🧸 Play & Pretend
Camping Trip
Build a pretend camp and describe everything you packed.
12 min🔵 Expanding Language
Goal
Practice listing, describing and planning language.
🎨 Maya is here today
Maya is drawing along with you, tell her what colors you'd use.
💡 Why this matters
Pretending lets children rehearse real life safely, try new words out loud, and speak as somebody braver than they feel.
How to play
- 1Build a blanket tent.
- 2Pack a bag out loud, naming each item and why.
- 3Tell one campfire story.
Example conversation
Child: I packed a flashlight because it's dark.
You: Great thinking — I packed marshmallows.
Extra questions
- What did we forget?
- What sounds do we hear?
- What's for breakfast?
Skills practiced
- ✔ Pretend play
- ✔ Vocabulary
- ✔ Turn-taking
Materials needed
Blankets, chairs, a flashlight (optional).
❤️ Parent tip
Let your child lead, even when the story makes no sense.
Try it during
- 🧸 With stuffed animals
- 🧱 With blocks
- 🍳 With kitchen toys
- 📦 With cardboard boxes
- 👗 Dress-up clothes
- 🌳 Outside in the yard
Same activity, many moments — pick whichever fits your day.