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😍How to help your toddler develop fine motor skills😍

🔹When it comes to using gross motor skills – things like walking, jumping, and running – your little dynamo probably doesn't need much encouragement. But it's equally important that kids work on their fine motor skills – small, precise thumb, finger, hand, and wrist movements – because they support a host of other vital physical and mental skills.

🔹"Stacking blocks, for instance, involves not just picking up the blocks, but knowing what to do with them and planning out the action," says Gay Girolami, a physical therapist and executive director of the Pathways Awareness Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Chicago that focuses on physical development.

🤔How can you encourage your child's fine motor skills?

As any parent who's ever heard "Me do it!" knows, toddlers don't need much prodding to try new things. Of course, your child won't be able to do everything right away. But with encouragement, support, and lots of time to learn, he might surprise you.

So back off and let him try his hand at simple tasks, like getting dressed (he can start looping large buttons through buttonholes) and making breakfast (hand him a spatula, a slice of toast, and a jar of jam and let him get busy).

Variety is the spice of life, so mix things up once in a while. The activities below, for instance, will build on your child's fine motor skills and encourage new ones.

💚Toddler fine motor skills: Filling up and dumping out

As your child's daily wake of destruction has made perfectly clear, emptying a container requires a lot less precision than filling one. This is one of the first fine motor feats your toddler will master – and once she does, she's likely to repeat it with a vengeance.

As exasperating as it may be come cleanup time, this dumping is an important cognitive exercise, too: Your child is beginning to realize that one object, like a bucket, can hold another object, like a load of dirt. Once this dawns on her, she'll delight in establishing that the dirt can also be emptied out.

Prepare for this stage by setting up play areas and offering manageable activities. Taking blocks out of a large box, pegs out of a pegboard, toys out of a trunk, and sturdy puzzle pieces out of a puzzle will keep your toddler busy and may distract her from less charming pursuits, such as emptying a bag of cat food onto the floor.

Once she has the "taking out" step down, it's time for the "putting in" step. Some of the above tasks can be reversed (although you may not be able to generate much enthusiasm for putting toys away) and will flex your child's visual and mental muscles as well as fine motor skills.

For a follow-up, encourage your little one to try a more challenging feat, such as dropping "O" cereal bits into a container with a slightly narrowed neck, or using a shape-sorter.

Get more ideas for helping your toddler develop fine motor skills.

🧡Toddler fine motor skills: Dressing and un******ng

Ten minutes ago you dressed your toddler in his Sunday best. Now that you're ready to head out, he's stark naked again!

Putting things on and taking them off is a toddler delight. But your child isn't doing it to tax your patience. And dressing and un******ng – himself or a toy – provides a host of opportunities for him to practice his finger and hand coordination.

Help your child out by creating as many chances for success as possible.

Tiny doll clothes are too intricate and will only lead to tears, but big capes or ponchos for his teddy bears will be manageable (you can cut these out of felt). Felt boards with people shapes and changeable outfits are perfect, too, since they let toddlers indulge their fashion sense (and sorting skills) without being too challenging.

Reusable stickers can also fascinate, though very small ones are tough for little fingers to manage. If your toddler especially enjoys dressing himself, provide a big box of dress-up clothes that are easy to manage – Dad's old coat and shoes, your old scarves, and hats galore.

When it comes to dressing himself for the day, your toddler will do best with pants that have elastic waists, pull-on tops, and Velcro-fastening shoes to minimize morning struggles. Be sure to introduce new challenges – a single large button or a big snap – one at a time.

Get more ideas for helping your toddler develop fine motor skills.

💕Toddler fine motor skills: Drawing and scribbling

Sometime between the ages of 12 and 18 months, your toddler will probably attempt to "write" by making marks on paper, and sometime between 18 and 24 months she may surprise you by drawing vertical and horizontal lines and perhaps a circle.

Applaud these early doodles, which encourage a whole raft of new abilities: Drawing with a crayon involves fine motor skills such as grasping and holding, for instance, as well as boosting your child's visual acumen and tapping her imagination.

Set up your budding artist with big sheets of thick paper taped to the table – after all, nothing inhibits creativity like a dismayed shriek from Mom when the crayon slides onto the tablecloth or rips through thin newsprint. Thick, sturdy crayons or washable pens in a few primary colors (so as not to overwhelm) are a good choice.

If your toddler isn't interested, offer some alternatives: Chunky sidewalk chalk to use outdoors, paper pinned to an easel instead of a flat surface, or soap crayons in the tub might pique her interest.

And don't forget finger-painting. While learning how to hold and manipulate an implement is important, finger-painting gives your toddler's fine motor skills and creativity a workout, too.

If she's tired of paints, try printing. Hand- and footprints on paper makes great gift wrap. Or tap into her interest in nature and brush leaves, acorns, carrot-tops, or flower petals with paint to use as homemade stamps. For a special treat, let her finger-paint with pudding or bright-colored fruit juice – she'll exercise her motor skills and have fun licking her fingers.

Get more ideas for helping your toddler develop fine motor skills.

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✳Baby’s First Winter: How to Protect Newborns in Cold Weather✳

Baby, it's cold outside! Here's how to keep your little one safe from the elements this winter.

💦Winter is coming, but who wants to stay all cooped up in the house? For new moms, you'll probably get a bit stir crazy with your little one, especially during the cold weather months. "Babies and new parents need fresh air,"� says New York pediatrician Erika Landau, M.D., coauthor of The Essential Guide to Baby's First Year. "Unless it's dangerously cold, being outdoors helps infants acclimate to the seasons and the day-and-night cycle, and it often calms fussiness."�

💦Even so, new parents must follow safety precautions. Once the temperature gets below freezing, you shouldn't take your baby out, except for quick trips back and forth to the car. Even when it's above freezing, wind chill can make it dangerous. "Newborns and infants do not yet have the ability to self regulate their core temperature," says Janice Montague, MD, director of pediatrics at Good Samaritan Hospital, a member of the Westchester Health Network in Suffern, NY. She recommends limiting the exposure to the cold elements to a few minutes at a time, and saving play in the snow for when kids are older.

💦"Infants lose heat faster than adults, and the younger their age, the less able they are to cope with cold," adds Kate Puttgen, M.D., director of pediatric dermatology at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, in Baltimore "Small babies lack the ability to increase heat by shivering and don't have the body fat needed to warm back up once they get cold."�

To keep your baby warm and safe this winter, follow these tips

🔹Dress your baby in layers.

"If you are comfortable with a jacket on top of your clothes, you should have your baby in a jacket or snowsuit and a blanket," says Molly Broder, MD, a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. Dressing your infant in layers allows you to adjust to her needs. "The bottom layer can be snug, like leggings and a bodysuit. On top of that, you can put another layer of pants and a long sleeve shirt. Finish up with a jacket, hat, mittens, and warm booties to keep hands and feet warm!" says Dr. Broder. Choose breathable fabrics such as cotton and muslin so you can take clothes on and off as needed.

🔹Ditch the coat in the car.

Taking off your baby's coat in the car may seem counterintuitive. But the problem with that cute puffy coat is if there's too much material between the baby and the car seat straps, the material could compress during an accident, leaving space for your baby to become unsecured. "Coats are unsafe because you need to loosen the car seat harness in order to accommodate them, but in a crash they can compress, leaving a big gap between the harness and child, upping her chance of injury,” explains Rallie McAllister, M.D., of Lexington, Kentucky, coauthor of The Mommy M.D. Guide to Your Baby's First Year.

Instead, click your baby into the car seat first, and then layer. "If you're using a car seat cover, you should buy one that doesn't come between the baby and the car seat—it should be over the lower part of the baby, like a blanket," Dr. Broder says. "Alternatively, you can use a blanket or coat (placed on top), and then remove it once the car warms up so the baby doesn't get overheated." You can also pre-warm the car to keep your baby cozy.

🔹Bundle up for a jaunt outside.

If the temperature or windchill dips below freezing, or if nonfreezing temperatures are mixed with wind or rain, keep your little one inside except for brief excursions, like to and from the car. If it's not arctic outdoors, dress him in a winter jacket, a hat that covers his ears, mittens, and a stroller blanket or bunting. "Check your baby often for signs of discomfort. If his face gets red, his skin is warm, and he's fussy, he's probably overheated. If he's fussy and teary-eyed, and his skin is cold to the touch, he's probably not bundled up enough,"� says Dr. McAllister.

🔹Wear your baby for warmth.

Carriers are a great way to use your body heat to provide extra coziness for baby in the cold weather—but then he probably doesn't need that extra sweater. Even so, "always keep their head and feet covered as that is how they lose heat," Dr. Montague says. As always when you're wearing your baby, make sure his face is not pressed against your chest or clothing (especially when you're donning a winter jacket) to keep his airway free. "And be careful of ice and slipping and falling yourself!" she says.

💧RELATED: Winter Weather Safety Guide

Be careful when covering your baby's stroller.
In an abundance of caution you might want to throw a blanket over your baby's stroller, or protect it with those old-fashioned plastic covers. But Dr. Montague warns that this could compromise the air flow to your baby inside. "Many strollers have covers especially fitted to that brand to allow appropriate air circulation," Dr. Broder suggests. "Otherwise, put your baby in a jacket, hat, mittens, and booties, and then tuck her under a blanket to chest level to keep her warm and snuggly in the stroller." If you can, try to walk against the wind.

💧Keep the indoor temperature right.

You may be worried about the baby being too cold, but too much indoor heat can also be a problem. "Indoor heating has low humidity, and it's that lack of moisture in the air that can dry your baby's delicate skin,"� says Dr. Puttgen. "To avoid that, keep your indoor temperature as cool as you can tolerate during the day—anywhere between 68°F and 72°F."� When your little one is sleeping, however, you should set the thermostat lower, to between 65°F and 68°F, which will not only benefit her skin, but can reduce her risk of SIDS, research shows. Dress your baby in a sleeper and sleep sack—a wearable blanket—to keep her warm enough.

💧Prevent dry skin.

"Cold temperatures, the lack of humidity, and recirculated air can all contribute to dry, itchy, scaly skin,"� says Dr. Swanson. Ironically, water can dry out skin, and most babies don't really need to be washed daily in the winter anyway. Use warm water (not hot) and don't let your baby soak too long. Keep the water to about 100°F (stick your elbow in to gauge; it should feel comfortably warm, not hot) and limit time in the tub to 10 minutes, less for a newborn. "When you dry baby off, apply a good moisturizer without a laundry list of chemicals," Dr. Montague says. "Reapply moisturizer as many times daily as you like." Dr. Broder says the goopier the better, so consider using ointments, which lock in moisture better than creams. If your baby's skin turns red or irritated, call the pediatrician.

RELATED: 11 Fun Activities For When Winter Weather Traps You Indoors

💧Watch out for warning signs.

If your baby starts shivering, or his extremities—hands, feet and face—are cold and red, or have turned pale and hard, bring him inside right away. "You shouldn't rub the cold area to rewarm it, as this could further damage the cold skin," Dr. Broder says. Instead, use warm washcloths to gently reheat the skin, then put on warm and dry clothes. If he doesn't improve in a few minutes, call your doctor. Other signs that your infant has gotten too cold and needs medical attention are lethargy, non-responsiveness, and blue lips or face.

🤔How to Treat Baby's First Fever🤔

Fever in infants can be scary, but don't panic, mama! Read all about baby temperature, and find out how to safely treat your child's first fever.

Use the right thermometer. Babies younger than 6 months should have their temperatures taken with a re**al thermometer. Because their ear canals are so small, you can't get an accurate reading with an ear thermometer.

👉What is a fever?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that the normal body temperature for a healthy baby is between 97° and 100.4° Fahrenheit (36° to 38° Celsius). A fever would be any temperature that rises to 100.4° F or above.

👉When to call the doctor?

If your baby is under 3 months, you should call his pediatrician immediately. A fever in a baby this young could mean a serious infection. The AAP suggests calling the doctor if a baby is between 3 months and 6 months old and has a fever of 101° F (38.3° C) or higher, or is older than 6 months and has a temperature of 103° F (39.4° C) or higher. Look for such symptoms as a loss of appetite, cough, signs of an earache, unusual fussiness or sleepiness, or vomiting or diarrhea.

👉Shop all thermometers

Trust your gut. Even if your baby's fever isn't that high, but he's not acting like himself, call your doctor. You're the best judge of whether your little one is truly sick or not.

👉Keep him hydrated.

It's important that baby keeps taking breast milk or formula during a fever to avoid dehydration.

👉Give him a fever reducer.

Your doctor might recommend giving your child some baby acetaminophen (or ibuprofen, if your baby is at least 6 months old) to bring down the fever. Never give more than the recommended dosage to your child; her weight will determine the right dose. And always use the measuring device that comes with the medicine to give your baby exactly the right amount.

👉Keep this in mind.

Some doctors believe that if a child isn't uncomfortable and is eating and sleeping normally, it's often best to let the fever run its course, as that is the body's way of fighting an infection. Ask your pediatrician what he thinks the best course of action might be.

👉Try a lukewarm bath.

If baby is running a high fever and seems uncomfortable, put him in a lukewarm bath to try to bring his body temperature down. You can also wet some washcloths and give him a sponge bath if you don't think he's going to react well to being in the tub.

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