Preschooler Playtime with a Stuffed Animal
Giving your child time on their own is important for both of you. Your child might want to play with or talk to their stuffed animal—and not you. That’s okay! Watch, wait, and listen. Be ready when it is your turn to play again.
- Audience
- Caregiver
- Subject
- Open-Ended Play
- Age
- Pre-KPreschool
- Languages
- EnglishHaitian CreoleSpanish
Play is a natural way to support the parent-child bond. Try engaging your preschooler in playtime with stuffed animals!
Get ready
Clear some space on the floor and sit down with a stuffed animal. Make the animal hop over to your child and say, “Let’s play!”
Try this!
Story time
Invite your child to read a book to you and a stuffed animal. Encourage them to turn the pages and tell parts of the story. Say, “Bear wants to know what will happen next!” Your child may not be reading the words yet, but they can tell the story by looking at the pictures.
Play school
Encourage your child to play “school.” They may want to be the teacher. And you and the stuffed animal can be the children. “Bear and I are hungry. Is it time for snack?” Help your child guide you through the day.
Dance party!
Sing a song or play music on your phone. Dance with your child and a stuffed animal. Pick a slower song and change your dance moves to match. Then pick a faster song. What dance moves are good for fast songs?
Sometimes your child might be rough with a stuffed animal. That’s okay. As they get older, help them think about why they are playing that way. “I see that you are not treating Bear very nicely right now. Are you feeling upset?”
While you play...
Watch carefully. Is the stuffed animal excited or worried about school? Is it scared to go to bed by itself? Your child’s play can tell you a lot about what they might be thinking and feeling.
Practice together. A stuffed animal can be a great friend to your child. If you see your child is feeling upset, give their stuffed animal a hug. “That hug made me feel better. Thank you, Bear!” Hand the stuffed animal to your child—they might want to hug it too.
Say, “Yay!” Notice when your child says or does something nice for their stuffed animal. “You told your stuffed animal, ‘I love you.’ That’s a kind thing to say!”
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