Author: Five Ones

Ask your child to pretend to be a statue and freeze in a pose, like standing on one foot. Try to have them hold this pose as long as possible while you do everything you can to make them laugh and move. Then you can take a turn as the statue and see if they… Continue reading Freeze Play

Does your child like to pretend? Tell them there is an imaginary flower growing on their nose. Describe what it looks like. Then pretend to grab it! Now say there is a flower on their ear and grab it too. Have them describe and grab the flowers on you and enjoy the joke.

Invite your child to have a “Fast-Slow Race.” Find a starting line and count out loud together, “one, two, three!”, then go! As you get going, call out “slow!” Can they adjust their speed? Give them a turn calling out “fast” or “slow.” How fast can you go? How slow?

Ask your child to find an object like a stick or rock and place it on the ground near you. Encourage them to explore different ways of moving over it: Can they jump? Hop over on just one foot? Run and then jump? Take turns jumping with them and talk together about how far you… Continue reading Explore an Object

When they are playing, help your child do things they haven’t done before. Try out the swings or the slide at a playground, or even feel the different textures on the ground. As long as they’re safe, let them try new things, with a helping hand if they need it. How do they respond? Celebrate… Continue reading Try New Things

Make your waiting time fun! Ask your child, “Can you do this?” and hold your hands up very high and say, “Reach for the Sky!” Invite them to copy you. Next, put your hands behind your back and see if they copy you. Then take a turn and copy them.

Is your child beginning to pretend? Then you can play the “Good Morning, Good Night” game! When you say, “Good night,” they can pretend to sleep by lying down and closing their eyes, and when you say, “Good morning,” they can get up and dance!