Research has shown that adults who can play with their child for at least 15 minutes and day benefit by:

• Enjoying their child more
• Can settle difficult behaviours
• Helps stimulates creativity and imagination
• Their child can play better on their own at other times
• Can help child sleep better  

What is child led play?

This means letting your child lead the play.

The adult can state what they see but does not ask lots of questions.

Adult sits at the child’s level or on the floor with no other distractions (turn the phone and TV off!)

Adult focuses only on the child – one activity only.

Watch the clip below to find out more:  http://vimeo.com/6016065 (Copy and paste into your browser if the link does not work). 

How?

1. Choose a toy or special box of toys for your child to play with.
2. Plan a quiet time of the day when you or your child is not tired or hungry or you will be interrupted.
3. Turn off the TV, phones and computers.
4. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
5. Sit on the floor or at your child’s level.
6. Watch and listen – name if you want to ‘ you have picked up a red car and now a blue car’.