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...

Smelling Jars

Are you thinking about ALL the senses when you're planning sensory play?! Don't forget their sense of smell! August absolutely loves it when we carry him to the cupboard and...

Learning to care for others

If you think dolls are just for girls then you have a whole lot of learning to do. Dolls are an incredible tool for learning and they're for everyone. August...

Treasure Tubes

We were gifted these gorgeous treasure tubes from @playitforwardnz. I've wanted them for aaaaages so I felt super lucky to have them turn up.I really want to use these to display...

Our Play Tray

Eeek I’ve been shopping! I’ve wanted one of these for forever and I finally just went and ordered it! So expect some more posts where we’re exploring and getting messy...

Post and Shake Buttons

Buttons are SO easy to pick up from opshops, $2 shops and craft shops and they're great small parts for play. I set up this quiet activity for Auggie this...

Living Room Ramp and Roll

Shout out to my Mam who is an expert in keeping active little boys occupied. I came in to find my sofa taken apart and cushions everywhere and the pikler...

Play Doh Talking

Playdoh/playdough is one of the most versatile activities for speech and language development. WHY? Because you can mould it into anything and then talk about it! So YES it's a...

Peg Play

For a little simple, quiet, calm activity this afternoon when August was getting a bit wobbly - I cracked out the pegs. They’re not the posh wooden ones you see...

Sponge Squeeze

I picked up a car washing sponge at the weekend to give August a bit of a spongey experience!!! I'm always on about his brain being like a sponge but...

Recycled Rainforest

Our play tray today:I grabbed handfuls of leaves from the bushes in our back garden and added the cardboard recycling that I've been hoarding. THEN I remembered that I had...

Paint and Draw Sensory Bag

I set this up quickly whilst August was sleeping. Super easy - I put paint in a ziplock bag and taped it to the window. As with all sensory bags...

Busy Board

Did anyone end up making a busy wall whilst in lockdown? I'm lucky (I think) that my partner hoards all kids of random stuff under the house so we were...

Pom Pom Caterpillar

Could have called it a tape worm but that wouldn't be all that glamorous, would it? SUPER EASY set up. Just like a sticky wall only on the table. I...

Fun with Mud

WHO IS BRAVE ENOUGH?! We stepped up the mess factor today and played in mud. EVERYTHING is washable so why hold back? We rugged up and headed to the deck...

Pop to the shops

Spot the mother that is having shopping withdrawals during lockdown 😬😬 Today I set up a shop for August. YES this is elaborate and I KNOW that most of you...

Ice Painting 🌈

We did some icey painting today! It was a bit chilly outside but we had a blast - even if August preferred painting his feet than the paper. When he'd...

Ball Pit Rescue

August loved playing in the ball pit at the party yesterday but aside from naming colours and describing the properties and whereabouts of a sphere - the language opportunities are...

Pasta Post and Pull

We has a quick explore with some pasta this afternoon. August can't bear me cooking without him so he's forever on my hip helping out with all his meals. He...

Flower Forage Sensory Bag

We had SO MUCH FUN today exploring our friend's beautiful garden. This was a two part activity that kept us busy for the afternoon - who doesn't love exploring a...