Keep familiar parts of the day recognisable and offer two manageable choices within them. Play can happen between routines rather than becoming another appointment.
Predictability with room for choices
Keep familiar parts of the day recognisable and offer two manageable choices within them. Play can happen between routines rather than becoming another appointment.
A few useful moments in your day
At a transition
Say what happens next, then offer a concrete choice: carry the book or the bear.
During play
Try the sock shop or pretend picnic. Follow the story even if it differs from your plan.
After a hard moment
Reconnect once everyone is calmer. Use a short description of the feeling and what you can do next.
Big feelings. Even bigger possibilities.
Use this stage as a starting point, not a checklist. Pick the subject that matters to your family today. Children develop differently; adapt play to ability and discuss health or feeding concerns with your care team.
- Growing independence
- Language & play
- Big emotions
A question about this stage
Should activities teach letters and numbers?
They do not need to. Everyday sorting, conversation and pretend stories offer exploration without worksheets or performance targets.