You may be wondering what are Play Prompts? Or you may be wondering, how are they beneficial to my child? And you may even be wondering where to even start when looking for playful activities for your little ones to do at home! Well, we can help you there. This blog is all about informing you what Play Prompts are, how they can be used, and even some examples which you can try at home!
What are Play Prompts?
Play Prompts are fun and playful activities for your little ones to do at home. They are activities that are fuss-free, quick to set-up, and suitable for indoor and/or outdoor play. They are designed to keep your child occupied for ages, and you can either join in yourself, or finally go and get some things done! And the brilliant thing is, is that they can be as simple, messy, creative, or as imaginative as you like!
Another thing about Play Prompts is that you should become inspired to play with what you already have at home. If you don’t have an item on the list; before you race to the shops, have a little look at what you do have at home already, because more often than not, you will have a suitable alternative without needing to spend a penny.
What are the benefits for my child?
When children engage with Play Prompts, not are they only just having fun, whilst remaining engaged within an activity, but it also supports your child’s development at the same time.
I want some simple Play Prompt ideas!
Do you sit scrolling through Instagram, or Pinterest, and see lots of perfect play, set up posts, and think to yourself… I haven’t got time for that?!
You might be thinking that you’ve got enough to be thinking about without having to come up with endless play opportunities or play invitations for your little one – well we’ve done the hard work for you. Our Play Prompts remove the brain power needed to come up with activities so you can sit back and simply enjoy the interaction or the peace.
The following play prompts are a colourful, sensory adventure, for your little ones to engage with and have fun at the same time.
Car Paint Track & Wash
You will need:
- 1 Small Tuff Tray (Use a flat dish if you don’t have a tuff tray)
- Water
- Washing Up Liquid
- 1 Large Tuff Tray (if you don’t have a tuff tray, try laying out newspaper)
- Paper
- Optional: Pens/Pencils
- Different Coloured Paints
- Toy Car / Toy Bike : You can use little balls if you don’t have Toy Cars
To start, fill your small tuff tray with warm water and dish soap, and then mix around to get the bubbles all foamy.
Then, take your large tuff tray and lay out your paper within the tray. You can draw trees and houses, and even a road if you want to: this is an optional step!
Then squirt some blobs of paint into the tuff tray, next to the paper, you’re your little one can take the wheel! Encourage them to drive the car through the paint and on the paper, mixing colours as they go to create interesting patterns.
Once your little one has finished, encourage them to place the car in the water, and drive it back and forth, cleaning the wheels, and cleaning themselves a little as they go.
Pom Pom: Scoop & Sort
You will need:
- Different coloured Pom Poms (you can use cut up pieces of colourful straws, Lego pieces, basically anything small you have!
- Paint Palette (You can just use small bowls if you don’t have a paint palette)
- Tweezers or a Spoon
Mix the pom poms up together, and place in the centre of the palette (or place in a bowl in the centre of other bowls). Then, encourage your little one to use the tweezers, spoon or even just their fingers, and organise them by colour. As a helpful prompt, you can even label the palette/bowls in the colours of the pom poms, in order for your little one to match the colour with the colour already labelled.
Salty Water Fun
You will need:
- Paint Palette (You can just use small bowls if you don’t have a paint palette)
- PVA Glue
- Water based paints
- Water
- Paintbrushes / Glue Spreader
- 1 Small Tray (This should be large enough to hold a piece of A4-A5 paper and stop the salt going everywhere. And if you don’t have this, just use a shallow dish)
- Paper (You can use card)
- Some Salt (Quantity is up to you!)
Firstly, take your paint palette, and fill one space with some PVA glue. Next, place a little amount of paint in each space, (you can use any colour you want!), and then mix with some water, to make colourful, runny water.
Then, place your paper, or card in the tuff tray. Next, encourage your little one to draw a picture with the glue, using either a paintbrush, glue spreader, or little squeezy bottle, on the paper. Now, your little one can sprinkle the salt over their design. Encourage them to tip the salt around, so it covers all the glue on the picture. This effect gives the picture a really frosty/snowy look, so would be a good activity to do in Winter/near Christmas.
Now, your little one can pick up their paintbrush, dip it into the water, and dab onto the salty design. The salt absorbs the water and creates unique designs. Then let them create to their hearts desire!
When finished, be cautious as these paintings are fragile. To protect them, when dry either cover with cling film, or spray with hairspray.