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35. Learning through play

Did you know that your child is learning when they are playing?

Play teaches so many things – maths and number work, speech and language development, science – how things work and why, learning to share and take turns, colours and matching and so much more.

What did YOU play with as a child?

WHO did you play with?

What did you LIKE about the way they played with you?

On our ‘Let’s Play’ programmes we explore this and lots more.

It’s always interesting to hear that most people’s favourite play memories did not include expensive toys but were usually free or very low cost.

Free and low cost play activities include: 

  • playing in in the sand or mud
  • collecting shells and pebbles then painting or stacking them
  • playing in a big cardboard box (is it a house, a spaceship, a car? etc)
  • playing with water (a washing up bowl with old washing up and shampoo bottles and sieves etc)
  • clothes airer and sheets (making their own tent and personalise an old sheet with colouring pens)
  • threading pasta tubes onto string and making your own jewellery
  • board games (pick up pre loved classics from your local charity shop or car book sale)
  • treasure hunts and geocaching
  • playing pooh sticks and splashing in puddles in the rain.
  • and lots more! 

What was your favourite?

What do your children like playing with you?

Try child led play, take the pressure off and just sit with them and comment on what they are doing rather than quizzing them

”You’ve got a red car and it’s moving along the mat”, “The car has got 4 wheels 1,2,3,4”

#TheBestThingYouCanSpendOnChildrenIsTime