Infant-and-Toddler-Development Books

This is the best of the best for new and old parents. I didn't read this until my 3rd and still found out all kinds of new things. The book is well thought out and planned. Easy to understand but most of all PRACTICAL. The ideas presented in this book don't require you to have a PH.D to apply. Nor does it require a six digit income to supply the items suggested for use. The women who wrote this book are obviously mothers. Which doesn't seem to be a requirement anymore for giving advice. (ha ha).

I got this book a week ago at the local library (an older copy, probably from the first printing) and thought I'd check it out. I figured that if it gave me ANY ideas on stuff to do with my 3 year old, 2 year old, and 2 month old during this rainy weather we are having that it would be a good choice. So I got it home and read through it, and I LOVE this book! I've used several things in it for my 3 year old and my 2 year old, and found that there's a lot of stuff in the 2 sections that line up really well for the different ages. I'm not too creaative when it rains too much so this book has come in very handy, and its given me ideas that I may not have come up with at all if I hadn't checked the book out from the library. After 2 days of referencing this book I told my husband that I was buying it as soon as I could find a copy of it. He agreed with me after looking through it himself. I am very impressed with this book and am suggesting it to everyone I know with little kids, its already becoming a lifesaver and I dread taking it back to the library if I don't have my own copy beforehand.

I just looked at this book while attending a national conference on child development. This would make a great gift for new or expectant parents. It is well wriiten and very easy to follow.

"Raising a child is the most important job you'll ever have." ~Rob Reiner

The First Years is a book that was created in conjunction with I Am Your Child, a national organization that focuses on raising public awareness about the importance of learning during the first three years of a child's life.

The contents include:

Getting to know me: birth to nine months
I can do it myself: 9-18 months
On my way: 18-36 months

During the first three years of a child's life there is so much more going on than just the physical/visual development. What is going on in a child's mind? Are they developing a healthy self-esteem and a positive attitude towards learning?

Are you sure your baby feels loved and secure? They discuss the myth about not picking up your infant when he/she cries too much. I have always wondered about this aspect, because I think it is natural for a mother to want to comfort an infant who is crying and it seems unnatural to leave a child crying for ages in a crib when you are who they depend on. This book also tells you that it is normal for babies to cry for certain periods of time during various stages.

Some of the highlights include: The advantages of Breast feeding, Establishing Routines, How Babies Communicate and a discussion about how you can encourage your baby to communicate with you through "self-talk."

I also enjoyed the section on: Why Babies Cry and what to do about it, Understanding your child's unique temperament, Teaching self-discipline, Language and Learning, Play Time, Childproofing the house, The stage from crawling to walking and how to deal with crib-climbers.

Questions they answer include:

What causes colic and what is the normal duration of crying?
When do babies begin talking?
Why do children bite?
How can I prevent tantrums?
How do you provide your child with the best nutrition?
How often should you visit the doctor?
Will you ever get enough sleep again?
What do I do when my baby won't stop crying?
Is baby talk ok?

This guide will encourage you to make the most of those first few years that can be so crucial to your child's development. Knowing about each stage of our baby's development makes it a bit easier to meet your baby's needs.

~The Rebecca Review

One of my favorite books for new parenting! Written by a well-respected pediatrician and father of a large family, this book explains the month-to-month developmental stages of the first year of a child's life. Made me anticipate each of those stages with excitement as my babies grew and we enjoyed them 'together'. I felt very prepared to know what to expect, what was generally 'normal' and it put me at ease to enjoy, rather than fret over, my babies' important first year. Dr. Sears obviously loves babies and conveys that hands-on, engaged approach to his readers and encourages them to love and enjoy their babies, too! A real winner.

If you're concerned or inquisitive about your baby's development, you should have this book! Dr. Sears covers the physical, mental, and emotional develpments of your baby. Hundreds of cute pictures of his own baby. The reason I prefer this book over other infant development books is that the book's style is so "down-to-earth" and conversational, and the pictures help you see what's happening with your baby rather than just reading about it.

I purchased this book looking for some ideas to do with my toddler. This book is laid out so well, we can just grab it and instantly find what we are looking for. There is a great variety of music, singing, art, and thinking games. Best of all, most of the items were things that were at home and didn't cost money to do or make. This book has made our house so much more fun especially on rainy days.

I sent this book to my granddaughter to share with her three little girls. Recently, her seven-year-old was asked by a neighbor to be a mother's helper for her two toddlers. My great-granddaughter immediately reached for the Gymboree book as something she would use to entertain her little charges.

I didn't know anything about babies so I read it voraciously. I love that it includes babies of various ethnicities, talks about touchy subjects gently but thoroughly, includes adoptive parents and fathers and is accepting. I have another book that is very "by this age your child WILL be doing X" and this book doesn't do that or make me feel like I'm a failure if my child is developing at her own pace. My daughter is 14 months old and I went to the book for everything from vegetarian diets to pink eye.

My mom also loves it. A few weeks ago my parents came to visit and I went to sleep to my mom reading sections of the book to my dad.

I would highly recommend this book for every mom and dad.Written in a very clear and simple language with lots of relevant pictures, this book explains not only how to rear a child in an ideal manner but also helps to explain every mom different stages of her child's development and teaches her how to tackle minor problems that she might face during this period. I can still imagine every minor changes in the development of my son, every time when I read this book. Even for me with an experience in Paediatrics for several years as a doctor, this book gave me lots of confidence in taking care of my son. My husband also enjoyed thoroughly every single page of this book and learned a lot from it. A must read book for every mom and dad....

A wonderful childrens book for 8months plus. The story is a well constructed rhyme about the familiar things a child encounters in his/her home. The book also offers the advantage of touch and feel. My one year old son enjoys scratching at the sand in the sandbox and touching the furry bear. If you have young children this is the Perfect interactive book.

This is my 14-month-old daughter's favorite book for the last 3 months now. It's a nicely written rhyming book with lots of things to touch, like scratchy sand, nubbly towels, lacey curtains, etc. The book is VERY durable with a fabric border, we've read it 100's of times and it shows no wear at all. I recommend!

A very well written review of the research on infant development. A MUST for those who are interested in child development.

A very well written review of the research on infant development. A MUST for those who are interested in child development.

Though I don't do everything exactly as Laurie Boucke teaches in her book, I have found this method of dealing with elimination to be a good experience with my first (and only) child who is currenlty 8 months old. We started IPT a few days after bringing her home from the hospital, and the book is what taught me and gave me the confidence to try it in the first place. My mom and husband were very supportive of trying out this method, so that was really the key to getting it started. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in learning more about IPT, and it isn't overwhelming because it gives you the basics in a straighforward way.

As a new mom, it was great to have a book that introduced this concept in a really concise way. Extensive background information found in some other books is interesting, but not if you're trying to fit it in during naptime! Since I read this "basics" book, I also read "Diaper Free" by Ingrid Bauer. Despite that fact that I really enjoyed "Diaper Free," I was really glad that I got this Potty Basics book first since it was so concise and told me everything I needed to know to get started.

It really does work! We started when our daughter was 3 months old, and haven't had to change a poopy diaper since. Peeing is another matter, but we're catching about half of them every day. Definitely a technique worth trying--even if you only do it "part time" for the easy catches after naps and such.

As a working mom I don't have time to read very much, but I know it's important to really understand what is going on with my child as she develops. This book is great, and the next book about two year olds is even better. It is so helpful to understand why some issues are so challenging at this age and to get ideas for what to do!

I loved this book, but even better it was the only book I could get my husband to read and he really liked it too (I could just mark a couple of short chapters and he didn't have to read everything.) We are doing a much better job as parents now that we agree more about what is "normal" for a one year old!

i'm living in leon Gto. México, i thougth that the procedure could be really hard, but it isn't; it was easy, considering a shopping from another country, very good.

Este libro está escrito en una manera facíl de entender y excelente en su presentación de la materia sobre el uso de las señas para los bebés. La información presentada es excelente para todos los padres. Compartiendo las señas con los bebés ayudará en el desarrollo linguístico, social y emocional. Este libro es organizada en una manera facíl de usar para ayudar los padres a ser maestros de señas para sus bebés. Este libro está usuando las señas del Lenguaje de Señas Americana (conocido como ASL). Este libro presenta mucha más información que fue presentado en el libro original de las señas escrito por las doctoras Linda Acredolo y Susan Goodwyn, "Gestos del Bebé", y el Programa de Baby Signs(R)cual son 80% de las mismas señas de ASL y solamente 20% de señas adaptadas para que seán mas facíles para las manitas del bebé. Este libro es perfecto para toda la familia y especialmente para madres en espera. No es necesario haber tenido experiencia con el aprendizaje de las señas antes de empezar con un programa de señas para los bebés. ¡El uso de señas es facíl y divertida! Los beneficios para los bebés y sus familias son fantasticos. La magia de la señas, como utilizando la lectura y la música en la vida cotidiana de los infantes, en realidad sea un regalo perfecto para cada bebé
en esta tierra y por el mundo.