The power of playing with your preschooler:
  • Children learn through play.
  • Playing helps your child learn to get along with others.
  • Playing helps your child learn new skills and use their imagination.
  • Playing helps your child learn about words, feelings and thoughts.
  • Seeing and doing new things helps your child's brain to grow.
Ways to encourage your preschooler to play:
  • Find activities you can do with your child! They enjoy spending time with you!
  • Be a role model for your child. They watch you and want to be just like you.
  • Children need planned activity as well as free play.
  • Arrange for your child to play with other children often.
Good toys for your preschooler:
  • Hula Hoops
  • Beach balls/large balls
  • Tricycle
  • Jump ropes
  • Light weight bat and ball
  • Toy cars and trucks
  • Blocks
Things found at home for your preschooler to play with:
  • Plastic coffee can lids (can be used as a Frisbee)
  • Empty boxes or baskets
  • paper balls
  • Sock balls
  • Dress up clothes
Games to play with your preschooler:
  • Run through the sprinklers
  • Dance to music
  • Hide-and-seek
  • Hopscotch
  • Leap frog
  • Jump rope
Activities to do with your toddler:
  • Have your preschooler help pick up toys, help make beds, help walk the dogs, help wash the car, and help grocery shop.
  • Make homemade instruments.
  • Put dried beans in an empty container and shake.
  • Use wooden spoons to bang on pots.
  • Stretch rubber bands over containers and pull on the to make sounds.

Remember, your relationship with your baby is the first and most important one! Your baby is counting on you to play with them! Make time to play with your child every day!
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