So what do I mean by extending your child’s play?
Extending your child’s play simply means building on something they are already showing interest in. It does not need to be complicated or over thought. It may just mean adding a couple more play materials to your child’s already existing play or moving the play to a different area/environment.
There’s a good chance you are already extending your child’s play on a daily basis without even realizing it!
I have outlined some simple tips that you can easily use to extend your child’s play. These can be used as a general rule of thumb for children 6 months to 6 years old.
Tip #1- Take a quick moment to observe what your child is doing and how they are playing.
- How are they moving the materials?
- What are they repeatedly doing?
- If they’re older: what language are they using?
Are they constantly feeling the textures of the materials and exploring it that way? Then you know they have a high interest in the sensory component to it.
Are they repeatedly filling and dumping with the play materials in front of them? Then you know they are interested in exploring this new skill learnt.
Once you have observed what your child has liked about the play then you can figure out where to help them take it next.
Tip #2- Do not over think it and keep it simple.
You do not want to over stimulate or completely take over the play. The play should remain mostly child directed, so that you do not reach a point where they are no longer directing it/interested.
Listen to your child’s cues because they are your greatest resource when it comes to extending their play and learning.
Tip #3- Use items you already have.
This comes back to the keep it simple tip. Use items you already have and only add a small amount to the play. If you have an older child than you can ask open ended questions that will help direct where the play will go. For example: What items do you think we need to make this tower even taller? Your child will be excited to problem solve with you and it promotes critical thinking skills.
If your child is younger and language has not been developed, yet go back to what you observed he/she is doing and build off of that. For example, if you noticed your child enjoyed the sensory component to the play add it to your sensory bin with some water or other play materials.
Tip #4 –Find new ways to use the play items.
This tip is similar to the one above in keeping it simple and just finding different ways to use the existing play items. For example, I cut up pool noodles for my son to play with, I noticed he had an interest in repeatedly playing with them and seemed to like the texture. I then dipped them in water, so that they would stick to our patio window and he could continue to play with them/explore the textures in a different way.
Tip #5- Move the play to a different area/environment.
This tip sounds silly or obvious but the impact it can have on your child’s engagement in play and learning is incredible. By just simply moving the play from the table to the floor it can open up more room for your child to explore and investigate her/his learning. One of my favourite things to do is to bring the play outdoors. Bringing play out into your backyard gives your child even more space to explore and find new natural items that he/she can add to their experience/learning. This in turn enhances skills like creative thinking, imaginative play, critical thinking and problem solving.
That’s it!! I hope these tips can help you to easily extend your child’s play which will keep them engaged while simultaneously building on their interests/learning skills - all while you sit back mama, because you deserve it!