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Birth to 11 months

Even newborn babies love physical play. Try gently tickling their face or count their fingers and toes. Play face to face games such as peek-a-boo. Make funny faces and noises for your baby to imitate. Answer your baby's noises and babble. They are talking to you! Babbling and experimenting with sounds is a very important part of their development and even at the earliest stages of development you can encourage turn taking.Even at this early stage rhymes are an excellent way of  developing interaction and communication skills.

8 to 20 months

Babies love to play with safe, simple things that you can find around the house such as wooden spoons, empty boxes, cardboard tubes and wrapping paper. Create a Treasure Basket by making a collection of safe objects such as ribbons, feathers, cotton reels, egg boxes, balls, jar lids, plastic bottles and silk scarves for your baby to play with. Give them plenty of time to explore and experiment. abies and toddlers learn best if they choose what to play and you follow their lead. Comment on what they are doing and be ready to join in.

16 to 26 months

Active play not only helps children gain control of their bodies and use up their energy but its great for brain development too, so try and find time as often as possible for some physical activity. Move back the furniture and play with balloons or bubbles. Turn a large box into a tunnel for them to crawl through. Play games where they have to copy your movements,sing action songs and dance or march to music. Spend some time outside kicking or rolling a ball and take them to a children's playground. Joining in their active play could help you get fit too!

22 to 36 months (2 to 3 years)

Little children love 'messy play' but with a bit of forward planning the mess can be kept to a minimum. Use plastic sheeting to cover the floor or table and make plastic aprons from bin liners. Shaving foam (use the kind for sensitive skin), home made play dough, and 'flubber' are cheap, quick and easy to make and use and give hildren hours of fun. Helping to clear up is all part of the fun and playing with soapy water is very relaxing, so get them involved in the washing up! Remember that small children should always be supervised when playing with water.

30 to 50 months (2 1/2 to 4 years)

Creating imaginary situations is lots of fun and helps children explore different ideas, express their feelings and try out new words. Having a 'secret' play space or den adds to the excitement and keeps children interested. Throwing a sheet or blanket over a table or airer immediately creates a hideaway where children can create their own world. It could be a cave or a space rocket, a secret garden or a play house. You can help them choose things from around the house and suggest ideas. Give them pper, pencils and crayons for mark making and hats, scarfs and old shoes for dressing up, but remember to enter their play space by invitation only!

40 to 60 months (3 1/2 to 5 years)

Making and using puppets creates lots of opportunities for talking. Children can try out different voices and roles and use their imaginations to create characters. They can act out familiar stories and situations and with a little encouragement use their imagination to create stories and dramas of their own. Try out these simple puppet making ideas together and be prepared to join in the performance!

Stick puppets

1. Glue children's drawings or magazine pictures onto card.
2. Cut out each drawing and tape it onto a lolly stick to make a handle for holding the puppet and making it do things.

Walking puppets

1. Glue children's drawings or magazine pictures onto card.
2. Cut out each drawing.
3. Cut two holes about 1cm apart in the bottom of the drawing - large enough to slip a finger through each hole.
4. Put two fingers through the holes to make the puppets legs.

Sock puppets

1. Stick two circles of card near the toe end of an old clean sock, for the eyes.
2. Put your hand into the sock and use your fingers and thumb to make a mouth at the toe end.
3. Stick a piece of red card inside for the tongue.

Links

Click on the links below for more ideas and advice and information about playing with your child.

Ideas and Resources
www.makingfriends.com/preschool.htm
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/

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