3-5 years play stages

As your pre-schooler matures, she will become aware that she is heading towards ‘big school’ and will start modelling big school behaviour by attempting to write her name and parts of the alphabet. She will also enjoy craft activities – so stock up on the scrap paper, glitter and glue now!

And as she begins to develop proper friendships with other children, she will become involved in plenty of imaginative play, so try to choose unstructured toys (wooden blocks rather a set that can only make the one thing on the box) that will encourage open-ended play.

 

Good toys at this age are:

 

• Simple board and card games – snakes and ladders, ludo, snap, go fish
• Puppets
• Art and craft materials
• A two-wheeler bike with training wheels
• Sports equipment – golf clubs, football, basketball and hoop
• Dress-ups
• Puzzles
• Picture books
• Construction toys
• Household equipment for imaginative play – telephone, shopping bags, tea set, cash register
• Climbing gym or swing set