Subtle signs of your toddler’s developing focus
Some toddlers can pay attention to an activity for several minutes, while others may need more support to stay focused for even a minute.
Cognitive Development
Cognitive Development
- Filter by age
-
- 12 - 48 Months
- 4 - 11 years
- 46 - 48 Months
- 43 - 45 Months
- 37 - 39 Months
- 40 - 42 Months
- 0 - 8 Years
- 4-year-old
- 3-year-old
- 2-year-old
- 0 - 12 Weeks
- 3 - 4 Months
- 5 - 6 Months
- 7 - 8 Months
- 9 - 10 Months
- 11 - 12 Months
- 13 - 15 Months
- 16 - 18 Months
- 19 - 21 Months
- 22 - 24 Months
- 25 - 27 Months
- 28 - 30 Months
- 31 - 33 Months
- 34 - 36 Months
- 18 - 48 Months+
- 0 - 12 Months
Combining words: a big step in language learning
Try these easy tips from language experts to encourage your toddler to say two-word phrases.
An expert strategy for helping your toddler climb, balance, and more
Specific verbal feedback can help your toddler tune into their body as they tackle a new physical challenge.
Toddler head banging: why it happens and how to respond
Up to 15% of young children will intentionally bang their head on the wall or floor at some point. Here's what to do when it happens.
When will your toddler learn their colors?
Learn the timeline of color understanding and 5 fun ways to help your toddler learn colors.
The benefits of skipping the stroller—and 3 ways to make it easier
Learn why and how to let your toddler walk instead of ride.
The science behind your child’s ‘language explosion’
Your toddler may say lots of new words around 18 to 24 months of age—here's why.
What’s the best type of puzzle for 1.5-year-olds?
Learn which puzzles offer just enough challenge for young toddlers.
5 ways to tell if your toddler’s show is worth the screen time
Many shows and apps targeted at babies and toddlers are marketed as “educational,” but that doesn’t always mean much.
5 fun indoor activities for your active toddler
Try these ideas to get the wiggles out inside.
9 favorite fine motor activities for 22 months
Help your toddler get better at coordinating the small muscles of their hands and fingers with these activities from a pediatric OT.
The orientation schema: why your toddler loves a new view
When your toddler looks through their legs or climbs up or down stairs, they're exploring the "orientation" schema. Offer these activities to support their curiosity.
The enclosing schema: 4 simple activities for toddlers
When your toddler crawls into a cardboard box or places a cup inside a bigger container, they’re exploring the “enclosing” schema.
The trajectory schema: how your child learns by throwing, dropping, and flinging
Children learn so much about the physical world by throwing, dropping, rolling, and flinging things—including their own body.
The connection schema: putting things together and taking them apart
Toddlers love discovering how objects fit together and come apart. Discover 5 ways to support this type of play.
The rotation schema: why your toddler loves things that spin
Discover 4 ways to support your toddler’s developing rotation schema, a form of play that involves twirling their body, rolling cars, and more.
The enveloping schema: what’s behind your toddler’s fascination in hiding things
Does your toddler love hiding under a blanket or stuffing little toys between the couch cushions? Covering up and hiding objects is a type of schema play known as “enveloping.”
5 pre-literacy skills to encourage in your toddler
Instilling a love and understanding of language, reading, and writing in toddlers has little to do with memorizing the ABCs. Learn the skills to reinforce instead.
Pointing: a simple gesture with big meaning
Research shows a close link between pointing and toddler language development. Learn how to build on this social-communication skill.
How to create a sleep-inducing bedtime routine for your toddler
Learn how to create an effective toddler bedtime routine from our certified sleep consultant, Lauren Lappen.
4 types of pretend play—and why they matter
They way your child plays make-believe changes as they grow. At each stage, pretend play offers cognitive and social-emotional benefits.
Spotting patterns prepares your toddler’s brain for math
Patterns are an important element of math. Learn the stages to learning patterns and 4 ways to help your toddler recognize patterns.
The benefits of playing pretend with your toddler
Pretend play lets your toddler learn by trying new roles. Discover why pretending along with them matters and tips for playtime.
What’s your baby’s brain working on at 7 weeks?
Parts of your baby's brain are about to experience a growth spurt. Learn 4 ways to encourage strong neural connections.
How to help your toddler understand their emotions
Discover expert tips on how to help your toddler connect how they feel to what they do.
Our best tips for using black-and-white cards to boost learning
Discover creative ways to use black-and-white cards and patterns to help your baby learn.
Your toddler’s creativity develops through play
Help your toddler learn to take others’ perspectives and solve complex problems with these expert tips to encourage creative and divergent thinking.
Shared storytelling can boost your toddler’s memory skills
Research shows that children as young as 13 months are already creating memories. Talking about shared experiences is one way to support your child's early learning.
Help your toddler develop an important early reasoning skill
Adults use process of elimination to solve problems all the time—and even as early as 14 months, you can help your toddler develop this cognitive skill, too.
Is your 1-year-old ready for logical consequences?
Logical consequences are about helping your toddler regulate their emotions and their body. They're meant as a reset—not punishment.
Is it okay for your baby to suck their thumb?
Are there benefits to thumb sucking? Should I try to stop my baby from thumb sucking? Learn if it's okay for your baby to suck their thumb.
6 ways to build your toddler’s attention span
Giving your child opportunities to focus on a task uninterrupted and get into a “zone of concentration'' is an important part of the Montessori approach.
What are play schemas and how do they help your toddler learn?
When your toddler repeats certain actions and behaviors, they're doing something called "schema" play. Learn about the eight different kinds of play schemas.
Making the most of your toddler’s fascination with cause and effect
Toddlers understand that they can make things happen with simple actions. Here are 4 ways to deepen their understanding of cause and effect.
Wish your toddler would focus? Try playing together first
Are you eager for your toddler to play longer with a toy? Learn what you can do to help them get the most out of their playthings.
When (and how) to transition your toddler from 2 naps to 1
Knowing when your toddler is ready to drop their morning nap can be tricky. Understand the signs to look for and the best ways to drop to one nap.
Why early pretend play matters—and how to encourage it
Now that your child is a toddler, they may start to experiment with pretend play. Learn three ways to support them.
Toddler won’t sit still? Try these tips
Is your toddler constantly on the move—too busy to try a puzzle or sit through a whole book? Learn how to support your toddler’s need to move.
What research says about how to respond to your baby’s babbles
Did you know that the way you respond to your baby's babbling can actually shape the way they communicate? Learn more.
Inspire an early love of reading with Lovevery Book Bundles
Lovevery is thrilled to announce its new Book Bundles for Play Kits subscribers. We’re excited for you and your child to discover your new favorite books together.
Activities for your 4-month-old from child development experts
Through simple play, your 4-month-old gains thinking skills, gross motor development, social connections, language understanding, and more.
When do babies wave?
Waving ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye‘ combine at least three distinct types of skills for your baby. Learn more about these skills and how to encourage waving.
Easy activities your 9-month-old will love
Try these simple activities for rich sensory play that helps your 9-month-old practice their developing skills.
Activities your 6-month-old will want to do again and again
Help your baby practice and expand their skills with these simple games and activities recommended by Gabrielle Felman, Lovevery's child development expert.
Why do babies love to dump things out of containers?
Emptying is the first part of an important kind of play called containerizing. Learn ways to support container play.
How the Sliding Top Box helps build your baby’s working memory
Learn how the Sliding Top Box builds your baby's working memory along with their complex problem solving, lateral movement, and fine motor skills.
Including your 8-month-old in household tasks
Involving your baby in household chores is a great way to nurture their interest and support development. Here are 5 ways to include your baby in chores.
10 easy ways to build your 10-month-old’s brain
Your 10-month-old's learning is more complex, and they can now coordinate input from different sensory systems. Read our activities to help boost their brain connections.
Destructive play teaches babies cause and effect
It’s easy to feel frustrated when your baby dumps over a bowl of snacks or pulls board books off a shelf. But destructive play actually teaches important lessons.
Babies learn from books with photographs
Read how books with realistic images have been shown to increase vocabulary and letter recognition more than books with fantastical illustrations.
Copy your baby to help them learn
Imitation is one of the main ways your baby learns about the world. Read about the link between imitation and learning.
Easy pincer grasp activities for babies
Babies typically develop the pincer grasp between 10 and 12 months. Learn a few activities to practice this skill with your baby.
Parentese improves children’s vocabulary
Read the characteristics of parentese, an exaggerated speaking style, and understand how it benefits your child's vocabulary and conversational skills.
Why babies put everything in their mouths
Child development professionals want babies to mouth different textures in infancy to prevent speech delays and picky eating. Read more about mouthing and the long-term benefits.
Testing limits at mealtimes
Between the ages of 9 and 12 months, your baby starts to test limits, especially at mealtime. Read our tips on what to do.
Your baby needs novelty
It’s easy to get into a rut with your baby, playing with them in the same spot with the same toys in the same ways. Read how this goes against neuroscientific research and easy ways to add newness.
Creating a ‘yes’ space for your baby
A yes space is an enclosed area where your baby can play without being told 'no.' Learn how to create a safe and interesting yes space.
Preparing for your baby’s 4-month checkup
Prepare for your baby's 4-month checkup and understand what to discuss with your pediatrician.
Your 9-month-old’s sensory learning
By 9 months, many of your baby’s sensory systems are getting more sophisticated. Learn how to practice those sensory skills with your baby.
Scent and your newborn
One of the primary ways your newborn learns about the world in the first few weeks is through their sense of smell. Learn how scents can help soothe your baby.
The power of eye contact with your baby
Eye contact with your baby isn’t just important for building an emotional connection—learn how it also affects early communication and learning.
When do babies know their name?
Learning and responding to their name is a big cognitive leap for your baby. Read our tips to help encourage name recognition.
When do babies start laughing?
After cooing and smiling, laughing comes next. Learn how to encourage your baby's giggles.
Your 4-month-old’s cognitive development
Read our list of what’s going on with your child’s cognitive development at 4 months as they learn how to interact with people and objects.
Your 6-month-old’s cognitive development
Read what child development experts say is happening in your child’s brain at 6 months and how to help develop those skills.
Your 10-month-old’s cognitive development
At 10 months, your baby’s brain development is focused primarily on problem solving. Read through our list of cognitive skills you may notice.
Your 8-month-old’s cognitive development
Here’s what child development experts say is happening in your child’s brain at 8 months old.
Nature or nurture? 2 books explain
When it comes to shaping your child’s brain, what matters more—their environment or their genes? Learn how to create an optimal environment for brain growth.
Why does my child lie and what can I do about it?
Hearing your child lie can be troubling. Here are some reasons not to worry—and how to encourage a family culture of honesty.
Welcome to The Problem Solver Play Kit for months 43-45
The Problem Solver Play Kit supports your 3-year-old’s desire to categorize, and the increasingly complex way they understand the world and their place in it.
The complete guide to baby development milestones
We compiled this expert guide to help you know what to expect for your baby's growth and month-by-month development.
5 reasons to gift a Lovevery subscription this holiday season
New York Magazine and Red Tricycle have put Lovevery’s Play Kit subscriptions on their gift lists. Here are five reasons to consider putting one on yours.
The benefits of bringing your baby outside
Spending time outside is not only enjoyable for babies, it also supports their cognitive and motor development—and may even help them sleep better.
What are infant reflexes all about?
Your baby’s unintentional twitches, jerks, and sudden movements actually help them figure out the world. These are newborn reflexes.
Here’s how your 2-year-old can keep playing with their baby and 1-year-old playthings
Lovevery Playthings take on new meaning as your child grows. Reintroduce a beloved toy from a past Kit, and your two-year-old will find new ways to play.
Why wooden toys make the best playthings
Wooden toys are a staple of Montessori learning. They're durable, beautiful, and inspire wonder for a child's budding imagination.
The 7 conservation activities that can help your child with math and more
Conservation is a logical thinking ability children develop between 4 and 11 years old. Being able to conserve means knowing that a quantity doesn’t change if it’s been altered.
Our simplest activities to do at home with your baby
Running out of new activities for your baby during quarantine? Don't worry! Here are 14 of our favorite simple play ideas for spending time at home.
Updated Lovevery Play Kits featuring larger, more complex developmental Playthings
After play studies, weeks of in-home testing, and thousands of customer surveys, we are excited to announce our updated Play Kits for one-year-olds.
Let’s get gluing—DIY activities with developmental benefits that stick
Using glue to stick items together may not sound like cognitive development, but it is. Try these activities with your toddler to practice.
This classic activity lays the foundation for math skills
Support your two-year-old's emerging sorting skills, using the Lovevery Reach for the Stars Matching Cards.
7 easy sensory bottle ideas
Sensory bottles excite your baby’s senses and help make connections in their brain and we’ve collected 7 here that are easy to make and mess-free.
How to help develop your baby’s intelligence
The most meaningful learning happens when your baby is exposed to everyday objects and events. Here are some ways to help your baby build their intelligence.
6 math concepts you can practice at home (no textbook needed)
Here are some early childhood math activities for your two-year-old that make the most of playtime and their normal routine.
