3-min read
2025-08-26
5-min read
Development isn’t a race. It’s a flow.
Every child—and parent—is figuring it out at their own pace.
Instead of milestones, we encourage you to focus on this amazing moment.
Your child’s brain makes more than one million neural connections per second in these first three years. Simple, consistent interactions with them today can have profound, lifelong benefits.
Here’s how little one’s brain is developing this month, and how you can support their progress.
Developmental Highlight
Play is little one’s work, and these days, they’re working overtime. The most ordinary objects—a spatula, pack of wipes, unfolded laundry—can inspire play. It may not look sophisticated, but this develops the problem-solving skills and sense of discovery that kickstart creativity.
Blocks, puzzles, and simple turn-taking games unlock the world of pretend play, becoming the jumping-off points for little one to act out imaginary adventures through dress-up, playing house, pillow forts, and more. The scenarios little one likes to act out now are a way of processing and practicing for real-life moments. Let little one lead pretend play as much as possible.
You’ll notice that little one plays more independently for longer stretches of time. You can support this by creating an environment that supports solo play. It doesn’t take much: just some toddlerproofed space, a few toys (or, in the case of the spatula, “toys”), and supervision.
Brain-Building Activities
Pretend Play
Routine: Playtime
Pretend play improves empathy, self-regulation, language skills, logical thinking, and creativity. Little one follows a complex set of rules when they take on the role of a character. This requires them to think about what that person thinks, feels, and does. Let little one be the boss while you play along.
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Incorporate real objects—or toys that resemble real objects—into pretend play to stimulate creativity. Add costumes to the mix for an extra dose of fun.
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Start with familiar scenarios. Ask little one to make a meal in their pretend kitchen, or pick up “trash” like the sanitation workers outside. Can they change their doll’s diaper, like you do for them? (Good news: HealthyBaby’s EWG Verified® diaper is also doll-approved!) As little one gets more adept, pretend scenarios will become more elaborate.
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Ask questions about what little one’s doing as they play. “Are you following a recipe?” or “Is that a banana on the pizza? Yum.” Let them tell you where to sit, what to do, and who you’re pretending to be.
Solo Play
Routine: Playtime
Like the rest of us, little one needs a calm environment to focus their curiosity. They also need to practice playing independently, following their own interests, and depending less on adults for stimulation. There’s a chance you've fallen into the habit of constantly entertaining little one. Make an effort to carve out a few minutes of solo play for them each day.
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Ensure the environment is safe and clear of clutter. Turn off any background screens or distractions.
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Offer little one 2-3 toys. Rotating toys can make familiar items feel more novel and limits the sensory overload of too many choices.
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Tell little one that you’re going to do something else and stay within eyesight. Observe what they’re doing, but try not to interrupt. If they call for you, show interest for a moment, then encourage them to return to their activity.
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Honor little one’s interest and focus by not forcing a transition before it’s absolutely necessary. When you do interrupt, narrate what’s happening. “I know you’re having fun playing with the cars, but we need to get ready to go out now. You can play more later.”
You’ve Got This
The work of play tends to create the work of house—clean-up for you! Try to be patient with the everyday disarray that teaches little one so much. Consider the saying, “Pardon the mess, we’re making memories.”
Research shows that multisensory play is how little one learns best. Make a sensory bag to keep the mess contained, and fill it with household items, like ice, pompoms, uncooked beans, paint, water, or food coloring. Just make sure the edges are sealed well.
You can also use a food container or toy bin to create a contained sensory experience. Perhaps allow little one to touch, not see, the items inside, and then ask them to guess what they are. It’s a fun, easy activity that’s full of possibility and probably won’t require you to get out the vacuum.
