Make a home-made treasure basket Fill a shoebox with items such as a fir cone, leather purse, bunch of keys, paintbrush or beanbag. Babies and toddlers will love the different textures, shapes and sounds.
Being sociable Let your child gain confidence through socialising with other children at local playgroups or one o’clock clubs. Ask at your local library or visit
www.netmums.com
Play games Games like Peekaboo, Round and Round the Garden and This Little Piggy will raise a chuckle with preschoolers.
Make music “I like it when we do music. We sing songs and I play my drum and my bells. My favourite song is Wheels on the Bus.”
Emily, 3
Being independent “The staff at my daughter’s nursery taught her how to put her coat on herself. I couldn’t believe how happy this little bit of independence made her.”
Katharine, mum of Molly, 3, and Florence, 1
Nice and icey Take small plastic toy animals and freeze them in ice cubes. Put them in a washing-up bowl for your child to play with, and watch her delight as the ice melts and the animals appear.
Encourage responsibility “Helping round the house makes my daughter feel special and grown-up. She’s pretty good at sorting the socks into pairs, though her dad did once end up on a business trip with one size 44 black sock and one size six pink one!”
Jane, mum of Ellie, 2, and Nick, ten months
Let him decide Let your child make some simple choices for himself – for example, whether he wears the red or the blue trousers today.
Let's pretend "Young children love to play. As well as having fun, it's how they learn about the world around them. A favourite game for preschoolers in my class is role play. They love to act out Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We make an area of the room into the cottage and set it up with three different-sized bowls, chairs and beds made out of cushions. Pretend play like this is very important to their development."
Ola Fasanya, teacher and mum of two
Cookery classes “My kids love cooking – cheese scones are their favourite. In the summer, we do it outside as we all get covered in flour. Best of all, we get to eat the results.”
Cathy, mum of Alice, 3, and Ben, 1
Praise where it’s due Praise your child lots, for efforts as well as for achievements. Describe what he’s done well, however small, so he knows what to repeat.
Make your child feel wanted Let your child know that you love him for the special person he is, not what he does.
Animal magic “My children love animals, so at least once a week we go to the local city farm. Michael helps feed and look after the animals and Thomas loves watching them. The kids can get as dirty as they like, and best of all it’s free. I think they’d move in there if they could!”
Annabelle, mum of Michael, 3, and Thomas, 1
Making models Home-made salt dough is cheap to make and always a hit with little ones — try making model monsters with raisins for eyes and spaghetti for hair. Find out how to make salt dough here.
Learning through mistakes “Let her know that everyone makes mistakes, but that she has the power to put them right. Acknowledge and discuss her feelings about things, so she can think of ways of dealing with them herself,” says Gaynor Sbuttoni, educational psychologist and mum of three.
Make a puppet show Paint faces onto wooden spoons using felt-tip pens, and make dresses and capes from scraps of material. Cut a hole in the base of a large cardboard box and you’ve got a puppet theatre. Or if you're feeling really adventurous, try making a really professional-looking
puppet theatre!
Make a splash For young children, puddle-jumping is about the most fun you can have for the price of a cheap pair of welly boots.
Have a party Hosting a cuddly toys’ tea party is a fun, easy way to help your child improve his table manners.
Create some jewels Make some jewellery for you and your tot by threading dried pasta tubes onto a piece of string.
Live and learn Encourage your children to learn new skills. He will feel proud when he senses that you have confidence in his ability to meet new challenges.
