Learning through Play

The home of easy to set up play ideas! Browse a range of activities that are simple to create and often use the stuff you already have lying around your house! These activities are all created with communication development in mind, so be sure to join in with your little one and foster some conversation.

On the Blog...

Roam Free

Roam Free

We had such a beautiful morning exploring together :) I highly recommend following your toddler. I followed Etta for an hour doing whatever she wanted to do. How often do...
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How to Play when your Kids are at Different Ages and Stages

How to Play when your Kids are at Different Ages and Stages

How YOU interact and respond can change the whole learning experience.For sure it's sometimes difficult, but when you join in with kids you can support them to play and learn...
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Make Cleaning Fun!

Make Cleaning Fun!

Just like children are more likely to learn language around things they're interested in, they're also more likely to do tasks if their interests are woven into the narrative.Sometimes tidying...
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End of the Day Sensory Play

End of the Day Sensory Play

Quick sensory bin set up whilst I cooked tea tonight. My toddler was tired from Preschool and was a bit dis regulated - sensory play is always helpful for calming...
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Sink Slime

Sink Slime

Its super fun and easy to clean up. If you’re wary of messy play, try setting your little one up in the sink. Sinks are often in easy to clean...
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Eight Ways to Develop your Child's Speech and Language Skills on the Swings

Eight Ways to Develop your Child's Speech and Language Skills on the Swings

Top tip. You should always be facing your little one when they’re swinging. Push them from the front. This creates more face to face time so you can have fun...
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Valentine's Day Heart Art 💌

Valentine's Day Heart Art 💌

How we made a sparkly heart-art-canvas You will need crepe paper and a canvas Cut a square of each colour Fold in half and cut out half a heart shape...
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Fly a Kite: Easy Toddler Activity

Fly a Kite: Easy Toddler Activity

Has your toddler ever flown a kite?Kites are pretty inexpensive and make for a fantastic windy day activity.Not only will it get your child moving their body, this sensory activity...
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Christmas Cutting

Christmas Cutting

This afternoon I involved August in my Christmas wrapping by letting him practice his scissor skills. These are just kids scissors I picked up in the stationary section. He was...
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Mini-Me Makeover

Mini-Me Makeover

Full disclosure: Today I did some basic make up then August came in and wanted to do his - so I handed him stuff item by item until he was...
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Pouring Practice

Pouring Practice

I sometimes think mums feel overwhelmed about doing activities with their kids when insta accounts show perfectly colourful wooden play set ups with posh resources and autumnal lighting 😂 Reality...
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Imagine there's food

Imagine there's food

I’ve modelled this strategy for so many early childhood teachers - I figured you guys might want in on it.I see it all the time - the kids with the...
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Indoor Camping

Indoor Camping

Here's a gentle reminder to pitch a tent indoors! Especially if you're not a camping person (like me!). Kids love enclosed spaces - even when it's not all that enclosed...
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Connetix Creations

Connetix Creations

We’re loving these at the moment so I had to do a post about them. Magnetic tiles are fab for so many reasons:🧐 fine motor skills - holding and manipulating...
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Sensory Play: Backyard Beach

Sensory Play: Backyard Beach

We FaceTimed August’s grandparents and they were lying on the beach on Waiheke island. Through my jealousy that they are on holiday and I’m not, I had an idea! We...
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Exploring Wet and Dry – Pet Rescue | Play Tray Activity

Exploring Wet and Dry – Pet Rescue | Play Tray Activity

Today we explored textures in a fun way - August enjoyed this for ages! I filled the play tray, half with flour (he's really enjoyed baking recently) and the other...
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Backyard Pond

Backyard Pond

One of Auggie's favourite things to do with his Nana and Granda was to throw stones into any body of water on their outings! My parents did a fantastic job...
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Phone Home

Phone Home

I picked up this old school phone from a charity shop for $2 and it's August's new fave. This wasn't a random purchase - I've wanted one for a while...
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Play in Nature

Play in Nature

We very very rarely take toys out with us when we have adventures because there's so much to engage with in the environment. Auggie is in to counting and giving...
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Beach Play Tray

Beach Play Tray

Some simple sensory play today - sand. You can't get more classic than that. We keep a load of sand in a big plastic container and we tip it into...
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