Spelling His Name and Building Identity

SPELLING HIS NAME AND BUILDING IDENTITY | Lately, we’ve been having a lot of fun practicing words, phrases, and even spelling with Titus. Right now, we’re putting extra focus on helping him spell his name. To make it exciting, we used the Basic: Read and Discuss Stories and added in some of his favorite toys. Each toy stood for a letter in his name! What could have felt like “practice” turned into a game, and it gave him new words to use while also making name recognition more meaningful. I love watching him light up as he learns & spelling his own name is such a powerful step toward building his identity and self-awareness.

One of my favorite parts of our bedtime storytime routine is what happens after we finish a book. We give Titus the chance to keep the story going and encourage him to use his imagination; we are always surprised by what he comes up with. Sometimes he invents new characters on the spot, and other times he acts out the characters we just read about. It’s such a creative way for him to connect with the story and make it his own.

We’ve also discovered the magic of repetition. Titus asks for the same books over and over again, and while it may seem repetitive to us, it’s exactly what helps him memorize words and follow the storyline. The best part is once he has a book memorized, he beams with pride as he “reads” it back to us. It’s such a joy to see his confidence growing alongside his love for stories.

By Candace Martin

Parents: Share Your Thoughts & Win a $100 Gift Card

Dear Parents,

Do you use The Basics with your little ones? We’d love to hear what you think!

Please take a short 10-minute survey to help us learn how families like yours use The Basics.

We’re working with Smart Start to share The Basics with more parents. The Basics are five easy and fun ways to help young children grow up smart, healthy, and happy—starting at birth.

Your answers will help us give more families the tips and support they need. At the end of the survey, you can choose to enter a drawing to win a $100 gift card!

But don’t wait—the survey is only open until October 10th.

Click here to take the survey now!

Thank you for your time and support.

 

¡Padres! Compartan su opinión y ganen una tarjeta de $100

Queridas familias,

¿Usan The Basics con sus niños? ¡Nos encantaría saber qué piensan!

Por favor, tómese 10 minutos para responder esta breve encuesta y ayudarnos a aprender cómo familias, como la suya, usan The Basics.

Estamos trabajando con Smart Start para compartir The Basics con más padres y madres. The Basics son cinco maneras sencillas y divertidas de ayudar a los niños pequeños a crecer sanos, felices e inteligentes, ¡desde el nacimiento!

Sus respuestas nos ayudarán a dar más consejos y apoyo a otras familias. Al final de la encuesta, puede inscribirse en un sorteo para ganar una tarjeta de regalo de $100.

¡No espere! La encuesta solo estará abierta hasta el 10 de octubre.

Haga clic aquí para responder la encuesta ahora.

Gracias por su tiempo y apoyo.

Learning Patterns — One Shape at a Time

LEARNING PATTERNS — ONE SHAPE AT A TIME | To practice The Basics principle—Count, Group and Compare—we did a simple but fun shape-matching activity using Titus’s play mat. One thing I love about The Basics is how easy it is to turn everyday moments into learning opportunities!

We started by gathering a mix of colorful shapes—circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles. Then, we picked one shape and said its name out loud. Titus’s job was to find the matching shape on the mat. He proudly announced, “This is a triangle!” every time he made a match.

After matching, we sorted the shapes into piles by type—grouping all the circles in one spot, all the squares in another.

Grouping boosts pattern recognition, grows vocabulary, and helps Titus organize his thinking. With just a few shapes and a little curiosity, we practiced math, language, and problem-solving—all while having fun.

By Candace Martin

Movement, Mess, and Learning!

MOVEMENT, MESS, AND LEARNING! | We set up a toy car wash—and it was a total hit with Titus. All we used was a bin of warm, soapy water, a towel and a fleet of toy cars.

While Titus dunked, scrubbed, and rinsed, I realized just how much this hands-on activity gave him the perfect opportunity to move, explore, and play, all while practicing  developmental skills.

The Guilford Basics reminds us how important it is to Explore Through Movement and Play—and that’s exactly what we did. Whether it’s squishing bubbles, driving cars through “car wash” tunnels, or splashing in a soapy puddle, every action helps build brain connections.

Titus worked on fine motor skills by gripping the towel. He practiced new words like “dirty,” “shiny,” and “dry.” He called out the color of each car as he dumped it into the water and decided which one needed “extra scrubbing.” His imagination was in full gear!

As we played, I followed Titus’s lead. I asked questions like, “Which car is the dirtiest?” and “Do you want to wash the red one or the blue one next?” Giving him choices helped build his confidence while showing him that his ideas matter.

It was messy, simple, and full of joy—a reminder that learning often hides inside everyday moments of play.

By Candace Martin

Soaked in Fun, Filled with Learning

SOAKED IN FUN, FILLED WITH LEARNING | One of the simplest (and most powerful) ways I support my son Titus’s growth is by leaning into Talk, Sing and Point—three everyday actions that help build his brain.

We talk about his day at school. We sing during our morning routine (he even has his own wake-up playlist). And we practice conversation skills with pretend calls on his toy phone. These small moments add up—and our recent visit to the Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum reminded me just how big the impact can be.

Titus could’ve spent the entire day at the Water Wonders exhibit—splashing, spinning wheels, and pouring water into buckets. I made sure to talk through what he was doing: “That bucket’s overflowing!” or “What do you think will happen if we turn this?” Every interaction was a chance to grow his vocabulary and thinking skills.

From there, we explored Nonie’s House, where he pointed out pretend food in the fridge, and outside, we met chickens and even made a volcano during a hands-on science activity. Every exhibit brought new opportunities to talk, sing, and point—and to connect.

It was messy, magical, and full of learning—Titus soaked it all in, literally and figuratively.

By Candace Martin

Winding Down with Wiggles

WINDING DOWN WITH THE WIGGLES | In our house after dinner, the living room turns into a stage. We host dance parties every night before we start the bedtime routine. As soon as dinner is cleared and the table is wiped, Eleanor (4) races to request a song. Claire (2) grabs her tutu and is already bouncing before the music even starts!

Some nights we jump and spin. Other nights we act out silly lyrics or freeze when the music stops. There’s a lot of laughter, a little showing off, and plenty of movement. This small routine fits right into Explore Through Movement and Play. Our girls are using their bodies, learning through rhythm, and building coordination. They’re also connecting with us and each other, which is really what it’s all about!

Dance parties help ease the shift into bedtime. After getting the wiggles out, it feels easier to settle in for bath time, pajamas, and a book. Here are a few of our favorite dance party songs:

  • The Goldfish by The Laurie Berkner Band
  • Run Baby Run by Caspar Babypants
  • Shake Your Sillies Out by The Learning Station

You don’t need a perfect playlist or a fancy speaker. Just press play and have fun! Whether you’re dancing, clapping along, or cheering from the couch, you’re connecting with your child while they Explore Through Movement and Play!

By: Lizzy Tahsuda

From Giggles to Grrr: Learning Emotions Through Games

FROM GIGGLES TO GRRR: LEARNING EMOTIONS THROUGH GAMES | Toddlers have a lot of BIG feelings, and they don’t always know what to do with them. One minute, my three-year-old, Titus, is belly-laughing & being silly, and the next, he’s on the floor, frustrated because his sock “feels weird.”

Instead of just bracing myself for the emotional rollercoaster every day, I want to actually help him understand and express his feelings in a healthy way. So, we started playing a little game called Match the Emotions.

We start by putting different emotional expressions on paper and then Titus will pick the card that best matches the emotion. Once he matches an emotion, we talk about the feeling of the emotion and discuss how he feels when that emotion comes up.

First, I lay out different emotional expressions—happy, sad, angry, excited, tired, etc. Then, Titus chooses the card that matches the expression he sees. Once he matches a card, we talk about it and act out the expression. We talk about what that feeling is called, what makes him feel that way, and what he can do when that emotion pops up.

  • It helps him recognize emotions. Instead of melting down immediately, he’s starting to name what he’s feeling.
  • It teaches healthy expression. Now, when he’s frustrated, he’s more likely to tell me instead of just crumbling into toddler despair.
  • It builds confidence. The more he talks about his feelings, the more he realizes he can handle them!

Since playing this game, I’ve seen growth in Titus. He’s getting better at saying things like, “I feel sad” or “I’m mad because I can’t do it.” Hearing him express his emotions instead of having a tantrum is a win for both of us, helping us Maximize Love, Manage Stress.

By Candace Martin

Sign up for Basics Insights today!

Basics Insights is a free text messaging platform for parents and caregivers of young children that sends science-based tips to boost your child’s development.

Guilford Basics