TO BEGIN

  • Find 20 minutes of undivided attention (no cell phone, housework, TV, etc.) to spend with your child in CHILD LED PLAY.

  • It should build from 2 out of 7 days to 5 out of 7 days.

  • Time the 20 minutes, and never go over. This time cannot be taken away as a form of punishment or consequence.

FOLLOW YOUR CHILD’S LEAD

How does one do that?

  • Describe what your child is doing, as if you were a sportscaster.

    • Oh, you have a block in your hand. You are putting the block in the box.

  • Praise what your child is doing but avoid vague statements, such as Good Job or Great.

    • Look how well you put the toy back and found another.

    • Thank you for using your indoor voice.

  • Imitate your child’s play.

    • If he/she picks up a toy and makes a sound pick up a similar toy and make similar sound. Repeat

  • Reflect back what your little one says or tells you

    • Baby giggles and puts a hat on her head, and mommy states, “Silly hats on our heads.”

    • Little one says, “The daddy has a belly button.” Mommy says, “Yes daddy has a belly button in his tummy.”

Please do not:

  • Ask questions

  • Give commands

  • Criticize (i.e. That’s wrong vs. It goes like this)

Why can’t parents ask questions, give commands or criticize?

A question is often times a hidden command. For the purposes of child led play a command or a question could suggest to your little one that you disapprove or are not listening to them. Criticism can lower a child’s self esteem and tamper with his free expression while engaged in child led play.

Why does a parent try this?

Child led play gives undivided attention to children, which they crave and cherish. Child led play allows the child to experience that parents can listen and understand what they are experiencing. It will calm their need for “attention” at other moments of the day because they will know that at some point in their daily routine a parent will be with them without any interruption.

bENEFITS OF Child led play:

  • increases self-esteem

  • increases speech/language development

  • increases positive behavior

  • builds relationship between parent & child

  • models and holds child’s attention to the task, decreasing deficits in attention span