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Play and interaction

Approved play ideas and handout links for playing and interacting together.

What you can do at home

  • Play games together, like rolling a ball backwards and forwards.
  • Play with small toy animals, trucks and imaginative play sets.
  • Encourage your child to play with other children.

Play and interaction

Open the 9 month old play activities handout

Source Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Play and interaction

Open 5 games to play with toddlers, 12 months

Source Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Play and interaction

Open 6 games to play with toddlers, 2 to 3 years

Source Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Activities to try

Play and interaction

Bang and shake

What this helps your child practice

Not yet added by staff

Materials needed

Wooden spoons, pots and pans, or sealed containers with beads inside.

Simple instructions

  1. 1Give your baby wooden spoons to bang on pots and pans.
  2. 2Or give sealed containers with beads inside to shake.

Ways to include it in everyday routines

Not yet added by staff

Get a link to share

Play and interaction

Small animals, trucks and pretend sets

What this helps your child practice

Not yet added by staff

Materials needed

Small toy animals, trucks and imaginative play sets.

Simple instructions

  1. 1Play together with small toy animals, trucks and imaginative play sets.

Ways to include it in everyday routines

Not yet added by staff

Get a link to share

Play and interaction

Build with blocks or pegs

What this helps your child practice

Not yet added by staff

Materials needed

Wooden or plastic blocks, or pegs.

Simple instructions

  1. 1Encourage your toddler to build things with wooden or plastic blocks, even just with pegs.

Ways to include it in everyday routines

Not yet added by staff

Get a link to share

When to ask for help

You know your child best. Raise any of these with your pediatrician or your child's therapy team.

  • Shows little interest in interacting with others or playing simple games.
  • Shows little interest in pretend play or interacting with others.
  • You have concerns about your child's play.