Now available Self-paced · Ages 1–3

Toddler years: language, autonomy, and big feelings.

The flagship Growing Minds Science class. A self-paced, research-based look at what's actually happening underneath toddler behavior, and a few calmer ways to respond to meltdowns, "no," and the explosion of new words.

Enroll now See what's inside

$49 · lifetime access. Enroll once and start today, on any device.

5 modules · 29 lessons Self-paced · Watch on any device $49 · lifetime access Free milestone tracker + AI included

Who this class is for

If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.

  • You have a toddler somewhere between 12 and 36 months and the "easy baby" days feel like a different planet.
  • Tantrums, transitions, and "no" are taking up most of your day, and you want a calmer way to read what's happening.
  • You want to support language development without flashcards, screens, or lesson plans at home.
  • You're tired of parenting content that's either rigid scripts or vague slogans.
  • You want research-based ideas you can fit into a normal weekday, not a graduate seminar.

What you'll learn

By the end of the class, you'll have a clearer picture of what your toddler is doing, and why.

  • A working mental model of toddler brain development you can use day-to-day.
  • Language for transitions, limits, and "no" that doesn't rely on memorized scripts.
  • How to support language and autonomy through ordinary conversation and ordinary moments.
  • A way to read meltdowns as nervous-system events instead of behavioral failures.
  • Practical patterns for repair, including what the research says about adult self-repair after a hard moment.

Module breakdown

Five short lessons for the moments that make toddlerhood feel hard.

Each module gives you a clear developmental idea, a few practical ways to use it, and language you can carry into ordinary family life. Five modules · ~1 hour each · self-paced · works on your phone.

Module 01

The Toddler Brain, Briefly

A plain-language map of what is changing between ages 1 and 3: impulse control, attention, memory, emotion, and why toddlers often need more support than their behavior seems to suggest.

Module 02

Language: The Everyday Version

How toddler language grows through back-and-forth interaction, naming, repetition, songs, books, routines, and ordinary conversation without turning home into a lesson plan.

Module 03

Autonomy and “No”

Why “no,” “mine,” and “I do it” are part of healthy development, plus ways to offer choices, hold limits, and reduce power struggles without giving up your role as the adult.

Module 04

Big Feelings, Meltdowns, and Repair

What is happening when a toddler loses access to language and logic, how co-regulation helps during the peak of distress, and what repair looks like afterward, because reconnecting after a hard moment is what builds trust over time, not getting every moment right.

Module 05

Transitions and Routines

How toddlers use predictability to feel safe, why transitions often trigger resistance, and how simple routines, previews, and repair can make daily shifts less explosive.

Why this approach is different

Research, translated for the way your day actually goes.

Research-based, not trend-based

Built from peer-reviewed developmental science across brain development, language, executive function, and emotion regulation, not a single personal philosophy.

Plain language, no jargon walls

The science is translated for parents: concise, readable, and honest about what the research can and can't tell us.

Realistic for a normal day

Every recommendation is filtered through actual family life: tired adults, multiple kids, work, daycare pickups, and dinner.

Calm and non-shaming

No scripts to memorize, no suggestion that one slip ruins your child. The tone is the way you'd want a thoughtful friend to talk to you.

Why trust this

Built on peer-reviewed developmental science.

The content in this class is grounded in developmental neuroscience, child development research, and over 50 years of rigorous published research, created and taught by Matthew McArthur, a Child Development Specialist with graduate training in developmental psychology and years of direct work with young children and families in Los Angeles.

About Growing Minds Science

Common questions

A few things parents usually ask first.

Is the class available now?

Yes. The toddler class is live and self-paced: enroll for $49, get lifetime access, and start the first module today. The infant, preschool, and family-systems classes are still in development.

What do I get when I enroll?

All five modules (29 lessons) with lifetime access, unlimited Growing Minds AI, and the free milestone tracker. One payment of $49, no subscription. Watch on any device, on your own schedule.

Do I need special software or equipment?

Nothing special. The class is designed to work on your phone, tablet, or laptop. Self-paced means you watch on your schedule, with no live sessions and no deadlines.

Who created and teaches this class?

Matthew McArthur, a Child Development Specialist with graduate training in developmental psychology and years of hands-on work with children and families in Los Angeles. Content draws from four research domains: developmental neuroscience, language acquisition, executive function, and emotion regulation.