Here is an invitation for children to play and create. You can use common household items, various pieces purchased at a discount store and include some wonderful homemade play dough. Setting up an invitation to play and create for kids is a fabulous way to engage them in creative play and experimentation.
Suggested age : 6 months
(N.B This is completely dependent on the items you make available to them)
What is an invitation to play?
Fantastic question! The term ‘invitation to play’ describes the opportunities given to children to play and explore with various materials and objects in whatever way they choose. With this in mind, you can believe that there is literally billions of different ways children can become engaged in this type of play. So to break it down, an invitation to play is –
- Child lead
- Open-ended
- Offers objects, materials, tools for exploration
- Unstructured
In my most recent invitation to play that I set up for Possum (aged 2.1) I whipped up a fresh batch of no cook play dough, which you can see me demonstrate in a video of how it’s made, and used some bits and pieces I’ve had in my craft draw. You could also use my recipe base here, which works really well.
What do I include in an invitation to play?
It’s important to remember that an invitation to play doesn’t have to include lots of fancy or expensive objects or materials. They can simply be things you find around the house that are safe for the age of your child. It’s a process of discovery so simply throwing some plastic cups with rice and a tub of water could simply be an invitation to play. It’s amazing what children can create, more than you’d possibly think of yourself! LOL
Here is an invitation to play I set up for Possum. I used –
- buttons
- pipe cleaners
- sequins
- feathers
- pompoms
- paddle pop sticks
- tooth picks
Of course it all began with what Possum was most comfortable using, the paddle pop sticks. I was thrilled to see that she skewered one paddle pop into each batch of play dough. This demonstrated some understanding of one-to-one correspondence, otherwise known as bijection.
As eager as I was for her to start using the decorative sequins and amazing fluffy feathers, she began smooshing (yes, I’m claiming that as a word) the play dough together and using her fingers. Play dough is so great for developing strength in the hands and fingers. Perfect for building on those fine motor skills.
It wasn’t long before little bits of this and lots of that we used during her play opportunity.
I had to resist the urge to have a play myself (and interfere) with her wonderfully engaging experience. I’m aware that I sometimes do try to get involved when I should just take a step back and watch the magic happen. Kate from Picklebums wrote a fabulous article about her own influences on her children’s play, which I think reflects how I see things too.
I can’t help but share this gorgeous photograph (above) of the play that was left behind. It touches my heart so much and makes me look forward to whatever our next invitation to play might be.
Would your child enjoy engaging in an invitation to play like this one?
Some more invitations to play that you might enjoy
Click here to purchase your download copy today!
This is one of our favourite invitations to play right now… play dough and ‘goodies’ my smallest calls it and because it really ‘floats his boat’ right now he plays with it for a long looooong time!
Love you and your clever, attentive mumma ways, Kate. x
PS – I think I would like this invitation to play for myself! x
Nawww thanks Bron! Things are never boring around here. LOL
Yes, they both definitely would. I’ve been looking for some crafty ideas to do with my 15 month old. I never really thought of placing a whole heap of different bits in front of her and seeing what she does with them. Thanks!
Thanks for your comment Renee! It really is amazing what they come up with when you give them the opportunity. If you’re looking for more ideas, be sure to purchase the ebook I’ve contributed to called ‘Zero to Two: Baby Play’. It is going to be launched on Sunday night and has over 25 play activities that would be perfect for your 15 month old. 🙂
We’re big on creative play here. While I wouldn’t call what we do structured, I love the concept of an invitation to play. I wonder whether the choice will be overwhelming and Miss 2 will be less inclined to play independently… time will tell, I suppose. X
Absolutely! I’ve done invitations to play with 2 things and 10 things. It’s all about varying experience. 🙂
Lovely post Kate! Any invitation that includes playdough in our house still brings all the kids together to play. Thanks for sharing a link to my blog too 🙂
Pleasure Nichole! Look forward to sharing more of your great ideas.
Me! Invite me! Don’t think I’ve ever been able to play like that in my life. So much joy in all those things and colours. The photos are gorgeous.
Thank you so kindly Kate. My litre girl could have played there all day. LOL
Oh you are such a beautiful mama and that look on little possums face is worth every bit of effort I bet xx
She loved every minute Sonia, that’s for sure! LOL
I’m new to your blog but I look forward to checking it out. Thanks for your comment.
Love this idea. Used paddle pop sticks this week with my Kinders and will be adding some more goodies this week.
Fabulous Amanda! Come back and let me know how you go. 🙂
Thanks for your comment.
Very cute! Adding items to play doh always enhances the experience and the fun for little ones! It keeps their attention for much longer as well!
I don’t do these sorts of activities with my kids anymore, as they are much older now and we are entering another phase of play…but I love this…and I miss it. x
It is a beautiful way to play. I’d miss it too. LOL
OMG, you are amazing! What a great idea. My daughter always loved this kind of play. She is five now. But I have a son also, he is one, so I will have to set up something similar for him.
Such a gorgeous idea, we love invitations to play too. I’d love to start doing more with my 11 month old but he’s a very different kid to his older sister. He seems always on a mission to seek and destroy LOL He loves to squish, rip and throw. I’m putting my thinking cap on, I’m sure you’ll see me sharing an appropriate invitation to play with him soon.
Such a sweet invitation. Even the smooshing looks fun.
I cant wait til Miss cherub is old enough for this type of thing
It’s such great fun and I love that it’s so open-ended. Thanks Nae
We love this too! Such sweet pics 🙂
Looks like loads of fun. My 4 and 5 year olds love this type of play dough play too as a break from the rollers and cookie cutters.
I’m with Maxabella. I love this activity for myself. There’s nothing more i love than sitting down with my kids and a bunch of playdough 🙂
Never too old for play dough and the bonus is that this makes your hands smell sooooo nice. 🙂
Whilst I do love the free-ness (my own claimed word) of this style of play, I cant help but feel a sadness of how we have over analysed and over controlled something so naturally engrained in children. When I was a child we ran free, barefoot. We were inspired by books and created our own worlds using nature and whatever was there. No one had to set it up for us.
No one scrutinised how every move was a clinical form of growth and gave them long names and terms to add to a list of developmental milestones. No adult sat and watched us play and took so much credit for helping us.. We just lived and moved and were.
I am so thankful my mom didn’t pass up the opportunities to engage with me and stimulate my neuro pathways in the most important way, ( I mean really, with western parenting pulling us further away from our kids, how often do we see our little ones react badly to playing with mommy and daddy? At least whilst they are still young.) for the chance to analyse me playing alone so she may pat herself on the back for facilitating this?
goodness, we are funny humans aren’t we?
Hi Rachel!
Thank you kindly for your comments and I find your thoughts very interesting.
Throughout my blog I absolutely highlight the learning achievements I feel my little Possum gains and I also share some of the observations that I see from her playing. Please do not for a moment believe what you see on Laughing Kids Learn is the only type of play we do and that I’m always sitting over her judging, criticising or similar! Possum enjoys a much wider variety of play than what you are seeing and on a daily basis. Regardless, what you do see I would like to think is helpful for myself, Possum and anyone else interested in doing the activities I share, especially educators. Yes, it can be seen as a little over analytical, however, I don’t really see any harm in that myself. I’m still there, engaged and enjoying play with my little girl. Sure my blog has become quite popular and the hard work I put into it is something I feel proud of, but it isn’t my motivation to play and engage with Possum. I honestly would be doing this regardless of Laughing Kids Learn or not.
Thank you kindly for your comments. I appreciate reading your thoughts.