1. T HE I MPORTANCE OF P LAY TL 5.02 Plan age appropriate activities for children

2. PLAYING SPURS ON DEVELOPMENT AREAS Physical Intellectual Emotional Social Moral

3. A CTIVE VS. Q UIET P LAY Active play uses large motor skills and releases energy Quiet play uses the mind and small motor skills

4. S ENSORY T OYS Objects with different textures, shapes, sounds, and colors that stimulate the senses

5. S HOULD C AREGIVERS F ORCE AN I NFANT TO P LAY ? No…the infant (newborn to one year) may be hungry, tired, or interested in something else, and forcing them can upset them

6. T ODDLERS L EARNING C ONCEPTS Larger/smaller Full/empty Toddlers learn these by playing with nesting toys and containers

7. P LAYING WITH WATER, SAND, MODELING CLAY, DOUGH, AND FINGER PAINTS These activities spur creativity and help develop small-motor skills

8. T ODDLERS S HORT A TTENTION S PAN Toddlers (ages 1-3) need to change activities often in order to keep playtime fun and stimulating

9. T ODDLERS R EFUSING TO S HARE Caregivers should react by gently correcting the toddler’s behavior

10. P RESCHOOLERS L EARN TO P RETEND Preschoolers (ages 3-5) create imaginary playmates, dress-up, and pretend to be fictional characters or people

11. D ISTRACTING C HILDREN Distraction is a useful tool as it leads kids away from undesirable behavior and keeps them busy with an interesting activity

12. C OMPETITIVE P LAY Caregivers can emphasize the pleasure of play, explaining that the outcome is based on luck, and being a good sport when you lose

13. B ENEFITS OF R EADING Encourages talking, listening, and vocabulary- building Develops imagination and learning abilities Fulfills emotional and social needs

14. T IPS FOR R EADING WITH YOUNG C HILDREN Choose age-appropriate books Be patient if a child wants the same story read over and over Let children look at the pictures in the book you are reading Talk about the story, act it out, or refer to it later

15. T ELEVISION CAN BE H ARMFUL TV demands little participation or interaction, and it may have inappropriate content

16. M ANAGING TV W ATCHING Caregivers should: Watch tv with the child Limit watching Turn off unsuitable shows Turn the television off if the child is not interested Model good habits by watching in moderation