Sofa Toy Rescue
What you need
- a sofa or a comfy chair
- three or four chunky toys
How to do it
- Sit your toddler on the floor in front of the sofa.
- Stand three or four chunky toys along the front of the seat, where they can see them but can't reach them sitting down.
- Say "Oh no, Teddy's stuck up there!" and see what they do.
- Once every toy is rescued, line them up again a little further along the seat.
Why it matters
A toy waiting on the seat is a real reason to pull up, and the soft, steady edge of a sofa is just the right height to hold on to.
What they're learning
- Pulling up
- Hands on the edge, feet underneath, and up: done again for every toy.
- Standing balance
- Letting go with one hand to grab a toy while the other hand holds on.
- Working it out
- Finding out for themselves that standing up is how the toy comes down.
What to look for
Watch for them letting go with one hand to grab a toy while the other keeps hold of the seat.
A tip
Stay within arm's reach, play on a rug and clear anything hard from the floor around the sofa. Keep the toys on the seat, never the back or the arm, so there's no reason to climb, and remember that anything that fits through a toilet roll tube is too small.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: put the toys right at the front edge, so pulling up on to their knees is enough
Harder: space the toys out along the seat, so they step sideways from one to the next
