Putnam County Help Me Grow

10/24/2025

Fill the Jug!

Here’s a fun, hands-on activity your little one will love!

Grab an empty jug (like a milk or juice jug) and some pom poms or other small, safe items. Sit together and show your child how to push the pom poms through the opening. When it’s full, turn it over and shake them out — then start again! 🎉

What your child is learning:

Fine Motor Skills: Strengthening small muscles in the hands and fingers.

Eye-Hand Coordination: Aiming for the opening helps develop focus and control.

Cognitive Development: Practicing problem-solving and persistence as they figure out how to make it work!

It’s simple, fun, and a great way to turn everyday items into a learning adventure!

10/21/2025

🍂🎃 Fall in a Bowl! 🍎🍁

Here’s a fun and simple Fall activity for infants 6 months and older — full of color, texture, and learning!

Grab a mixing bowl and a few Fall items like small pumpkins, leaves, and apples. Sit with your baby and explore together:
👀 Talk about what your baby sees and does.
✋ Describe how each object feels — smooth, bumpy, crunchy!
🔊 If you use a metal bowl, listen to the fun sounds as your baby bangs or drops items inside!

💪 Motor Development: Baby strengthens small muscles in their hands while moving and banging the objects.
🗣️ Language Development: You’re helping build vocabulary by describing what’s happening in the moment.

It’s the perfect way to bring the sights, sounds, and textures of fall right to your baby’s fingertips! 🍁

10/17/2025

Happy National Pasta Day! 🍝
Celebrate this delicious day with a fun, kid-friendly pasta dinner! Cooking together is a great way to spend quality time, encourage curiosity in the kitchen, and build early math and language skills (counting noodles and naming ingredients!).
**Try an easy Cheesy Veggie Pasta — mix your favorite noodles with cooked veggies, a little butter, and melty cheese. 🧀🥦

It’s simple, tasty, and perfect for little helpers in the kitchen!

10/16/2025

10/14/2025

👶💬 Face-to-Face Talking With Your Newborn 💬👶

One of the best ways to connect with your newborn is through simple face-to-face talking!

✨ How to do it:

Hold your baby so they can clearly see your face and mouth.

Talk using “parentese” — speak slowly, clearly, and with a warm, higher-pitched tone.

Watch their responses — your baby may move their mouth, kick their feet, or widen their eyes.

Respond to their cues — this back-and-forth builds trust and communication!

💗 What’s in it for your baby:

Social-Emotional: Your baby learns about faces, connection, and may start trying to imitate your mouth movements.

Language: Your baby begins to recognize familiar voices — especially those they heard often in the womb!

Every coo, smile, and gaze helps your baby learn you — and the world around them. 🥰

10/10/2025

🩷 This is important. Postpartum depression and anxiety don’t always look like what you see in the movies. Sometimes it’s tears you can’t explain. Sometimes it’s anger, racing thoughts, or feeling like you’re just “not yourself.”

You are not failing. You are not alone.
1 in 5 moms experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder — and it’s treatable.

If you notice yourself:
💭 Feeling anxious or overwhelmed most of the day
💤 Unable to sleep even when baby sleeps
💔 Feeling disconnected from your baby
😔 Having scary thoughts or guilt that won’t go away

Please reach out. Talk to your provider, your partner, a trusted friend — or call or text the Postpartum Support International HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773.

Asking for help is not weakness. It’s strength.
Your mental health matters just as much as your baby’s. 💕

09/25/2025

🍂🍁 Fall Scavenger Hunt Fun! 🍁🍂

Take your little one on a walk through the neighborhood and turn it into a fall scavenger hunt! This simple activity is full of learning opportunities and makes the most of the beautiful season.

👀 Look for colorful leaves, pumpkins, pinecones, or squirrels.
👂 Listen for the crunch of your feet on the gravel, the rustle of the wind, or birds calling.
👃 Smell fresh fall air, flowers, or even someone’s bonfire.
✋ Touch smooth acorns, bumpy bark, or soft grass.

Bring along a small bag to collect interesting treasures. Once you’re home, keep the conversation going—talk about the colors, shapes, and textures of the items your child found.

🍂 Every step is a chance to explore, learn, and make sweet autumn memories together! 🍂

09/23/2025

For toddlers 24–36 months, making a Sticky Paper Collage is a creative (and slightly sticky 😉) way to learn and explore!

👉 How to Play:

Tape up a piece of contact paper with the sticky side out.

Cut different colors of construction paper into small pieces.

Help your child stick the pieces onto the contact paper.

Talk about the colors and describe what’s happening:
💬 “You put the red piece on!”
💬 “This paper is sticky—it’s holding your shapes!”

🌟 Try adding lightweight objects too—like leaves, grass, feathers, or even photos—for extra fun.

💡 Why it’s great:

Cognitive: Experimenting, exploring textures, and discovering that things will stick to sticky surfaces.

Language & Social: Narrating what’s happening and praising their creativity builds confidence.

Creative Expression: Every collage is unique—just like your child!

Simple, sticky, and so much fun! 🖍️🍃💛

09/18/2025

For toddlers 14–24 months, scribbling with crayons is more than just making colorful marks—it’s important learning in action!

Here’s what your child is gaining while they scribble:
👉 Motor Skills: Building control of both small and large muscles, plus eye-hand coordination.
👉 Cognitive Skills: Understanding cause and effect (“When I press harder, the line gets darker!”) and learning about pressure.
👉 Social Skills: Taking turns with crayons and beginning to “create” alongside you.

💡 Try this:

Scribble with your child and see if they can follow your strokes—small, large, top to bottom, left to right.

Take turns sharing crayons to build cooperation.

Every little scribble is a big step in learning, creativity, and play! 🌟

09/16/2025

🎁✨ Let’s Unwrap Some Fun! ✨🎁

For babies 8–14 months, unwrapping a toy can be more than just exciting—it’s a great learning activity!

Try wrapping a small toy in tissue paper and let your little one explore:
👉 They’ll be curious and motivated to figure out what’s inside.
👉 Pulling and tearing the paper builds fine motor skills.
👉 Using past experiences to solve the “mystery” helps develop cognitive skills.

It’s simple, fun, and developmentally powerful. Plus, the surprise inside makes it extra rewarding! 💕

🧸 Tip: Use safe, soft paper like tissue paper and always supervise.

09/11/2025

✨👶 Mirror, Mirror on the Wall… 👶✨

Did you know that between 3 ½ – 5 ½ months, it’s important for babies to look at their reflections?

When your little one sees themselves in a mirror, their brain is working hard to process:
💭 “Who is that? Is that Mommy? Is that baby?”

Let your baby explore by:
✨ Patting the mirror
✨ Kissing it
✨ Trying to put her mouth on it

And don’t forget to talk about what you both see:
💬 “I see you! You have such beautiful eyes!”
💬 “Look at that big smile!”

👉 Why this matters:

Social-Emotional: Helps your baby begin to understand who she is and build self-awareness.

Cognitive: Noticing reflections teaches her about cause and effect and how mirrors work.

So, grab a mirror and make it playtime! 🪞💞 Every giggle, touch, and “kiss” is helping your baby grow and learn.