These are some examples of the different activities suitable for a wide range of children’s ages. Every child is different and develops at their own pace, so please choose carefully which activity is appropriate for your child.
Get active
- Be active – take your child to the playground where they can run on the grass, jump over puddles, climb the play equipment and crawl about
- Make an obstacle course with your child and explore it together
- Play sports together e.g. throwing and catching a ball
Play
- Games galore – play hopscotch, hide and seek, animal games e.g. jump like a kangaroo or walk slow like an elephant, or even make your own games up
- Encourage your child’s thinking – let your child play using building blocks to create a car, train, house or whatever their imagination creates
- Let your child blow bubbles on a windy day and try to guess how high they will go
- Encourage creativity by painting
- Play and interact with your baby during nappy change e.g. blow gently on their belly, play peek-a-boo, make happy sounds etc.
- Create and play with items you would normally think are rubbish e.g. an empty tissue box or toilet paper roll
- Play outside and encourage children to interact with nature
Work it out
- Take your child with you to post a letter and count the mailboxes on the way
- Play eye spy with my little eye
- Shadow play e.g. use a torch to make hand shadows on the wall with your child
- It’s never too early for math games – get your child to help you count the money when you pay for things
Get out and about
- Go to a park where they can feed the ducks in the pond
- Be spontaneous and ask questions, e.g. how many ducks are there?
- Take your child to appointments with you e.g. the doctor
- Go shopping together
Word play
- Read with your child and tell them stories
- Play with sounds e.g. try to hear and name different sounds e.g. a phone ringing
- Encourage your child to be creative with sounds and words - play with rhymes and get your child to try to rhyme
Getting ready
- Get your child to help pack their bag before child care, preschool or school
- Let your child get themselves ready e.g. brushing teeth, getting dressed
- Splash time in the bath e.g. let them play with the water and watch how it moves
Celebrate
- Birthdays (for themselves and/or other family members) – get your child to make a birthday card or bake a birthday cake together
- Easter / Christmas – set up an Easter egg hunt for your child, decorate the Christmas tree together or let your child wrap presents
- New Year – take your child to watch your local community New Year celebrations e.g. fireworks
Grow and create
- Prepare food together – let your child help and explain in detail what you’re doing e.g. “now we’re stirring the pot so the food can cook”
- Grow your own veggies and explain to your child the process and responsibilities e.g. watering them and leaving them to grow in the sun
- Cook with them – make pancakes together, let them help you squeeze orange juice
- Be creative! Bake cupcakes with your child and let them decorate their own cupcake
For more fun activities that you can do with your child visit:
http://www.greatstart.sa.edu.au/
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