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Activities for young children (aged 2.5 to 4)

This section provides ideas and activities for older children, at the age or stage of 2.5 to 4 years.

Talking and Singing

Children between 2 ½ and 4 years old can all be at very different levels of communicating. Your child might take you to what they want, they may point or gesture, they may use single words that may be clear or unclear or they may be using short sentences. Every child is unique and different and will develop communication skills at their own pace.

Talking and listening to your child will give them confidence to try new skills.

Singing can help children to develop language skills, but did you know that singing can also help to develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Children love to sing and even pre-verbal children will join in their own unique way.

Story Time

Looking at a book with your child every day can help to develop their speech. “read” a book in a way that is appropriate for you and your child. Point to pictures and name the object/animal etc. Tell the story in your own words (this is a good way to shorten a story if it is too long). Remember you do not need to buy books; you can borrow them from your local library.

BBC iPlayer Bedtime stories:

Talking and Singing

Children between 2 ½ and 4 years old can all be at very different levels of communicating. Your child might take you to what they want, they may point or gesture, they may use single words that may be clear or unclear or they may be using short sentences. Every child is unique and different and will develop communication skills at their own pace.

Talking and listening to your child will give them confidence to try new skills.

Singing can help children to develop language skills, but did you know that singing can also help to develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Children love to sing and even pre-verbal children will join in their own unique way.

Story Time

Looking at a book with your child every day can help to develop their speech. “read” a book in a way that is appropriate for you and your child. Point to pictures and name the object/animal etc. Tell the story in your own words (this is a good way to shorten a story if it is too long). Remember you do not need to buy books; you can borrow them from your local library.

BBC iPlayer Bedtime stories:

Birth to 5 matters. Play helps children develop physical and social-emotional skills, as well as language, problem-solving and more. Playing with your child is quality time together. It helps them develop the strong emotional connection they need to feel safe and secure.

Sensory Play

Young children can be reluctant to explore sensory play. Here are some ideas to enjoy sensory play together. Introduce sensory play in a way that suits your child’s skills. This may be on the floor, on a table, indoors or in an outside space.

Remember: Never leave children unattended when playing with water or other sensory play materials.

Water Play

Water play provides the opportunity to develop fine and gross motor skills across all age ranges. Actions like pouring, scrubbing, squirting, stirring, and squeezing are all important movements that lead to increased fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Messy Play

Messy play allows for hand strengthening and developing hand-eye coordination. It provides a lot of sensory input and is a fun place for learning and developing gross and fine motor skills.

You can add small world play animals, under sea animals, dinosaurs, and vehicles to extend messy play.

Pretend Play

Children often start pretending by copying their family. Putting a phone to their ear, pretending to feed a teddy or doll. This can lead on to making cups of tea, preparing food, fixing things and beyond. Play with your child at the level they are at. You can always introduce new ideas when they are ready.

Birth to 5 matters. Play helps children develop physical and social-emotional skills, as well as language, problem-solving and more. Playing with your child is quality time together. It helps them develop the strong emotional connection they need to feel safe and secure.

Sensory Play

Young children can be reluctant to explore sensory play. Here are some ideas to enjoy sensory play together. Introduce sensory play in a way that suits your child’s skills. This may be on the floor, on a table, indoors or in an outside space.

Remember: Never leave children unattended when playing with water or other sensory play materials.

Water Play

Water play provides the opportunity to develop fine and gross motor skills across all age ranges. Actions like pouring, scrubbing, squirting, stirring, and squeezing are all important movements that lead to increased fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Messy Play

Messy play allows for hand strengthening and developing hand-eye coordination. It provides a lot of sensory input and is a fun place for learning and developing gross and fine motor skills.

You can add small world play animals, under sea animals, dinosaurs, and vehicles to extend messy play.

Pretend Play

Children often start pretending by copying their family. Putting a phone to their ear, pretending to feed a teddy or doll. This can lead on to making cups of tea, preparing food, fixing things and beyond. Play with your child at the level they are at. You can always introduce new ideas when they are ready.

Young children need to develop their gross motor skills (big arm movements) before they develop their fine motor skills (using finger and thumb to pick things up or hold small objects). Giving children lots of opportunity to engage in physical play inside and outside will fine tune these skills.

Throwing balls into baskets/boxes/tubs-different sizes and distances. Soft balls of different sizes. Make your own with old socks filled with rice or pasta and secured with a knot. Water balloons.

Be aware of choking hazards and always supervise your child.

Kicking a ball into a box. Various sizes and distances away from the box. Start close and then move the box further away.

Jumping. Jump just for the joy of it. In puddles, on different surfaces. Children that are limited in their mobility can be bounced or splash their feet in water to create a splash.

Painting with water on walls and pavements-different sized brushes what happens to the painting when the sun comes out or after a short period of time?

Chalking on walls and pavements-what happens when it rains?

Out and about What are the benefits of Risky Play? - BBC Tiny Happy People

Collecting in the woods. You can help your child to collect all sorts of natural materials and then use them to sort. (Stones and sticks, leaves and pinecones). Provide suitable containers to put them in.

Be aware of choking hazards and always supervise your child.

Threading. Threading is great to support fine motor skills. Start with big items to thread toilet roll tubes cut into smaller sections onto rope. Cotton reels onto strings and then slowly reduce the size of the resources. Hooped breakfast cereals on spaghetti. The options are endless.

Be aware of choking hazards and always supervise your child.

Young children need to develop their gross motor skills (big arm movements) before they develop their fine motor skills (using finger and thumb to pick things up or hold small objects). Giving children lots of opportunity to engage in physical play inside and outside will fine tune these skills.

Throwing balls into baskets/boxes/tubs-different sizes and distances. Soft balls of different sizes. Make your own with old socks filled with rice or pasta and secured with a knot. Water balloons.

Be aware of choking hazards and always supervise your child.

Kicking a ball into a box. Various sizes and distances away from the box. Start close and then move the box further away.

Jumping. Jump just for the joy of it. In puddles, on different surfaces. Children that are limited in their mobility can be bounced or splash their feet in water to create a splash.

Painting with water on walls and pavements-different sized brushes what happens to the painting when the sun comes out or after a short period of time?

Chalking on walls and pavements-what happens when it rains?

Out and about What are the benefits of Risky Play? - BBC Tiny Happy People

Collecting in the woods. You can help your child to collect all sorts of natural materials and then use them to sort. (Stones and sticks, leaves and pinecones). Provide suitable containers to put them in.

Be aware of choking hazards and always supervise your child.

Threading. Threading is great to support fine motor skills. Start with big items to thread toilet roll tubes cut into smaller sections onto rope. Cotton reels onto strings and then slowly reduce the size of the resources. Hooped breakfast cereals on spaghetti. The options are endless.

Be aware of choking hazards and always supervise your child.

Children all develop these skills in their own time and in their own unique way. Here are some ideas of things to introduce at home if you have not already done so.

Routines: Children like to know what is happening next. Routines are predictable and can reduce anxiety levels in young children.

Choices: There are some children who will just go along with whatever an adult tells them to do. Others will become angry because they aren't given the chance to choose for themselves. Giving children choices helps them feel like they have some power and control over what they do. It's a step in growing up.

Feelings-The first emotions children experience are primary emotions, also called basic or universal emotions. They include joy, sadness, disgust, fear, anger, and surprise, all of which may appear at the appropriate stage of your child’s development.

Books to help children to understand their feelings- Some examples are; Colour Monsters or I'm a Feel-O-Saur. You can borrow these books from your local library.

More book ideas: Feelings | BookTrust

Self-care/independence: Within the Early Years Foundation Stage, strategies for fostering independence include providing an environment that encourages self-help skills, such as dressing and feeding. It involves offering choices to children so they can make decisions and learn from the consequences of their choices.

Washing hands: Do this in a way that works for your child, provide a step to reach or a bowl of water at their level or just practise in the bath. How to wash your hands - teaching kids how to hand wash - BBC Tiny Happy People,

Remember: Never leave children unattended when playing with water

Taking off shoes socks and clothes or helping to put clothes on. SELF-CARE (solent.nhs.uk)

Finally, don’t forget to look after yourself Six self-care tips for parents - BBC Bitesize

Children all develop these skills in their own time and in their own unique way. Here are some ideas of things to introduce at home if you have not already done so.

Routines: Children like to know what is happening next. Routines are predictable and can reduce anxiety levels in young children.

Choices: There are some children who will just go along with whatever an adult tells them to do. Others will become angry because they aren't given the chance to choose for themselves. Giving children choices helps them feel like they have some power and control over what they do. It's a step in growing up.

Feelings-The first emotions children experience are primary emotions, also called basic or universal emotions. They include joy, sadness, disgust, fear, anger, and surprise, all of which may appear at the appropriate stage of your child’s development.

Books to help children to understand their feelings- Some examples are; Colour Monsters or I'm a Feel-O-Saur. You can borrow these books from your local library.

More book ideas: Feelings | BookTrust

Self-care/independence: Within the Early Years Foundation Stage, strategies for fostering independence include providing an environment that encourages self-help skills, such as dressing and feeding. It involves offering choices to children so they can make decisions and learn from the consequences of their choices.

Washing hands: Do this in a way that works for your child, provide a step to reach or a bowl of water at their level or just practise in the bath. How to wash your hands - teaching kids how to hand wash - BBC Tiny Happy People,

Remember: Never leave children unattended when playing with water

Taking off shoes socks and clothes or helping to put clothes on. SELF-CARE (solent.nhs.uk)

Finally, don’t forget to look after yourself Six self-care tips for parents - BBC Bitesize

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