Game-changing summer play

Play for a purpose

Incorporating make-believe play into children’s summer routines supports self-regulation and gives early learners opportunities to practice important skills, like social problem-solving.

When children engage in play with siblings, friends, or neighbors, each child brings something different to the play, and each gets something important out of it. Through play, children learn to navigate novel situations and interact with each other in new ways, trying out solutions to problems both familiar and uncharted.

Parents and caregivers can also join in the play, especially on days when ready play partners are hard to come by.

Planning for play at home

A little bit of planning can transform make-believe play into a powerful medium for fun and learning. Wondering how to bring play to life at home? Start with the premise for pretend. Brainstorm together what the play will be about. Encourage children to take the lead by using their imaginations to build on what they know. If they seem stuck, remind them of some favorite or wish-list activities to create and explore together.

Below, see what it can look like planning for pretend play set in a movie theatre.

📖 Learn more

Find one or two books or articles at home, online, or at the library about your chosen topic. This is a great way for children to build vocabulary in context. For our movie theater theme, read about someone going to the movies, working at a theater, or acting in a movie. Ask children what they wonder or have questions about, and look for answers together. This 'research' will support them in developing ideas to explore during play.

🎬 Set the stage

A few key props and some imagination are all children need for meaningful make-believe play at home. Bring out the stuffed animals, and there’s an audience. Use cereal boxes as posters advertising upcoming features. Children can create paper movie tickets, money, or name tags for theater workers. Find a hat; that’s a costume! Raid the kitchen (or play kitchen) and pop up a concession stand.

🎭 Plan the scene

Talk with children about what will happen in the movie theater during pretend play. Who will each player be? What will they say and do? What will happen while they are there? Will the concession stand run out of popcorn? Will someone in the audience need to leave to use the bathroom? What if someone is talking loudly during the movie?

Asking children to plan ahead for play supports planning skills and self-regulation. Talking about their plans aloud helps children remember them as they play.

▶️ Press ‘play’

Grab those props and costumes, and start playing! If children get stuck or distracted, point out something in the scene (could be a ‘character’ or prop) that can guide their attention back to their plan.

Unlock some adventure this summer with regulation-building play at home. For more inspiration, see how one Tools teacher gears up for play in her classroom.