PLAY experiences are primary for young children. When a child is imagining, creating, building or inventing they are doing some serious learning. The children play, the more they learn.
Effective Play time with Open-ended Materials:
Open-ended with simple toys - blocks, cars, empty boxes, plastic/stuffed animals, dolls.
Box road - flatten out a box and draw a road in marker. Add blocks (small boxes), trucks, dolls, and other toys for children to build a city, etc.
Toy-Washing Bin: Let your child wash their plastic toys. Add tear free bubbles, sponges other supplies.
Sensory bin with different materials: water, rice, pasta, sand (add measuring spoons/small plastic cups).
Trash art: Find some recycled materials and let your child paint them. Paper towel tubes, small boxes to decorate, paper, paint brushes, art materials to decorate.
Hide toys - have your child go on a hunt: Mini dinosaurs, animals, cars, dolls, legos, etc. Put them in places and heights your child can find. Hide a few surprises!!!! Give your child a container to collect them and have them bring when they think they've found all. If you want to have them identify each object and repeat as long as they're engaged.
Pretend-pretend: Provide any materials your child can use imagine/invent their own world.
Provide: Boxes, blocks, dolls, cars, plastic animals, stuffed animals. Have them create a bookstore, veterinarian office, grocery store, construction site, etc.
Encourage how they can use blankets, construction paper, different size boxes, etc. Have them build and maybe give you a tour of their world.
Reading everyday: Provide special time by reading and having your child turn the pages, talk about what they see is happening, you can tell them your favorite part/page and then they can tell your their favorite part/page.
Nature walk (if possible), exercise. sing and dance.
Great well rounded experiences are most important:
-Having them exercise
-Creating art
-Play - play
-Having conversations
Have fun!!
Effective Play time with Open-ended Materials:
Open-ended with simple toys - blocks, cars, empty boxes, plastic/stuffed animals, dolls.
Box road - flatten out a box and draw a road in marker. Add blocks (small boxes), trucks, dolls, and other toys for children to build a city, etc.
Toy-Washing Bin: Let your child wash their plastic toys. Add tear free bubbles, sponges other supplies.
Sensory bin with different materials: water, rice, pasta, sand (add measuring spoons/small plastic cups).
Trash art: Find some recycled materials and let your child paint them. Paper towel tubes, small boxes to decorate, paper, paint brushes, art materials to decorate.
Hide toys - have your child go on a hunt: Mini dinosaurs, animals, cars, dolls, legos, etc. Put them in places and heights your child can find. Hide a few surprises!!!! Give your child a container to collect them and have them bring when they think they've found all. If you want to have them identify each object and repeat as long as they're engaged.
Pretend-pretend: Provide any materials your child can use imagine/invent their own world.
Provide: Boxes, blocks, dolls, cars, plastic animals, stuffed animals. Have them create a bookstore, veterinarian office, grocery store, construction site, etc.
Encourage how they can use blankets, construction paper, different size boxes, etc. Have them build and maybe give you a tour of their world.
Reading everyday: Provide special time by reading and having your child turn the pages, talk about what they see is happening, you can tell them your favorite part/page and then they can tell your their favorite part/page.
Nature walk (if possible), exercise. sing and dance.
Great well rounded experiences are most important:
-Having them exercise
-Creating art
-Play - play
-Having conversations
Have fun!!