MSU Baby

Thank you so much for participating in the Prenatal Stress Study! Please see below for help with home saliva and to see a copy of our payment plan. If you have any questions or comments for us, please feel free to call, text or email! Our contact information can be found at the bottom of this page.

Home Saliva

Sample 1: Red

Sample 2: Yellow

Sample 3: Purple

Sample 4: Brown

Sample 5: Black

Sample 6: Green

There are 6 more saliva samples for you to collect TWO DAYS IN A ROW the week after your visit.

On Day 1, you'll take 3 samples - two in the morning (when you wake up and 30 minutes after) and one in the early evening (between 5 and 6PM). On Day 2 you'll take another three samples at those times.

Collect the samples in the same way you did during our interview and make sure you use new straws and tubes every time. Please write down the date and exact times the saliva was collected on the table in your brochure. Make sure you check that you are using the right color tube for each sample. Also write down the tube label number each time you use one, and remember to put each tube in the freezer right away.

Lansing Study Schedule and Payment Plan

Please contact Dr. Amy Nuttall for a copy of this document. 

Ann Arbor/Detroit Study Schedule and Payment Plan

Please contact Dr. Amy Nuttall for a copy of this document. 

Meet the team!

Amy Nuttall, PhD

Dr. Nuttall is an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at MSU. Her research examines how parents and children cope with stress and how these experiences shape development. Much of her work has focused on the transition to parenthood and early parenting and child development.

Prenatal Stress study:

PIs: Alytia Levendosky, Anne Bogat, Joe Lonstein, Amy Nuttall, Maria Muzik, Cecilia Martinez-Torteya

This on-going research is funded by two grants from the National Institute for Child Health and Development at NIH. The overall purpose of the grant is to understand how various types of stressors (e.g., income, food insecurity, community violence, intimate partner violence) during and after pregnancy affect mothers and children. The first grant assessed women 3 times during pregnancy and when infants were 6 months old. Psychological and physiological markers of stress were collected. A unique aspect of the study was that during pregnancy, women completed weekly questions about stressors they experienced. Our aim is to determine whether stress during certain weeks of pregnancy affect various infant outcomes. The second grant has allowed us to follow these same participants until the children are 4 years old. Participants answer questionnaires online every 3 months, and they come for in-person assessments when the children are 2 ½ and 4 years old. We are currently adding to our research sample by recruiting and interviewing 100 mothers with 6-month-olds. These participants complete our standard assessments, but we also ask additional questions to understand how experiences of discrimination affect maternal and child health.

Publications:

Levendosky, A. A., Bogat, G. A., Lonstein, J. S., Muzik, M., & Nuttall, A.  (2021). Longitudinal prospective study examining the effects of the timing of prenatal stress on infant and child regulatory functioning: The Michigan Prenatal Stress Study protocol. BMJ Open. http://bmjopen.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmjopen-2021-054964

Cochran, K. A., Kashy, D. A., Bogat, G. A., Levendosky, A. A., Lonstein, J. S., Nuttall, A. K., & Muzik, M.  (2023).  Economic hardship predicts intimate partner violence victimization during pregnancy. Psychology of Violence, 13(5), 396-404. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/vio0000454

Bogat, G. A., VanDahm, K., Muzik, M., Lonstein, J. A., Nuttall, A., Levendosky, A. A. et al. (2023). Conducting virtual assessments in developmental research: COVID-19 restrictions as a case example. Applied Developmental Science, 27(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2021.1989305

Mothers and babies study:

PIs: Levendosky, Lonstein, Bogat, and von Eye

This study is completed. We interviewed 182 mothers and babies when the babies were 1 year old. We asked women about stressors, especially intimate partner violence, during their pregnancy and the first year of the baby’s life.  We examined how this stress affected women’s and baby’s mental health, social development, and physiology. This study was funded by the National Institute for Child Health and Development at NIH.

Publications: 

Martinez-Torteya, C.  Bogat, G. A., Lonstein, J. S., Granger, D. A., & Levendosky, A. A. (2017).  Exposure to intimate partner violence in utero and infant internalizing behaviors: moderation by infant salivary cortisol-alpha amylase asymmetry. Early Human Development, 113, 40-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2017.07.014

Levendosky, A. A., Bogat, G. A., Lonstein, J. S., Martinez-Torteya, C., Muzik, M., Granger, D. A., & von Eye, A. (2016).  Infant adrenocortical reactivity and behavioral functioning: Relation to early exposure to maternal intimate partner violence. Stress, 19(1), 37-44. https://doi.org/10.3109/10253890.2015.1108303

Lannert, B. K. . . . Levendosky, A. A., Bogat, G. A., & Lonstein, J. S. (2014). Relational trauma in the context of intimate partner violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 38, 1966-1975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.10.002

Mothers and Infants study:

PIs: Bogat, Levendosky, Davidson, and von Eye

This study is completed. We began interviewing 206 women during their third trimester of pregnancy and followed them and their children until the children were 10 years old. Numerous publications examined the psychological effects of intimate partner violence on mothers and children, especially when the violence occurred during the woman’s pregnancy.

Publications:

Bernard, N., Bogat, G. A., Kashy, D. A., Lonstein, J. S., & Levendosky, A. A. (2022). Prenatal and postnatal intimate partner violence, depression, and infant-mother touch. Infant Behavior and Development, 67, 101703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101703

Cochran, K., Bogat, G. A., Levendosky, A. A., & Martinez-Torteya, C. (2022). Trauma symptoms in children exposed to intimate partner violence: the role of appraisals. Violence and Victims, 37(2), 1-16.  http://doi.org/10.1891/VV-D-20-00115

Martinez-Torteya, C., Bogat, G. A., Levendosky, A. A., & von Eye, A.  (2016). The influence of prenatal intimate partner violence exposure on HPA-axis reactivity and childhood internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Development and Psychopathology, 28, 55-72. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579415000280

Zero to Thrive:

https://zerotothrive.org/

Zero to Thrive is a multi-disciplinary center housed within the Department of Psychiatry at Michigan Medicine. It is built on the premise that the period from pregnancy through early childhood is an especially sensitive time for mitigating the multi-generational effects of inequity, trauma, and adversity and promoting mental health. Zero to Thrive has many ongoing projects, including the Infant Mental Health Home-Visiting (IMH-HV) program and the parenting (Mom Power) intervention studies. The IMH-HV research is an ongoing collaboration between Zero to Thrive and the Michigan Department of Human Health Services (MDHHS) to rigorously evaluate the outcomes of IMH-HV services, as well as develop and support an advanced training curriculum for IMH-HV. The Mom Power studies utilize psychological and brain imaging assessments to test intervention impact.

Publications:

Miller, A., Stein, S. F., Sokol, R., Varisco, R., Trout, P. . . . Muzik, M., & Rosenblum, K. (2022).  From Zero to Thrive: A model of cross-system and cross-sector relational health to promote early childhood development across the child-serving ecosystem. Infant Mental Health Journal, 43(4), 624-237. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.21996  

Ribaudo, J., Lawler, J. M., Jester, J. . . . Muzik, M., Rosenblum, K. (2022). Maternal history of adverse experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms impact toddlers' early socioemotional wellbeing: The benefits of infant mental health-home visiting. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 792989. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.792989  

Riggs, J., Rosenblum, K., Muzik, M., . . . & the Michigan Collaborative for Infant Mental Health Research. (2022).  Infant mental health home visiting mitigates impact of maternal adverse childhood experiences on toddler language competence: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 43, e227-e236. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000001020  

Ho, S. S., Muzik, M., Rosenblum, K. L., Morelen, D., Nakamura, Y., & Swain, J. E. (2020). Potential Neural Mediators of Mom Power Parenting Intervention Effects on Maternal Intersubjectivity and Stress Resilience. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.568824 

  

Manufacturer Hotlines

• Gerber’s MyGerber Baby Expert : reach a certified nutrition or lactation consultant who can help you find a similar formula that may be more readily available
• Reckitt’s Customer Service line: call 1-800 BABY-123 (222-9123)

Local Resources

• Locate your nearest Community Action Agency (CAA). 
• United Way’s 2-1-1 : dial 2–1-1 to be connected to a community resource specialist affiliated with United Way who may be able to help you identify food pantries and other charitable sources of local infant formula and baby food.
• Feeding America : call your local food bank to ask whether they have infant formula and other supplies in stock.
• Human Milk Banking Association of North America  (HMBANA): certain HMBANA-accredited milk banks are distributing donated breast milk to mothers in need; please note that some may require a prescription from a medical professional. Find an HMBANA-accredited milk bank .
• Contact your local WIC  office to identify or obtain additional sources of infant formula nearby.
• Call your OBGYN or pediatrician to see if they have in-office samples or can suggest a similar formula that may be more readily available

Sources

https://www.hhs.gov/formula/index.html 

https://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/free_baby_formula.html

East Lansing:

Ingham County Health Department  (ICHD)

Resources on health and nutrition, seeking care

Phone: 517-887-4311

Website: hd.ingham.org

 

ICHD Women's Health Services 

Phone: 517-887-4320

Website: click here

 

Planned Parenthood (Frandor area)

Pregnancy and women's health services

Phone: 517-351-0550

Website: plannedparenthood.org

 

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner

Located in the Sparrow ER, 24-hour free and confidential forensic examinations

Phone: 517-364-3729

 

Sparrow Family Health Center

Phone: 517-364-5710

Website: click here

 

Healthy Smiles Dental Care

Phone: 517-272-4150

Website: click here

 

WIC- Women, Infants, & Children 

Nutritional resources and planning

Phone: 517-887-4326

Website: click here

 

Care Free Medical Clinic 

Phone: 517-887-5922

Website: carefreemedical.com

 

Greater East Lansing Food Bank 

Phone: 517-853-7800

Website: greaterlansingfoodbank.org

 

Michigan Lead Safe Home Program 

Free inspections for qualified applicants

Phone: 866-691-5323

Website: click here

Ann Arbor

WIC- Women, Infants, & Children 

Nutrition education, breastfeeding support

Phone: 734-544-6800

Website: click here

 

Beaumont Hospital 

Classes offered on pregnancy/childbirth, parenting, breastfeeding

Phone: 1-800-633-7377

Website: click here

Detroit

Wayne County WIC Office 

Phone: 734-727-7156

Website: click here

 

Community Food Depot 

Phone: 313-393-2930

Wayne County Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE)

Phone: 313-964-9701

Website: wcsafe.org

 

Planned Parenthood Detroit Health Center 

Phone: 313-831-7776

 

Affordable Dentistry

Phone: 313-554-8900

 

HUDA Free Community Health Clinic

Free medical, dental, mental health services for the uninsured/underinsured

Phone: 313-865-8446

Website: hudaclinic.org

 

Detroit Community Health Connection 

Multiple locations providing health services for all patients

Website: dchcquality.com

 

East Lansing

Mid-Michigan Autism Association

Website: https://www.midmichiganautism.com/

 

Hope Network Center for Autism

Phone: 844-969-0252

Website: https://hopenetwork.org/autism/

 

Community Mental Health

Website: http://www.ceicmh.org/services/csdd/clinical-services/autism-support 

 

Spartan Caregiver Support

Website: click here

 

Autism Learning Partners

Phone: (855) 295-3276 ext. 276

Website: https://www.autismlearningpartners.com/

 

Autism Alliance of Michigan

Phone: 877-463-AAOM

Website: https://autismallianceofmichigan.org/

Ann Arbor and Detroit

IEC Clinic

Website: https://zerotothrive.org/clinical-services/iecc/ 

 

STEPS Autism Treatment Program

Website: https://www.mottchildren.org/conditions-treatments/autism-spectrum-disorders/treatment 

 

East Lansing

Family Outreach Services 

Phone: 517-272-4122

Website: click here

Maternal Infant Health Program 

Phone: 517-887-4322

Website: michigan.gov/mihp

Nurse-Family Partnership 

Phone: 517-887-4324

Website: nursefamilypartnership.org

Early Head Start 

Phone: 517-372-9411 ext. 1

Capital Area Perinatal Wellness Coalition

Phone: (616)841-3334

Website: www.capitalareapmad.org

Ann Arbor

Maternal Infant Health Program 

Clinic- and home-based services for pregnant/parenting women on Medicaid

Phone: 734-936-9758

Website: http://www.michigan.gov/mihp/

Southeast Michigan Doula Project

Support and care for low-income pregnant women

Email: southeastmidoulas@gmail.com

Website: http://www.midoula.org/

Detroit

Maternal Infant Health Program 

Website: michigan.gov/mihp

Henry Ford Hospital System 

Phone: 313-916-8999

Website: click here

Wayne County Babies Program 

Phone: 313-537-1708

Website: click here

National Domestic Violence Hotline:

Offers phone and web chat 24/7, other resources

Phone: 1-800-799-7233 (all languages)

Website: thehotline.org

East Lansing

End Violent Encounters (EVE)

Advocacy, counseling, legal, and financial services available to women and children

24-hour crisis line: 517-372-5572

Website: eveinc.org

Capital Area Response Effort (CARE)

Services for women experiencing violence

Phone: 517-272-7436

AWARE

Domestic violence shelter serving the Jackson area

Phone: 517-783-2861

Website: awareshelter.org

MSU Safe Place 

Advocacy, counseling, and shelter for relationship violence/stalking

Crisis line: 517-432-9570

Email: noabuse@msu.edu

Website: safeplace.msu.edu

SIREN

Domestic violence shelter in Charlotte serving Eaton County

Phone: 517-543-0748

24/7 Crisis Line: 1-800-899-9997

Ann Arbor

SafeHouse Center 

Domestic violence shelter serving Washtenaw County

Phone: 734-995-5444

Website: https://www.safehousecenter.org

Detroit

YWCA of Metropolitan Detroit 

Shelter, domestic violence prevention and treatment, childcare services

24-hour crisis line: 313-861-5300

Website: click here

First Step

Comprehensive services for victims of domestic and sexual violence

24-hour help line: 734-722-6800

Website: http://www.firststep-mi.org

LA VIDA- Community Health and Social Services Center 

Domestic violence services for Latino/a families

Phone: 343-849-3920

Detroit Police Victim's Assistance Program

Individual and group counseling and support

24-hour help line: 313-833-1660

East Lansing

MSU Psychological Clinic:

Phone: 517-355-9564

Website: psychology.msu.edu/clinic

MSU Safe Place:

Individual counseling and support groups for abused women

Phone: 517-355-1100 ext. 2

Website: safeplace.msu.edu

St. Vincent's Catholic Charities:

Mental Health Clinic:

Sliding pay scale

Phone: 517-323-4734

Website: https://stvcc.org/services/

Community Mental Health—Ingham Access Center:

Phone: 517-346-8318

Website: ceicmh.org

Women’s Center of Greater Lansing:

Phone: 517-372-9163

Website: womenscenterofgreaterlansing.org

Capital Area Perinatal Wellness Coalition

Phone: (616)-841-3334

Website: www.capitalareapmad.org

Eve’s House:

Counseling and groups for women and children

Phone: 517-372-5572

Website: eveinc.org

Cristo Rey Community Services:

Counseling, Parenting Classes, Substance Abuse

Phone: 517-372-4700 ext. 140

Website: cristoreycommunity.org

Gateway Community Services:

Counseling and Health Clinic

Phone: 517-351-4000

Website: childandfamily.org

Alcoholics Anonymous

Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, and parts of Shiawassee

Phone: 517-377-1444

Website: aalansingmi.org

Perspectives Therapy Services:

Maternal Mental Health 

Phone: 810-494-7180

Website: https://www.perspectivestherapyservices.com/counseling-lansing-contact-us/

Ann Arbor

Catholic Social Services:

Phone: 734-971-9781

Website:http://csswashtenaw.org

U of M Psychological Clinic:

Sliding scale fees

Phone: 734-764-3471

Website: psychclinic.org

U of M University Center for the Child and Family:

Phone: 734-764-9466

Website: http://mari.umich.edu/uccf/

Samaritan Counseling Services:

Phone: 734-677-0609

Website: http://www.samaritanhelps.com

Eastern Michigan University Counseling Clinic:

Phone: 734-487-4410

Website: click here

The Postpartum Depression Support Group of the Greater Ann Arbor Area

Phone: 734-418-2683

Website: http://www.ppd-annarbor.org/

The Women's Center of Southeastern Michigan:

Phone: 734-973-6779

Website: https://womenscentersemi.org

St. Joseph Mercy Mental Health Counseling

Phone: 734-786-2301

Website: click here

Jewish Family Services:

Phone: 734-769-0209

Website: https://jfsannarbor.org

Corner Health Center:

For persons ages 12-25

Phone: 734-484-3600

Website: cornerhealth.org

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS):

Phone: 734-764-8312

Website: caps.umich.edu

Detroit

Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority:

24-hour help line: 800-241-4949

Website: dwmha.com

Wayne State University Counseling Center:

Phone: 313-577-1681

Website: click here

New Center Community Services:

Phone: 313-961-3200

Website: http://www.newcentercmhs.org

Central City Integrated Health:

Phone: 313-831-3160

Website: centralcityhealth.com

Alcoholics Anonymous Southeast Michigan:

24-hour hotlines: 313-831-5550, 248-332-3521

Website: aa-semi.org

Henry Ford Behavioral Health Services:

Phone: 800-422-1183

Website: click here

Southwest Solutions:

Phone: 313-841-7474

Website: click here

 

East Lansing

Legal-Aid:

Divorce, custody, SSD, housing

Phone: 1-888-783-8190

East Lansing

Personal Protection Order Office:

Phone: 517-483-6545

Friend of the Court:

Phone: 517-483-6103

Website: fc.ingham.org

Ann Arbor

Personal Protection Order Office:

Phone: 734-222-3001

Website: click here

Friend of the Court:

Phone: 734-222-3050

Website: click here

Detroit

Personal Protection Order Office:

Phone: 313-224-0120

Friend of the Court:

Phone: 877-543-2660

East Lansing

Lansing Housing Commission/Section 8:

Operates low-income housing

Phone: 517-349-1643

Salvation Army Housing Program:

Phone: 517-484-4424 

Volunteers of America:

Shelter and emergency services

Phone: 517-484-4414

American Red Cross:

Case management to assist homeless clients

Phone: 517-484-7461

Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor Housing Commission:

Phone: 734-794-6720

Website: click here

Detroit

Housing Resource Center:

Phone: 248-269-1335

Website: click here

United Community Housing Coalition:

Phone: 313-963-3310

Website: http://www.uchcdetroit.org

Detroit Housing Commission:

Phone: 313-877-8000

Website: http://www.dhcmi.org/

Great Start to Quality

Resource guide for early childhood education

Phone: 1-877-614-7328

Website: http://greatstarttoquality.org/

WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)

Website: click here

Gretchen’s House

Childcare centers in East Lansing, Ann Arbor, and Detroit areas

Phone: 734-761-2576

Website: http://www.gretchenshouse.com/

Seatcheck

Website with information regarding carseats

seatcheck.org

East Lansing

Child and Family Charities

Phone: 517-882-4000

Website: http://www.childandfamily.org

Great Parents, Great Start

Developmental information and support for new parents, including home visits

Website: click here

Ingham Great Start Collaborative

Early childhood programs, services, and support

Website: http://inghamgreatstart.org/

Haven House

Emergency housing and support services

Phone: 517-337-2731

Website: http://www.havenhouseel.org/

Children’s Therapy Corner

Specialized therapy and rehabilitation services

Phone: 517-706-0421

Website: http://www.childrenstherapycorner.com/index.php

Ann Arbor

Washtenaw Success by 6

Phone: (734) 994-8100

Website: http://www.washtenawsuccessby6.org/

Early Head Start of Washtenaw County

Phone: (734) 994-8100

Website: click here

University Center for the Child and Family

Phone: (734) 764-9466

Website: http://mari.umich.edu/uccf/

Detroit

Detroit Head Start

Website: http://www.detroitheadstart.com/

Starfish Family Services

Education for parents and children, health care/mental health services, and other  resources

General administration: 734. 728. 3400

24-hour crisis line: 313. 563. 5005

Website: http://www.starfishfamilyservices.org/

Development Centers

Early intervention and treatment programs for healthy growth and development

Website: click here

Metropolitan Detroit Diaper Bank

Free diaper request program

Website: click here

0-3 Months Developmental Milestones

Your baby might be...

• Recognizing your voice, face, and touch
• Associating you with comfort
• Becoming curious of their surroundings
• Exploring new sounds, sights, smells, touch, & tastes
• Starting to smile!
• Developing their own facial expressions, vocalizations, and gestures 

Activities

• Spend time with your baby 
• Hold them, rock them, or allow them to lay down safely nearby
• Read or tell them stories and talk or sing to them 
• Respond to their coos and other noises with “baby talk”
• Use a higher pitched voice, exaggerated sounds, and animated language
• Provide toys that are colorful and fun to touch for baby
• Show them contrasting colors such as black and white
• Smile at your baby
• 1-5 minutes of tummy time can strengthen the baby’s head, neck, and upper body
• Start to move around their arms, hands, legs, and feet
• Massage your baby as a way to bond with them and comfort them
• Check out some of the links and videos below for further exploration and examples!

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your baby? Check out these websites:

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/learn13m.html

https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/development/development-tracker/0-1-month

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/guide-parents.html

https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/features/stages-of-development

https://pathways.org/baby-milestones-calendar/

6 Months Developmental Milestones

Your baby might be...

• Strengthening relationships and getting familiar with people
• Recognizing themselves in the mirror
• Laughing, making new noises, babbling
• Putting things in their mouth to explore them
• Reach and grab for toys they want
• Closing their mouth or moving their head away to indicate they don’t want something such as food
• Rolling over, pushing up with arms, leaning on hands when starting to sit up

Activities

• Playing games like peekaboo
• Continue doing tummy time to strengthen their head, neck, and upper body muscles
• Encourage independent play on a play mat with toys they like
• Continue talking, singing, and playing with your baby
• Singing, clapping, reading, bouncing, making bubbles and new noises, etc
• Talk back and forth with your baby
• Point out new things to your baby and start naming them

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your baby? Check out these websites:

https://flo.health/being-a-mom/your-baby/growth-and-development/things-to-do-with-a-6-month-old-baby#:~:text=Some%20great%20games%20and%20activities,baby%20helps%20enhance%20their%20development.

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-6mo.html

https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/babys-growth-and-development-6-months-old

9 Months Developmental Milestones

Your baby might be...

• Sitting up with or without support 
• Handclapping 
• Understanding more and more words
• Seeing all the way across the room
• Starting to creep and crawl around on the floor
• Loving repetition and learning new things
• Using a pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger) to pick up food and toys
• Growing quickly and having a big growth spurt

Activities

• Name the things your baby looks at. Tell them what you’re doing or what’s happening in the world around them: It’s time for bed, it’s time to be feed.  Activities like these help build vocabulary and routine.
• Read to your baby. 
• Give your baby time to crawl and practice new movements: maybe make a trail of toys for your baby can work towards and investigate.
• Help them with play: playing hide and seek or helping to stack blocks can work on developing your babies’ skills.
• Let your baby explore their sense: touching ice cubes, crinkling leaves, shaking a container of rice. These activities involve touch and sound and are great for a young baby.

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your baby? Check out these websites:

https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/10-best-activities-for-9-month-old-baby/

https://www.sensorylifestyle.com/activities-0-24-months/month-9-top-10-sensory-activities-for-your-9-month-old/

https://www.parents.com/baby/development/intellectual/enhance-cognitive-development-9-12-months/

  

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

12 Months Developmental Milestones

Your baby might be...

• Starting crawling using arms and legs 
• Throwing toys and turning pages
• Starting to move more and more every day maybe even resting on furniture
• Shaking head to say "no"
• Wanting to do so much more on their own
• Maybe saying a few words or new sounds
• Imitating other words and sounds
• Starting to have favorite toys and foods

Activities

• Give your child room to roam, and if they try and stand hold out some fingers to help them balance.
• Support your child if they try and climb stairs or other objects; they need time to improve these skills with safety!
• Choose books to read to them that they are interested in.
• List things in their environment like the car, chair, or bus and what they do: the red car is driving down the street.
• Play games that include directions like throw me the blue ball.
• Let them choose what toys you’ll play with together and allow them to lead play.

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your baby? Check out these websites:

https://busytoddler.com/2018/02/activities-for-1-year-olds/

https://happilyevermom.com/brilliant-baby-activities/

https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/activities/indoor/11-fun-activities-for-1-year-olds/

https://www.parents.com/baby/development/intellectual/enhance-cognitive-development-9-12-months/

   

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

15 Months Developmental Milestones

Your baby might be...

• Throwing things like food and toys! You baby might love to watch someone grab them and bring them back
• Understanding and showing more emotion
• Using words to understand the world
• Throwing tantrums when upset or tired
• Starting to be more imaginative and using imagination in play
• Enjoying problem solving, and getting better at it every day!
• Choosing a favorite toy and a favorite place to play

Activities

• Getting your baby to use their hands and fingers is high activity. Try letting them scribble with crayons or play with a string instrument.
• Babies at this age love to climb: You can build a safe obstacle course for them to crawl over.
• Asking your baby questions: Asking them what they would like to eat, or where they would like to go helps expand their vocabulary and gain independence.
• Singing at this age can also be amazing, sing songs with your baby, or even create your rhythms together.
• Continue to read along: Read books that talk about feelings and show experiences your baby has had like playing.

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your baby? Check out these websites:

https://www.momjunction.com/articles/learning-activities-for-your-15-month-old-baby_0094185/

https://busytoddler.com/2016/03/easy-baby-activities/

https://chicklink.com/20-activities-for-a-toddler/

  

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

18 Months Developmental Milestones

Your baby might be...

• Starting to sit with or without support 
• Clapping their hands
• Understanding more and more words
• Looking around the room
• Creeping and crawling around on the floor
• Loving repetition 
• Starting to use a pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger) to pick up food
• Growing quickly and having a big growth spurt

Activities

• Name the things your baby looks at. Tell them what you’re doing or what’s happening in the world around them: It’s time for bed, it’s time to be feed.  Activities like these help build vocabulary and routine.
• Read to your baby 
• Give your baby time to crawl and practice new movements: maybe make a trail of toys for your baby can work towards and investigate.
• Help them with play: playing hide and seek or helping to stack blocks can work on developing your babies’ skills.
• Let your baby explore their sense: touching ice cubes, crinkling leaves, shaking a container of rice. These activities involve touch and sound and are great for a young baby.

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your baby? Check out these websites:

https://www.powerfulmothering.com/activities-for-18-to-24-months/

https://handsonaswegrow.com/activities/toddler-activities/18-24-months-old/

http://chicklink.com/activities-for-18-24-month-olds/

  

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

2 Year Old Developmental Milestones

Your toddler might be...

• Following simple instructions
• Using their imagination more than ever
• Sorting things by color and size
• Pointing to things in books and magazines
• Completing sentences and rhythms
• Standing on tiptoes
• Kicking and running
• Climbing up and down furniture
• Using two-word phrases like "drink milk" or "read book"

Activities

• Name the things your baby looks at. Tell them what you’re doing or what’s happening in the world around them: It’s time for bed, it’s time to be feed.  Activities like these help build vocabulary and routine.
• Read to your baby.
• Give your baby time to crawl and practice new movements: maybe make a trail of toys for your baby can work towards and investigate.
• Help them with play: playing hide and seek or helping to stack blocks can work on developing your babies’ skills.
• Let your baby explore their sense: touching ice cubes, crinkling leaves, shaking a container of rice. These activities involve touch and sound and are great for a young baby.

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your baby? Check out these websites:

https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/53723/80-best-activities-2-year-olds/

https://www.howweelearn.com/quiet-time-activites-2-year-olds/

https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/activities/indoor/11-fun-activities-for-2-year-olds/

 

   

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

 

3 Year Old Developmental Milestones

Your toddler might be...

• Following simple instructions
• Dressing or undressing on their own
• Getting upset with big changes in their routine
• Playing make-believe
• Turning handles or unscrewing caps and lids
• Naming familiar people or things
• Climbing and running
• Using words like "we", "you", "I" and "me"
• Using 2 to 3 sentences in a conversation

Activities

• Color with your child. Draw lines and shapes with them.
• Play counting games with your child. Count things that they see or use frequently.
• Read to your child. Encourage them to identify colors, numbers and letters as you read!
• Talk about emotions to help your child identify their feelings. For example, "I can see that you're feeling mad because you threw your blocks on the ground."
• Give your child simple instructions with 2-3 steps, such as, "Put away your toys and go get your shoes."

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your child? Check out these websites:

https://wehavekids.com/parenting/things-to-do-with-and-activities-for-3-year-olds-

https://activeforlife.com/49-fun-physical-activities-to-do-with-kids-aged-2-to-4/

https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/169-play-activities-for-24-to-36-months#chapter-121

 

   

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

 

4 Year Old Developmental Milestones

Your child might be...

• Playing make-believe and using their imagination.
• Singing songs from memory such as "Itsy Bitsy Spider"
• Naming colors, numbers and animals
• Using hand-eye coordination to complete simple puzzles or color inside the lines
• Experiencing a broad range of emotions, and learning how to control these emotions
• Asking adults plenty of questions
• Learning how to "take turns" and share

Activities

• Play make believe together. Let your child take the lead and follow their imagination!
• Practice hand-eye coordination with catching and throwing games. You can use rolled up socks as a ball and a laundry basket as a net.
• Let your child help with cooking. Simple requests like "grab the broccoli from the fridge" or "help me was the potatoes" can build confidence and increase vocabulary.
• Make up a story with your child. Start with characters and a simple plot, like "a dog and a cat went to the beach", and take turns adding sentences to the story. 
• Use words like "first", "second", and "finally" when you talk about daily activities. This can help your child follow directions by learning about the order of events. 

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your child? Check out these websites:

https://www.parentmap.com/article/25-indoor-play-activities-from-a-preschool-teacher

https://www.jumpstart.com/parents/activities/activities-4-year-old

https://handsonaswegrow.com/activities/preschool-activities/4-year-olds/

   

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

 

5 Year Old Developmental Milestones

Your child might be...

• Recognizing colors
• Understanding directions like “next to”, “over”, “under”
• Reminiscing about their day
• Remembering things like a phone number or the first and last names of their parents
• Recognizing rhymes like “cat” and “hat”
• Getting more coordinated with their movements, and gaining better hand-eye coordination
• Throwing and catching small balls, running, jumping, or skipping 
• Establishing their hand dominance (right or left handed) 

Activities

• Act out your child’s favorite storybook together. Let your child take the lead and follow their imagination!
• Have a family dance party!
• Practice hand-eye coordination with catching and throwing games. You can use rolled up socks as a ball and a laundry basket as a net.
• Take turns spelling your names with fun colors.

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your child? Check out these websites:

• https://bouncebackparenting.com/cant-miss-fun-for-your-4-6-year-old/

• https://www.splashlearn.com/blog/learning-activities-for-five-year-olds/

   

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

 

6 Year Old Developmental Milestones

Your child might be...

• Learning that some words have more than one meaning, understanding jokes and puns
• Sounding out words that are unfamiliar to them 
• Capable of focusing on a task for 15 minutes
• Beginning to understand the concept of numbers
• Capable of following a series of three or more commands
• Developing a sense of body image

Activities

• Take turns reading books and sound out difficult words together.
• Get active! Try jump rope, bike riding, roller blading, or hopscotch.
• Try saying tongue twisters together (Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers).
• Work on simple addition and subtraction math problems. 

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your child? Check out these websites:

• https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/kids-activities/learning-activities-age-6-7/

• https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/games-for-six-year-olds/

   

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

 

7 Year Old Developmental Milestones

Your child might be...

• Developing a sense of time (can decipher between minutes, hours, days, months)
• Expressing their thoughts and feelings with others more frequently
• Capable of basic reading and writing (spelling and pronunciation imperfect)
• Using scissors and writing their name by themselves
• Becoming more independent from their parents. For example, dressing themselves

Activities

• Make an interactive chore board and have them complete it with you throughout the week
• Play games such as Simon Says or Follow the Leader.
• Complete Madlibs together.
• Cook together. Have your child gather and measure the ingredients. 

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your child? Check out these websites:

• https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/activities-for-7-year-olds/

• https://www.momjunction.com/articles/educational-activities-games-for-7-year-old-boys-girls_00661493/

• https://www.understood.org/en/articles/7-board-games-to-help-younger-kids-build-math-skills

   

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/

 

8 Year Old Developmental Milestones

Your child might be...

• Learning different ways of describing their  experiences and feelings
• Engaging in more complex counting, such as counting by 2s or 5s
• Learning to tie their shoes on their own
• Writing more complex sentences.
• Able to identify days of the week or months in order.
• Able to place themselves in another person's shoes and begin to understand how others feel in a given situation. 
• Getting more involved in after school activities such as sports, clubs, etc. 

Activities

• Create origami figures with your child. 
• Engage in outdoor gardening with your child.
• Write stories together to help develop your child's writing abilities. 
• Create fun games together, that is, work with your child to make up the rules of games together.

Looking for more fun ideas for you and your child? Check out these websites:

• https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/top-20-activities-for-8-year-old-kids/

• https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/kids-activities/learning-activities-age-8/

• https://www.momjunction.com/articles/educational-games-fun-activities-for-8-year-olds_00640230/

   

For more information, visit

https://www.cdc.gov/parents/infants/milestones.html

https://www.zerotothree.org/