isn’t only for muscles. True strength is inside of us. This strength, determination, resilience helps us to make the most out of challenging situations. It inspires us to make these uncertain days meaningful, not only for our children but for ourselves. A friend posted on social media today that she’s home with a 5-week-old baby and feeling anxious. Someone suggested she list all of the things she’s grateful for to shift her focus from the unknown to what is known and what is good.

Thank you for reading this today. Keep doing what you do best, loving your child.

​With love,
Angela