Play Props
Here's What To Do
While you’re pretend-playing with your child, help them to think of props they could use or create. You can use old clothes, kitchen utensils, toys – really anything that’s safe!
Encourage your child to invite other family members to play. Allow your child to take the lead and make suggestions for what you all should do and use.
Conduct mini pretend-play sessions after dinner and before it’s time to get ready for bed, and watch your child’s creativity blossom!
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Gather your child’s desired props and invite other available family members to join you. Is everything ready? Let’s go!
Engage:
- “Oh, you are the driver? What could you use to pretend to be the steering wheel?”
- “If we are going to blast off into space, what should we wear? What should we take with us?”
Encourage:
- Ask guiding questions, and provide choices and suggestions to help your child identify potential props. Remember, they can use anything they want, it’s just pretend!
- “I see some round placemats, do you think they could be a good steering wheel?”
Reflect:
- “What should we pretend to be next? What should we use when we are pretending?”
Not quite ready?
While you’re playing together, demonstrate how to use a simple object to represent another one. For example, use your hand as a pretend phone.
Ready for more?
Play a game where you brainstorm all the ways to use an object as a prop. For example, a box can be a spaceship, a boat, a house etc. This is a great game to play during downtime e.g. while standing in line together or stuck in traffic.
As your child masters this skill...
They will create or identify props to sustain play.