Information for Parents

Children from ages 1-3 years. Children at this age don’t know how to play if no one shows them how. They are just beginning to learn to play with objects in a pretend way. Here is how you can help your child learn more.

Set yourself up for success. Make sure distractions such as the television and the computer are turned off.

Set up a play space that is defined, consistent and accessible. Don’t be too quick to put things away. Leave them out so the child can return on his/her own to replay what they remember.

Teach your child how to pretend. Take a cup that isn’t full and pretend to drink from it. Pretend to stir with a spoon and eat.

Make up a simple “script” by putting several actions together. The best scripts are everyday activities that the child sees you doing, like cooking, doing the laundry, and working in the garden. These start with real things the child knows and then become play ideas or scenes the child can act out on his/her own. Demonstrate and encourage your child to do the same thing with you. Say “Let’s pretend to make dinner,” as you stir a spoon in a pot and then pretend to taste it. Repeat the simple script and actions several times. Then you stop and watch your child. Say “Now you make dinner.” Now you follow the child and do what the child does.

Make up a role. It is important to play being someone. Pretend that you are someone in your family (other than you) making dinner. “Let’s pretend we’re ____ (dad, grandma, auntie, uncle) making dinner.” Once a child gets the hang of how to do this, the child can pretend to be you.

Model what people say. “Grandma would say, ‘Do you want cookies for dinner’ or ‘Are you hungry?’” Try to use the speech that the child might have heard before. When children play maturely, they act and sound like the person they are playing.
Set up a play space that is defined, consistent, and accessible. Don’t be too quick to put things away. Leave them out so the child can return on his/her own to replay what they remember.

Choose toys that are easy for children to manipulate. Tiny figurines should be saved for when children are older. Huge dolls and stuffed animals don’t work either. Baby dolls that the child can dress and undress, hold in his arms, and bathe are perfect.

Avoid toys that “do the thinking” for the child. Dolls that talk and dance around encourage children to play in very specific way. Try to buy toys that children can create many different scenarios with, such as basic plastic animals figures or a simple baby doll.

Have props that help the child carry out the script and get into the role of the person they are playing. For example, old clothes and shoes, purses, and briefcases are good. Pretend doctors’ kits and carpenter tools are also good.

Include things like blocks and household objects like cups and spoons that can be turned into other things with some imagination. A block can become a phone or a boat or a car with a little imagination.

Look for opportunities for your child to play with mixed-age groups of children. Simply going to the park or inviting children of different ages over to play can be beneficial.