Today Tile Triggered Content

Is play dough a 'no no' in your house? Whether it’s the mess, the texture, the way the colours end up all smushed together... there are lots of reasons play dough just doesn’t appeal to some of us, and that is absolutely fine. Toddlers can learn a lot from playing with dough, but there are ways to make it work for you and ensure your toddler is getting the same experiences.  

See it as a sensory exploration 

Your toddler’s playfulness is growing, but what about your own? We know that toddlers love to invite their most loved ones to play with them, and while you might be tempted to answer something like, “I’ll be with you in a minute,” let’s think about how play benefits you, your toddler and their learning. 

Dr Stuart Brown, a leading researcher on play, says that “We are built to play and built by play.”^[1] 

Sand is a wonderful, and relatively cheap, way for your baby to play using all their senses. But it is also itchy, easily spread around and almost impossible to fully sweep up, no matter how many times you try. For some parents this is fine, for others this sounds like a nightmare come to life.   

If bringing sand into your house isn’t your cup of tea, don’t worry that your baby will miss out.

Playing in a sandpit holds fond childhood memories for many of us. Now your baby is slightly less likely to put everything they meet into their mouth, you might be considering introducing them to sand play at home. Here’s our advice for doing it without turning your house into a building site!  

 Sand play can be brilliant for your baby – and for you 

You might have come across the term ‘open-ended’ resources. It’s a phrase widely used in early years settings and on some social media sites. Now your baby is getting older, you’re likely to start hearing it more. 

‘Open-ended’ resources is a broad term for toys or objects that can be played with in a variety of ways.  

What can open-ended resources be?