A toddler is a child between 1 and 3 years old. The name comes from the wobbly, “toddling” way kids walk when they first find their feet. After age 3, they’re usually called preschoolers.
But here’s what most people don’t know. The toddler years aren’t just about learning to walk. They’re when your child’s brain is growing faster than it ever will again.
A brain growing faster than it ever will again
In the first few years of life, a child’s brain builds more than a million new connections every second. By age 3, it has reached about 80% of its adult size. Every word you say, every question you ask, and every time your child figures something out on their own helps decide which connections grow strong.
What science now tells us
Parents have always talked, sung and read to their children. What’s changed is that we now know why it works, and which moments matter most. Researchers call it “serve and return”: your child does something, you respond, and back and forth it goes. Each exchange helps build their brain.
Building a mind on purpose
That’s why more moms today are building their child’s mind on purpose. They ask questions instead of handing over answers. They let their child point, guess and discover. They choose books that get their child thinking, not just listening.
Professor ANT books are built on exactly that idea. Every page invites your child to answer, help or figure something out, so reading time becomes brain-building time.
— Professor ANT
Not sure which book fits your toddler? Tell Professor ANT about your child and get three personal picks. Start here → or see all Professor ANT books.
