As Immy has been transitioning from nap time to quiet time I have been mentally collecting ideas for activities that she can play with quietly and independently. How long a child will play independently with any of the ideas listed below will be influenced by their age, development, interest in the activity and how used to the idea they are of having ‘quiet time’ or playing independently.
Quiet Play Activities for 2+
1. Teddy Bears Picnic – pop down a picnic rug, toy tea set and your child’s favourite soft toy friends
3. Threading – try pipe cleaners and large holes for 2s and fishing line or thin wire and smaller holes for 3+
4. Puzzles – those which provide an appropriate level of challenge are great for any age.
5. Stickers and a sticker book.
6. Collage – add lightweight collage materials, a piece of thin card and a glue stick for minimal mess.
7. Playdough – vary your usual ‘tools’ to extend extend interest in the activity. Try sticks and other natural materials, cupcake wrappers and popsticks, rubber stamps and rolling pins, items with interesting texture, or add your child’s favourite figurines.
8. Books
Quiet Play Activities for 3+
9. Felt or flannel board stories
11. Simple sewing activities – you’ll find suggestions here, here, here, and here.
12. Modelling – with air dry clay (it is often available in a less messy porcelain white) or plasticene. Add any of the tools described in ‘Playdough’ above.
13. Watercolour painting – once a child has practiced the process of using watercolours it can become a very independent, low mess creative option for quiet play.
14. Block construction – in the brand new Play Grow Learn downloadable e-zine you will find a great article with lots of suggestions for extending block play.
15. Figurines – add your child’s favourite figurines or small vehicles to a play scene.
What are your favourite quiet play time activities?
This post is part of a wonderful celebration for Deborah of Teach Preschool. Deborah does a magnificent job of sharing the play ideas of early childhood educators from all over the world and has recently reached 20,000 followers on Facebook! You can read more about the ABC’s of Teaching Preschool celebration and find a collection (the whole alphabet!) of wonderful posts by bloggers from around the world here.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
I like those quiet books I have seen people make – one day (in my spare time) I am going to make one of those. This is such an important part of teaching preschoolers – thanks for sharing it on our ABC’s!
Thank you for including us, Deborah, and congratulations again
I like to save most of our quiet activities to wind down our day – you have a great selection here!
We did the same when I was working in long day care, Leeanne.
Great ideas here!
Our 2 year old loves quiet matching games. I found some large buttons and large pom poms in various bright colours. I cut strips of cardstock in the same colours then she matches then up….there is a link to a photo of her doing it a couple of months back here: http://homeschoolingmamalusi.blogspot.com/2011/02/two-words.html
When she tires of this one, I get her some various size bowls, then give her some small tongs or serving spoons and get her to match them up using these implements. Sometimes she just likes transferring them from the box they are stored in the the various sized bowls. A fun quiet activity!
Lusi x
Thank you for the suggestions, Lusi.
Hello, this isn’t on point but I wanted to ask what your views were about having ipads, loaded with educational games, set out on a play table in kindergartens? They are being discussed (heatedly) by our committee and I wanted to get your view. Thanks!
I am no expert but have been looking into this on my blog. If you look at the following quote as a starting point for expert opinions http://pretendandmove.blogspot.com/2011/07/thoughtful-thursdays-power-of-play.html
and under my “Power of Playing” you may get some direction about where to look
Good luck
Kaarina – personally I struggle with this idea. I disagree with the argument that children who do not have access to this technology from a young age will be left behind. I can see the place of an iPad as a tool for a teacher to work with a small group of children to access and share online information related to a topic of interest that they are learning about but not as a ‘play’ toy. Let children be children for as long as possible, and encourage them to be physically and socially active in play and learning, these would be my preferences to using iPads.
These all look like great ideas! I’m going to have to come back to this post when Baby gets closer to 2. He’s 14 months now.
All very interesting activities. I will have to bookmark this post (maybe not ….thnaks to Deborah) to revisit. Love the sewing baskets. I have not tried stickers yet….maybe I shoudl give them a try.
My own son would play for hours with plastic animals and in the sandpit!
I love this because my children have been on nap strike and I think its important to have some quiet time in the day. Will have to try theses with my kiddos
I agree, Ameera, that is what has been happening here too.
Question… how do you get all 25 preschoolers to engage in quite time simultaneously? It’s okay, I know the answer, I am just dreaming. I like to have a small table set up just for ‘one’ everyday in my classroom. Children sometimes need moments to ‘check out’ and engage in quiet solitary play during the day. The preschool classroom can be a hectic place at times!
I completely agree, Karen.
Quiet play/time is often forgotten with the focus on so many other things to do in a day. It’s easy to forget that sometimes children just want to be, not be busy.
Thank you
I think it is important to include quiet play spaces in both indoor and outdoor play environments, Greg, for just those times
My three year old has suddenly given up his nap too. I really wasn’t ready for it yet and it kind of caught me off guard. Thanks for this great list, now I don’t have to use my brain when it’s tired at “nap” time.
Any suggestions for a quiet center for a pre-k classroom when you are trying to avoid using cloth? We’ve had a problem with lice and i’m trying to avoid re-infestation! We had a really cute set up with a tent, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, puppetts, books, and more… But we’re afraid to put them back out since we’ve had to take them out every couple of weeks all year long. Any ideas?
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