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...

Masking Tape Motorway

Masking Tape Motorway

No road? No problem! Just make one out of tape! Auggie is showing more interest in driving his vehicles. In the absence of one of those road map rugs, I...
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Dolls are for everyone

Dolls are for everyone

If you think dolls are just for girls then you’re very sadly mistaken. Men care for babies. Men are dads. Men teach children. Men work in kindergartens. Men are nurses....
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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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Feed the birds

Feed the birds

Auggie loves to throw things but it’s not always ideal - especially in the house! I wanted to do an activity that would let him practice the motor-planning and big...
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Exploring Colours: Red Bath

Exploring Colours: Red Bath

Bath time is a great time to explore colours. I had some beetroot juice left over from our summer soup activity so I added it to August's bath for something...
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Summer Soup: Imaginative Water Play

Summer Soup: Imaginative Water Play

The best activities are the ones where you already have all the stuff at home. Here's a new one for you - soup making. Or tea. Or coffee. Or anything...
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Peg Peg Peg – Practical Life Tasks

Peg Peg Peg – Practical Life Tasks

Auggie got a little peg apron for Christmas and since then he's loving helping to peg out some of his smaller pieces like bibs and socks.WHY?Kids love helping out with...
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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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Wipe Box Posting

Wipe Box Posting

Auggie has been sick this long weekend so we've been inside a lot. That has meant I've had to be on my game with keeping him engaged in resources he...
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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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Trajectory Schema

Trajectory Schema

Sit back for a little while and watch what your little one is doing with their toys. If they're pushing their things along, rolling down a ramp, kicking things forward,...
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Make your own shaker

Make your own shaker

I'm so happy that I did this activity. I briefly underestimated Auggie and thought he wouldn't be in to it, that he'd try and eat everything or that he wouldn't...
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Water Painting

Water Painting

Water on a dry surface like concrete or wood is the CLEANEST, messy play experience you'll ever have. Unless it's raining - there's no excuse not to do this activity...
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Painting with a brush

Painting with a brush

We've done a lot of finger painting in the past but not a lot of using a brush. It's HARDER for little ones to get their heads around using a...
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Mud Pies

Mud Pies

Messy play is incredibly important for development, so I like to provide August with as many messy opportunities as possible. Sunny days make it easy because we can wreak havoc...
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Blow your own bubbles

Blow your own bubbles

Ok the secret is out, I absolutely HATE bubble machines! I'd hazard a guess that there's not one Speech and Language Therapist who would use one - they're fresh out...
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Crayon Corner

Crayon Corner

I've taken to setting up August's little play table as a crayon corner in between snack times (as he sits here for his snacks if we're home). Whilst felt tips...
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