What to Look for in Your Child’s Play

Hopebridge Offers Simple Activities to Support Development

Play can look simple on the surface, but it gives us powerful insight into how a child is learning and growing.

By observing how your child plays, you can better understand their strengths, emerging skills, and areas where they may need more support.

Here are a few key things to look for during play:

Communication

Is your child using sounds, words, gestures, or facial expressions to communicate? Do they try to share experiences with you or respond when you interact with them?

What to try at home:

• Narrate play such as “You’re building a tower”
• Encourage simple phrases like “my turn” or “help please”
• Ask open-ended questions and give time to respond

Social Interaction

Does your child engage with others during play? This could be as simple as playing alongside another child, taking turns, or making eye contact.

What to try at home:

• Practice taking turns with multiplayer games
• Play simple back-and-forth activities like rolling a ball
• Model sharing and cooperative play

Fine Motor Skills

How does your child use their hands? Are they grasping, pinching, stacking, or manipulating small objects?

What to try at home:

• Sensory bins with rice, sand, or beans
• Stringing beads or pasta to make jewelry or keychains
• Drawing, coloring, or using stickers

Gross Motor Skills

Does your child enjoy climbing, jumping, balancing, or moving through space?

What to try at home:

• Create a simple obstacle course
• Practice jumping, crawling, and balancing
• Use everyday items like pillows or tape on the floor

Attention and Problem-Solving

Can your child stay engaged in an activity? Do they try new ways to solve challenges?

What to try at home:

• Puzzles or building activities
• Open-ended toys like blocks
• Encourage persistence by saying “Let’s try another way”

Remember, every child develops at their own pace. Play is not about perfection. It is about progress, exploration, and building skills over time.

If you are ever unsure about your child’s development, play can be a great starting point for understanding what they are ready for next.

Curious about what your child’s play might be telling you?

Join us at an upcoming Play Lab, where you can watch your child engage in purposeful play while therapists provide quick, personalized insights. It is a fun, low-pressure way to learn more about your child’s development and get practical ideas to use at home.

Find a Play Lab near you and sign up today.

Find Play Labs

*Informed consent was obtained from the participants in this article. This information should not be captured and reused without express permission from Hopebridge, LLC. Testimonials are solicited as part of an open casting call process for testimonials from former client caregivers. Hopebridge does not permit clinical employees to solicit or use testimonials about therapeutic services received from current clients (Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts 5.07-5.08; BACB, 2020). Hopebridge does not provide any incentives, compensation, or renumeration for testimonials provided by a former client or client caregiver.