For practitioners | Playsaurus

Child's age In months

Giving an age also orders results by how squarely each one fits, rather than by whether the range merely overlaps.

What it is good for Talking and listening Receptive and expressive language Taking turns Social reciprocity, joint attention Being close Attachment, co-regulation, serve and return Moving about Gross motor, balance, coordination Hands and fingers Fine motor, dexterity, grip Pretending Symbolic and imaginative play Figuring things out Cause and effect, problem solving Counting and sorting Early number, pattern, classification Songs and rhythm Music, phonological awareness Books and stories Early literacy, print awareness, narrative Calming down Self-regulation, sensory soothing

What you need Nothing at all Things you definitely have Things you might have Something you would need to get

How long it takes A minute or two Five or ten minutes Twenty minutes or more As long as you like

What the adult has to give You can be half asleep You can be doing something else You need to sit with them You need to be properly in it

Energy Calm Ordinary Lively

Noise Quiet Ordinary Loud

Works well in Works in a small flat Works in the car or on the bus Works while waiting somewhere Works on the changing mat Works at bedtime or in the dark Works while you are cooking Works in the buggy Works at the park Works in a shop Works on the floor together Works in bed

How many children One child with you Two or more of similar age Mixed ages together A group of children

Who it works for Works without any talking Works without eye contact Works sitting or lying down Works without needing to see it Works without sound Quiet and predictable, no surprises You can do it one-handed You do not have to get on the floor

Setting up You can start right now A few minutes of setting up Worth doing in advance

Mess No mess A bit of mess Plan for the mess

Words No words needed Works in any language Depends on English rhyme or wordplay

Has to happen in Has to be outdoors Happens in the bath Needs a table Needs room to run Needs a kitchen

Other Fits inside something already happening They carry on alone once started

4 entries

A basket of real things
Fill a basket with ordinary household objects and let them investigate, with you alongside rather than directing.

6-20 months Things you definitely have Five or ten minutes Talking and listening Hands and fingers Figuring things out

51 Print
Household objects to handle
A step on from the basket: bangles, rings, tins and tubes that stack, post, nest and rattle.

9 months to 2.5 years Things you definitely have Twenty minutes or more Hands and fingers Figuring things out

54 Print
What's the time, Mr Wolf?
One person is the wolf with their back turned. Everyone else creeps closer by asking the time, until the wolf says dinner time and chases.

3.5 to 7 years Nothing at all Five or ten minutes Taking turns Moving about Counting and sorting

101 Print
Duck, duck, goose
Everyone sits in a circle. One walks round tapping heads saying duck, until they say goose, and then there is a chase.

3.5 to 7 years Nothing at all Five or ten minutes Taking turns Moving about

108 Print