Kiss Teddy, Then Bed
What you need
- a couple of soft toys
- a small blanket
How to do it
- Sit down with two or three soft toys and a blanket.
- Give an instruction with two things to do: 'kiss teddy and put him to bed'.
- Wait while they do it, without doing it alongside them.
- Swap toys and actions: 'hug the bunny and give her a drink'.
Why it matters
Pretend play lets you ask for two unrelated things in a game rather than a chore, and unrelated steps are the harder, later kind, so this is where they get to stretch.
What they're learning
- Holding two things in mind
- Two unrelated actions is the harder version of a two-part instruction.
- Pretending
- Pretend play carries a lot of language, and it's where understanding gets stretched safely.
- Looking after someone
- Putting a toy to bed is caring, rehearsed.
What to look for
Watch for them doing both parts in the order you said them.
A tip
Keep it a game. If they'd rather do their own thing with the toys, follow them instead. The instructions can wait.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: make both steps about the same toy and the same idea
Harder: name a toy and two actions they haven't done together before
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Quiet & calm activities · Activities for 2 year olds · Toddler activities with a blanket