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Having a play carpets, creates a designated space for your child to play. For parents, it’s also super helpful! If you teach your child to keep the toys in that area, your chances of stepping on a toy are reduced. I know we have all stepped on one too many toys. Play carpets can also inspire new play, depending what is on the play carpet. For example, Izzy’s play carpet has a little town and roads. Izzy’s carpet is a Children’s Factory carpet called, Fun at the Fair. I linked it here and below with some other options as well.

Play carpets establish a clear boundary and designated area for play.

Now that you have a space for play, bring out some simple toys for the child to play with. I wanted to share some child led play that we do on our play carpet.

Playing Cars

Playing with toy cars is developmentally beneficial to your child. I know it seems simple and silly, but sometimes it’s important to just play. Izzy and I have a little collection of so many types and sizes of cars. I linked some options below for you guys.

Cognitive Development: The child is working on problem solving & thinking about different ways to move the cars around on the carpet, they are determining new routes & studying which cars are easier to push, and/or move quickly/slower etc.
Social and Emotional Development: The child is taking on roles and occupations through play such as a builder, a bus driver, a race car driver etc. The child is working on independence, turn taking skills, self expression, creativity, becoming self reliant and their imagination. The child is also building their self esteem & feelings of success when constructing their creations.
Gross & Fine Motor Development: The child is engaging & exploring their mobile abilities. The child is building hand strength and control.
Language Development: The child is learning new vocabulary words needed for different play & life scenarios.

Building with Blocks

I think as parents, we often forget how important play is and how simple activities such as building with blocks can benefit the development of our child. Take it a step further and add in little figures/animals/people, you can further build on the play.

Cognitive Development: The child is problem solving & building spacial sense. The child is also building early mathematical skills (I.e. counting, sorting, patterns). For example, you may model making an all blue block house. You may build a tower that follows a pattern such as yellow, blue, yellow, blue, yellow, blue.
Fine & Gross Motor Development: The child is engaging their mobile abilities. The child is building hand strength and control.
Social & Emotional Development: The child is working on independence, becoming self reliant, increasing their attention span, turn taking skills, self expression, creativity and their imagination. The child is also building their self esteem & feelings of success when constructing their creations. The child is discovering that he/she can have ideas, that they can bring to life. The child is taking on roles and occupations through play such as a builder, a bus driver, a race car driver etc.
Language Development: The child is learning new vocabulary words needed for different play & life scenarios.

Have a blast and remember, sometimes the simplest play is also needed for the development of your child. You don’t always have to set up an activity. Just set up a play space, bring out some toys and play.

XO Eryka