3-min read
2025-08-26
3-min read
Development isn’t a race. It’s a flow.
Every child—and parent—is figuring it out at their own pace.
Instead of milestones, we encourage you to focus on this amazing moment.
Your child’s brain makes more than one million neural connections per second in these first three years. Simple, consistent interactions with them today can have profound, lifelong benefits.
Here’s how little one’s brain is developing this month, and how you can support their progress.
Developmental Highlight
Happy third birthday!
Over the course of this guide, little one has learned to:
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Roll, crawl, walk, run, dance, and play
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Make sounds that became words that became sentences
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Predict, compare, question, and explore
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Practice, make mistakes, and try again and again
Little one is bursting with potential. In these first three years, you’ve helped them build a foundation for lifelong learning. Their brain continues to make connections based on their experiences, helping them grow more competent, confident, and independent each day.
You and little one have made it to the end of this guide, but your adventures together are just beginning!
Brain-Building Activity
Get A Job
Routine: Anytime
Don’t underestimate little one—they love to help! Adding small jobs to their daily routine gives them a sense of control and accomplishment. It also helps little one understand their role in the family, adding a sense of belonging that translates well into adulthood.
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Think about household tasks little one is excited about and capable of doing. A few ideas: putting toys and dirty clothes away, refilling the dog’s food bowl, and helping set the table.
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Make a chart with a few tasks. Pinterest has several creative ideas, like including pictures to symbolize each job and adding checkboxes to mark progress. Keeping track of duties should be part of the fun.
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Share the chart with little one and display it where they can see it. Talk about how they contribute to the family, and walk them through each job, modeling how it should be done. You may have to do this a few times before little one knows the drill.
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Remind little one about their jobs, praising their initiative and effort. Don’t worry too much about rewarding them for their completed work. At this age, high-fives, thank yous, and some stickers are incentive enough.
You’ve Got This
As much as little one has changed, so have you. You’re more resilient, having weathered the storm of late nights, early mornings, feedings, diaper changes, tantrums, and separation anxiety… just to name a few. And you’ve come out the other side wiser, stronger, and probably a little bit humbler.
Take a moment to congratulate yourself on this moment of flow. Think back to where you started on this journey. What were your fears? What excited you? Who did you think little one would be? Consider writing some thoughts down in a letter to little one or yourself.
Set your intentions for the road ahead. What are you most excited to do with little one next? How do you want your connection to grow? Remind yourself of the progress you’ve made, the successes you’ve had, and the failures that turned into some of life’s greatest lessons.
Bravo! Well done! You’ve got this!
