Parenting Now Blog

There are all sorts of ways to encourage your child to express their creativity. Performance arts, such as dance, acting, or playing an instrument all begin with your baby moving to music or rhythm, or your toddler's first games of make-believe. Visual arts like coloring, painting, drawing, using markers or different types of paints start ...

There's so much to love about summer: warm, sunny days; flowers; berry picking; picnics in the park. To add to the fun, here are some summertime crafts to try with your toddler. Puffy Paint Ice Cream Cones Materials: Two or three different colored paints Liquid" school" glue (washable) Shaving cream White cardstock paper Marker Paintbrush ...

Now that summer is in full effect, it's time to go outside and play with water! There are so many benefits for playing with and in water, including exercising your child's gross and fine motor skills.  Here are some examples of simple, low-cost ways to have fun with water. Rock Painting Kids love finding rocks, ...

Handpicked by the children's librarians at Eugene Public Library, here are their summer book recommendations! , written by Karen Lynn Williams, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. When his father tells him not to leave the lion he is drawing on the beach, a little boy starts making a very, very long tail--and a trail to follow back. Ice Cream and Dinosaurs, written ...

Summer is a great time to get outside, experience new things, and try something out of the ordinary with your child. The longer days provide us with the opportunity to spend more time outdoors, and there are endless places to explore in our area.  If you're looking for some fresh ideas to get you and ...

Remember the days of care-free shopping trips, or easily squeezing in a few errands during lunch break? Well, if you're a parent, those days probably seem long behind you. Shopping can be fun with toddlers in tow, but it can also be challenging. There are yummy foods to grab at, things to touch, and toys to play ...

  Summer is great for using your outside space or park to get your kids outside exploring and trying new things. Water play is fun, messy, and full of opportunities to incorporate STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) into your play time. Here are some of my favorite water play ideas. Color Mixing Color ...

The sun is finally coming out to stay for the summer and with that comes the possibility of sunburns for big kids and even for infants. While we are excited for summer, it is important to keep in mind that there are some aspects of sun exposure that can be unsafe for our skin. Let's ...

Summer weather beckons us to the open road. Of course, traveling with little ones is no walk in the park. It's not always easy to travel long distances with children in tow, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying summer adventures. With some preparation and planning, your family can have many fun adventures ahead. Boredom ...

Summer is here, and if you have a child who is ready to say goodbye to diapers, this might be the perfect time to try toilet learning! While it's important to have a relaxed approach to toilet learning and to follow your child's cues, it's also important to give yourself a realistic amount of time ...

As your child grows, it is likely that you and your partner will want to work as a team to most effectively guide your child to adulthood.  You have the common goal of raising your child to be healthy, happy, and successful, and in order to support your child growing to their potential, working together ...

I have a question for all the fathers and father-figures out there: "When do you think fatherhood begins?" Some of you might say it's when you find out your partner is pregnant. Others say, it's when you first see that sonogram or hear Baby's heartbeat for the first time. Still, others say it really hits ...