Child-led play is play in which the adult follows the child's interests and ideas rather than directing the activity. The child chooses what to do and the adult joins in, describes and supports without taking over.
Key takeaways
- It builds confidence, creativity and problem-solving.
- Describing what your child is doing boosts language.
- A few minutes of focused, child-led play each day is enough.
What you can do
- Get down to your child's level and watch before joining in.
- Copy their actions and talk about what they are doing.
- Resist correcting or turning the play into a lesson.
