Category: Play with

With your child, place something round—like a ball or stone—in a big spoon. Can they walk across the room holding the spoon without dropping the object? Talk back and forth about how they keep the ball from falling. Come up with new ways of moving, like on tiptoes. See what happens.

As your child plays, encourage them to find something to climb over or crawl under. What about something they can roll on the ground, bang like a drum, or balance? This game is fun inside or outside. Talk with them about it. What was the same and what was different?

Does your child love to throw things? Set up an experiment together. Get different safe things for them to throw, like a scarf, rolled up socks, a paper cup, etc. Which one can they throw the farthest? Talk about what they notice.

Challenge your child to move as slowly as possible to get somewhere, like to a nearby tree. How slowly can you both move? Try different ways to move, like by hopping or jumping.

Walking somewhere? Turn your trip into “Follow the Leader.” Ask your child, “Can you do what I do?” while you pat your head. Then switch it up. If you pat your head, have them pat their stomach. Keep switching!

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