Play is good for everyone!
It helps young brains grow and supports children to learn about themselves, their families and communities, and the broader world.
Get involved!
When adults support — and join in —children’s play, they can make a big difference in brain development. You can:
- Create fun spaces
- Expand on children’s ideas
- Ask questions
- Provide new materials that allow children to be creative
By taking these simple steps, you can turn everyday play into powerful learning opportunities.
All children learn through play
When you guide and support that play, it has positive impacts on children’s focus, self-regulation, social skills, and lifelong well-being.
In fact, when they play, they’re actually building and strengthening the connections in their brains.
Understanding how different types of play help children grow and learn can help you be intentional as you guide, and play, with children.
Explore the Let’s Play Materials
Our materials bring to life the importance of play on brain development. They also provide ideas for ways to bring play into your classroom. Share with staff and families!
Check out the Let’s Play materials
Get resources to plan play
Access tools, research, and ideas for activities to help create meaningful play experiences for children. Explore our resources.
We grouped the handouts and activities by age, but we also know that children develop at their own pace — and that’s okay. Play should meet your child where they are developmentally, not just chronologically these resources provide some examples:
Birth to Three: Resources for children under 3
2-1-1 Child Development Infoline: Free help connecting to services
Sparkler App: Helps track development and gives play ideas at your child’s current level