6 Ideas to Try Right Now
Tray Play (Quiet & Calm)
- 1Load a tray with 5 interesting small objects.
- 2Place it on the bed or couch next to your child.
- 3Let them explore without pressure.
Perfect for low-energy days — no movement needed.
Sticker Sorting Game
- 1Draw sections on paper (colours, shapes, animals).
- 2Give your child a sticker sheet.
- 3Challenge: put each sticker in the right section.
Book Club for One
- 1Let your child pick 3 books.
- 2They read (or look at pictures) independently.
- 3Later, ask them: 'Which was your favourite and why?'
Building Block Free Play
- 1Set out a bucket of blocks.
- 2No instructions — free build.
- 3Only rule: must name what they built when done.
Feelings Faces Game
- 1Draw 4 faces on paper plates: happy, sad, angry, surprised.
- 2Call out a feeling and your child holds up the right face.
- 3Swap: your child calls it, you hold it up.
This builds emotional vocabulary — one of the best 3–4yo investments.
Handprint Monsters
- 1Paint your child's hand and press onto paper.
- 2Let it dry — the handprint is the monster's body.
- 3Add googly eyes, teeth, spots with a marker.
Make a whole family of handprint monsters — great gift idea.
