By the way, What is an invitation to play?
An invitation to play is an open ended play set up that allows your child to use their imagination in new ways. It is used to expand your child's interests without much adult interference.
An invitation to play includes loose parts that your child can use to count, measure, sort, etc. The loose parts you choose depends on the theme you are portraying. For instance, if you are using a beach theme, you can use sand, large and small shells, dyed rice (ocean) and a variety of scoopers for exploration.
Most invitations to play utilize a tray of some sort. You do not have to buy a special tray. If you do not have a tray you can use a shallow, plastic bin, cookie sheet, cake pan or even aluminum pan. I've even seen kiddie pools as large trays.
Children learn best through hands-on learning experiences. We foster independence and curiosity when we allow our children to play.
I set up my invitation to play. Now what? Allow your child to explore the set up. I encourage you to have no expectations. Your child may be hesitant the first couple of times. Just be patient. Your child's natural curiosity will kick in.
My child does not seem interested. What do I do? You spend minutes to hours of researching sensory ideas to set up at home. Then your kiddo either spends 2 minutes playing with it or they totally ignore it. I have been there. I am sure you have too.
Keep in mind that every child is different. Some children may take a few set ups of the same activity to be interested. Just because a child did not like it one day does not mean the child will not like it next week. You've been patient, You allowed your child time to explore. Your child just isn't interested.
Consider the time of day: Was your child sleepy? Was your child hungry? Were there any distractions such as a tv on or device nearby?
Consider your child's interest: Pick an activity that your child enjoys and change it slightly. For instance, my oldest loves volcanic eruptions. Every season, I find a new theme so he can witness the explosion. (These are the activities that involve baking soda and vinegar.)
Some children, like my son, need to feel included in the set up. Ask your child what colors you should choose or incorporate their favorite characters. I also use a trick that I actually start playing with the set up first and it makes the set up more interesting to my son. Use the element of surprise by setting up the activity during nap time is also a winner since children love seeing new things.
Invitation to play set ups for young children babies-3 years old should be simple. Simple but open ended set ups allow for your child to explore their imagination and experiment with new things. Do not overcomplicate things by having a ton of objects to play with, 3-5 parts are a good starting point for young children. Your invitation to play does not have to be 'gram worthy- just interesting enough to pique your child's curiosity.
Need some inspiration? Check out Beelieve Academy's Instagram for easy set up ideas. Read this new post on 50-2 min set ups for fast and simple invitation to play set ups for your toddler- pre k child.
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