Free play
In my previous post we tackled how to encourage more play because play is fundamental to learning.
In this post I share some practical activities to begin fostering free play and creativity for toddlers and pre-schoolers. These lists are by no means exhaustive and each one is open to endless versions. My hope is that these kick start more free play for your kids and activate them to expand how they play.
Go outside
No planning required. However, having an outside ‘play area’ is so useful for children to explore and play with natural tools like water and mud within a safe place. Give them a few props and encourage them gently as they grow in capacity to make their own games outside. Add water and you are good to go!
Play dough
This squishy dough is versatile and great for creating things (like 'vegetables' to 'cut' with a kiddie safe knife). It is also textured and requires fine and gross motor skills to play with it.
Construction toys
There are so many different construction activities for children and all have generic brands too. But they are worth their weight in gold.
Duplo. Mega Blocks. Magnetic tiles (like Playmag Tiles). Wooden blocks and shapes. Gem Stacking Blocks (from LivBespoke). There are more too I am sure.
The amazing thing about all of these is that they provide children with an opportunity to create on their own worlds. They also develop their perceptual processing, imagination and cognitive flexibility whilst engaging with these toys.
Painting and drawing
From introductory yoghurt-based finger paints to acrylic paint and glitter, the opportunities are endless. I have found my children wax and wane in their interest for painting and drawing, but when they are into it they love to create their own masterpieces. An easel helps make this accessible, and a roll of butcher paper makes creating on larger surfaces easier too. Chalk on a concrete or paved area is also a great way to encourage children to engage in free play.
Music
This might not seem like something to cultivate free play but I have found that playing music (be it the latest hits, instrumental music or nursery rhymes), activates children to create new games that they wouldn’t do in the silence of the day.
My 3 year old is starting to put on concerts and teaching our 19 month old how to do this when her favourite songs come on.
Transform their space
Many parents will know that blanket forts are a saving grace on a cold and wet day. Reshaping a child’s space bends their thinking and it helps them to come up with and create alternative realities for some exciting play.
Vehicles
I know that there are loads of different vehicles we can give children and much more elaborate set ups than this suggestion, but we have personally found these two simple Melissa and Doug gifts to be endless entertainment for children of all ages.
Wooden car set:
https://www.takealot.com/melissa-doug-wooden-cars-set/PLID51790544
Roll and ring ramp:
https://www.takealot.com/melissa-and-doug-roll-ring-ramp-tower/PLID52160562
Activities
“Activities” as my 3 year old calls them, are organised and intentional crafts done together. They might not be independent play, but I find they transition into independent play easily. One of our favourite “activities” is using bicarb and vinegar:
Fill a dish with bicarb (I have found a pyrex or while plastic dish to be best). Give the child a jar filled with vinegar, water and food colouring nearby. Give them a syringe. See what they do.
Blogs to inspire you
Here are two blogs that have some great posts on these topics.
Roxy gives some lovely ideas for toddlers in this article
Sophie shares some activities she has tried and tested here
I would love to hear from you if you have ideas that I haven't listed here. This list is by no means exhaustive. Happy playing!