Personal Social Development Activities
As
two-year-olds, children should begin to play more socially with their friends and family. You should see more pretend play which is important for their development. Pretend play builds language, thinking, and social skills when children get creative and develop their own ideas and stories.
The activities listed below are great ways to help support your child's personal and social development.
Boxes
Children can find endless uses for boxes. A box big enough for your child to fit in can become a car. An appliance box with holes cut for windows and a door can become your child’s playhouse. Decorating the boxes with crayons, markers, or paints can be a fun activity to do together.
Make A Tent
Put an old blanket over a table to make a tent or house. Pack a “picnic” sack for your camper. Have your child take along a pillow on the “camp out” for a nap. Flashlights are especially fun.
Tidying
‘Tidy up time’ can be good fun for your child. Try and pick a time when they are not concentrating on a toy or game or let your child know it will soon be time to tidy away. Setting an alarm on your phone or using an egg timer can help make the move from playtime to tidy time easier.
Pretend Play
Children at this age love to pretend and really enjoy it when you can pretend with them. Pretend you are different animals, like a dog or cat. Make animal sounds and actions. Let your child be the pet owner who pets and feeds you.
Finger Painting
Try a new twist to finger painting. Use whipping cream on a washable surface. Help your child spread it about and draw pictures with your fingers. Add food colouring to give it some colour.
Choices
Your child will begin to be able to make choices. Help him choose between two pairs of socks or two pairs of trousers. Give choices at other times like snack or mealtime (two kinds of drink, crackers, etc…)
Firstly remember that each child will develop at their own pace.
If your child attends nursery or a registered childminder, talk to them about your worries – they will be able to work with you to build your child’s skills and advise on any next steps needed.
If you are worried you can contact our Just One Number team on the details below to talk through your concerns.
Who Can Help?
You can contact the Healthy Child Programme by calling Just One Number on 0300 300 0123 or texting Parentline on 07520 631590. Our opening hours are 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays) and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.
If you still have concerns about your child's communication, a member of our 0-19 team is able to complete an assessment of your child and refer to other services as needed, including speech and language therapy or hearing assessment.
