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Play is your child’s learning superpower.
Child-led play facilitates opportunities for learning and development that unlock skills, boost happiness, and allow children to explore new ideas with others. However, how children play changes what they gain from it.
Too often, adults are keen to show how a task or game is done. By resisting the urge to take over or hurry a child along to the ‘main goal’, a child can discover ideas and act upon them independently. With gentle guidance and open-ended questions, your child can get so much more out of their playtime.
Knowing that play is important is one thing, but understanding the different types of play can help you accommodate better learning at home:
Child-initiated, unstructured, and often a little messy! It allows children to experience the world naturally and in their own time.
Examples: Arts & crafts, make-believe dress-up, or climbing trees.
Structured around a learning outcome and typically gently steered by an adult. Great for developing numeracy and literacy.
Examples: Counting games, drawing in sand, or educational worksheets.
Playing as a group builds teamwork and communication. It teaches children how to take turns, practice patience, and enjoy taking part.
Examples: Card games (Snap), board games (Snakes and Ladders), and physical sports.
Requires children to follow guidelines to reach a specific goal. This develops a child’s ability to understand and execute instructions.
Examples: Baking activities, following Lego building instructions.
Children discover a lot through play; they learn about themselves, others, and the world around them.
Physical Development: Physical play helps children explore their capabilities. It sharpens reflexes, develops hand-eye coordination, and builds strong muscles. Fine and gross motor skills are key elements developed here.
Imaginative & Creative Growth: Giving children the time, space, and freedom to explore ‘make-believe’ worlds develops their ability to adapt ideas and solve real-world problems later in life.
Emotional & Behavioural Skills: Group activities teach children how to take turns and explain rules. Solo play builds problem-solving resilience, boosting their self-esteem and confidence when they figure things out alone.
In a world full of screens, it can be difficult to come up with exciting new activities. The best way to engage a child is to expand on their existing interests. Here are some age-specific ideas from our Learning Through Play Guide:
Babies (0-11 months)
Focus on sensory experiences. Use different lights, colours, and textures. Try creating “gloop” (cornflower and water) or letting them explore dry lentils in a safe tray.
Woddlers (12-23 months)
Introduce “small world” toys like cars, animals, and dolls. They also love interactive physical games like Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes to help name body parts.
Toddlers (2-3 years)
Engage imaginations with treasure hunts. Jigsaw puzzles are brilliant for problem-solving, while simple counting activities build early numeracy skills.
Pre-Schoolers (4-5 years)
Expand their wild imaginations with dress-up and personas. Use natural resources to create “potions” in the garden, and introduce more complex group games with rules.
No matter the age of your child, we strive to provide an engaging and stimulating environment packed full of activities that nurture the milestones outlined by the EYFS.
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