# Social\-emotional and pretend Canonical URL: https://www.kigomo.com/decks/social-emotional-pretend Last updated: 2026-10-12T19:22:47.197Z Play with you and with friends that builds connection, feelings words and the fun of taking turns\. Category: Playdates ## Cards in this deck ### [Lay two babies on one blanket](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/lay-two-babies-on-one-blanket) Invite another caregiver over and lay both babies on their backs on the same blanket, close enough to see each other\. Sit alongside with a drink and let the babies look, kick, and squeak while you talk\. - Age range: Under 6 months - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Playing alongside - Materials: Blanket - Safety note: Stay beside both babies the whole time and keep the blanket flat, with no pillows or loose covers\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/lay-two-babies-on-one-blanket/content.md) ### [Mirror your baby's expressions back](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/mirror-your-baby-s-expressions-back) When your baby is awake and alert, hold them 8 to 12 inches from your face and wait\. When they widen their eyes, open their mouth, or frown, make the same face back and name it softly, like \\"Big eyes\!\\" Let them lead, and stop when they look away\. - Age range: Under 6 months - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Bonding - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Do this while your baby is awake and you are with them\. If they lie down, use a flat surface on the floor, not a bed or sofa\. When they get sleepy, put them down on their back in their own crib or bassinet, on a firm, flat surface with nothing else in it\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/mirror-your-baby-s-expressions-back/content.md) ### [Sit face to face with a friend](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/sit-face-to-face-with-a-friend) Prop your baby and a baby friend on a blanket facing each other, close enough to reach\. Stay beside them and guide hands gently as they pat, stare, and babble at one another\. - Age range: 6 months–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Playing alongside - Materials: Blanket; Cushions - Safety note: Stay within arm's reach — babies grab hair and faces, and toppling happens fast\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/sit-face-to-face-with-a-friend/content.md) ### [Play side by side](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/play-side-by-side) Set out two matching sets of simple toys and let your child and a friend play near each other, each with their own little pile\. - Age range: 6 months–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Playing alongside - Materials: Two sets of simple toys [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/play-side-by-side/content.md) ### [Blow bubbles with a friend](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/blow-bubbles-with-a-friend) Give your child and a friend a shared pot of bubbles and take turns blowing while the others chase and pop them together\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: Bubble solution; Bubble wand - Safety note: Keep bubble solution out of reach and away from eyes\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/blow-bubbles-with-a-friend/content.md) ### [Copy me: clap, pat, wave](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/copy-me-clap-pat-wave) Sit facing your toddler and do one simple move: clap, pat your knees, or wave\. Wait to see if they copy, then do it again and try a new move\. Copy their moves too\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Imitation - Materials: No special materials listed. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/copy-me-clap-pat-wave/content.md) ### [Find the mirror in the book](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/find-the-mirror-in-the-book) Open a board book with a mirror page and ask \\"who's that?\\" when your toddler looks in\. Make a big smile or a surprised face beside them in the mirror, wait for them to copy it, then copy whatever face they make back\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Books - Type: Activity - Benefit: Self\-awareness - Materials: Board book with a mirror page - Safety note: Choose a book with a shatterproof mirror, never glass, and no loose parts\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/find-the-mirror-in-the-book/content.md) ### [Find the toy under the cloth](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/find-the-toy-under-the-cloth) Sit two children facing each other with a soft toy and a light scarf\. One child hides the toy under the scarf while the friend watches, then the friend lifts the scarf to find it\. Swap jobs so each child gets to hide and to find\. - Age range: 1–2 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: Scarf or cloth; Soft toy - Safety note: Use a light scarf, keep it away from faces, and stay close to both children\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/find-the-toy-under-the-cloth/content.md) ### [Greet a friend at the door](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/greet-a-friend-at-the-door) When a friend arrives, kneel beside your toddler at the door, wave, and say hello with the friend's name\. When it is time to go, walk them back to the door together and wave goodbye\. - Age range: 1–2 years - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Greeting friends - Materials: No special materials listed. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/greet-a-friend-at-the-door/content.md) ### [Hand a toy to a friend](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/hand-a-toy-to-a-friend) Sit two children close together on a blanket with a basket of soft toys\. Pick one up, say the friend's name, and help your toddler hold it out\. Wait for the friend to take it, then swap roles\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Sharing - Materials: Blanket; Basket; Soft toys - Safety note: Use soft toys with no loose parts and stay close to both children\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/hand-a-toy-to-a-friend/content.md) ### [Make faces in a mirror together](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/make-faces-in-a-mirror-together) Hold a hand mirror or sit in front of a low mirror with both children\. Stick out tongues, smile, puff cheeks and wait for the other child to copy\. - Age range: 1–2 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Imitation - Materials: Hand mirror or low mirror - Safety note: Use an unbreakable mirror and stay beside the children\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/make-faces-in-a-mirror-together/content.md) ### [Offer a choice of two](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/offer-a-choice-of-two) Hold up two things your toddler likes, such as a cup and a book, and name each one: \\"cup or book?\\" Wait for them to point, reach or try a word, then name what they chose and hand it over\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Learning - Type: Activity - Benefit: Making choices - Materials: Two familiar things - Safety note: Use objects bigger than a toilet\-paper tube\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/offer-a-choice-of-two/content.md) ### [Pick a book from a low shelf](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pick-a-book-from-a-low-shelf) Set a few board books on a low shelf or in a basket where your toddler can see the covers\. Let them pick one, carry it to you, and sit together to read\. Rotate the choices every few days\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Books - Type: Activity - Benefit: Making choices - Materials: Low shelf or basket; Board books - Safety note: Anchor any shelf to the wall so it cannot tip over, and choose sturdy board books\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pick-a-book-from-a-low-shelf/content.md) ### [Push toy strollers in a line](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/push-toy-strollers-in-a-line) Give each child a toy stroller or push toy and line them up in a hallway or open room\. Walk behind them, say go and stop, and let them follow each other up and down\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Playing alongside - Materials: Toy strollers or push toys; Dolls or teddies \(optional\) - Safety note: Clear the floor of obstacles and keep away from stairs\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/push-toy-strollers-in-a-line/content.md) ### [Roll a ball back](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/roll-a-ball-back) Sit on the floor facing a friend and gently roll a soft ball back and forth, cheering each catch and return\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: Soft ball [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/roll-a-ball-back/content.md) ### [Sail a box boat together](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/sail-a-box-boat-together) Set a large open cardboard box on a rug and sit two children inside it, one behind the other\. Pick a pretend place to sail to, like an island or Grandma's house, and have them row together with their arms while you slide the box slowly across the floor\. Call \\"land ahoy\!\\" when you arrive and let them climb out to explore\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Large sturdy cardboard box - Safety note: Check the box for staples and sharp edges, slide it slowly on a soft floor away from stairs, and stay beside it\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/sail-a-box-boat-together/content.md) ### [Sing a hello song with each name](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/sing-a-hello-song-with-each-name) Sit in a small circle and sing a simple hello tune, adding each child's name in turn with a wave\. Sing it again with a clap or a pat on the knee, so each child gets a turn\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Group play - Materials: No special materials listed. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/sing-a-hello-song-with-each-name/content.md) ### [Slow dance while holding them](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/slow-dance-while-holding-them) Put on a slow song and hold your toddler on your hip or against your chest\. Sway side to side, turn in a slow circle, and sing along or hum\. Stop and start the music to see if they ask for more\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Bonding - Materials: Music player - Safety note: Keep your footing steady, clear toys from the floor, and hold them on your hip with a firm grip\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/slow-dance-while-holding-them/content.md) ### [Splash in a shallow tub together](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/splash-in-a-shallow-tub-together) Set a shallow tub of water outside with two cups and a few big bath toys\. Sit two children on either side, show them how to fill a cup and pour it into their friend's cup, then swap who pours\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: Outside - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Sharing - Materials: Shallow tub; Water; Plastic cups; Big bath toys - Safety note: Never leave a child alone near water\. Keep the water only a couple of inches deep, use toys bigger than a toilet\-paper tube, and stay within arm's reach of both children\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/splash-in-a-shallow-tub-together/content.md) ### [Take turns riding in a wagon](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-riding-in-a-wagon) Sit one child in a wagon with a seat belt and pull them a short way along a flat path\. Stop and swap so the other child gets a turn, and wave to whoever is waiting\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: Outside - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: Wagon - Safety note: Use a wagon made for riding, with a seat belt or high sides, keep to flat ground at a walking pace, and never leave a child alone in it\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-riding-in-a-wagon/content.md) ### [Wave to family on a video call](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/wave-to-family-on-a-video-call) Set up a short video call with a relative and prop the phone at your toddler's eye level\. Let them wave, blow a kiss, or show a toy\. Keep it brief and end with a wave goodbye\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Bonding - Materials: Phone or tablet - Safety note: Prop the device on a stable surface out of reach of pulling hands, and stay beside your toddler\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/wave-to-family-on-a-video-call/content.md) ### [Drum on pots with a friend](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/drum-on-pots-with-a-friend) Set out two upturned pots and a wooden spoon each so your toddler and a friend can drum side by side\. Bang along with them for a while, then go quiet so they can hear their own beat\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Playing alongside - Materials: Two pots; Two wooden spoons - Safety note: Use pots from the cupboard, never ones sitting on a hot stove\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/drum-on-pots-with-a-friend/content.md) ### [Build one big leaf pile together](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/build-one-big-leaf-pile-together) Have each child carry armfuls or small buckets of fallen leaves to one spot\. Build a single pile as a team, then take turns sitting in it while the others sprinkle leaves over their boots\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: Outside - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Cooperation - Materials: Fallen leaves; Small buckets \(optional\) - Safety note: Check the leaves for sharp objects and animal mess, skip piles near a road, keep leaves away from mouths and faces, and wash hands afterward\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/build-one-big-leaf-pile-together/content.md) ### [Dance in a circle with a friend](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/dance-in-a-circle-with-a-friend) Gather two or three toddlers and their grown\-ups in a circle\. Hold hands or each hold a scarf, walk round in one direction while singing Ring Around the Rosie, and stop when you reach the end of the song\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Group play - Materials: Open floor space - Safety note: Clear the floor, keep the circle slow, and let any toddler step out whenever they want\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/dance-in-a-circle-with-a-friend/content.md) ### [Drive a cardboard box car](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/drive-a-cardboard-box-car) Cut the top off a large box and tape on paper plate wheels and a steering plate\. Sit your toddler inside, or beside it, and push it a few steps\. Drive to the kitchen and park\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Large cardboard box; Paper plates; Tape - Safety note: Tape rough edges flat and stay beside the box\. Do not push it near stairs\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/drive-a-cardboard-box-car/content.md) ### [Feed a teddy a pretend meal](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/feed-a-teddy-a-pretend-meal) Put a teddy or doll at the table with a toy bowl and spoon\. Show your toddler how to scoop and tip the pretend food to the teddy's mouth, then let them take over\. Wipe the teddy's face when done\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Teddy or doll; Toy bowl and spoon - Safety note: Use only toy dishes and pretend food, and keep play food and small pieces larger than a toilet\-paper tube\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/feed-a-teddy-a-pretend-meal/content.md) ### [Look at a photo of the friend who's coming](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/look-at-a-photo-of-the-friend-who-s-coming) Before a playdate, show your toddler a photo of the friend and say their name\. Talk about one thing you might do together, like the slide or the blocks, and look at the photo again when the doorbell rings\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Greeting friends - Materials: Photo of the friend [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/look-at-a-photo-of-the-friend-who-s-coming/content.md) ### [Read to a teddy](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/read-to-a-teddy) Sit a teddy or doll in a chair or on the sofa and hand your toddler a favorite book\. Help them show the pictures to the teddy and say a word or two about each one, or just turn the pages for it\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Books - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Teddy or doll; Favorite picture book [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/read-to-a-teddy/content.md) ### [Ride the hula hoop bus](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/ride-the-hula-hoop-bus) Stand two children inside a large hula hoop, each holding it with both hands at tummy height, with a grown\-up at the back as the driver\. Walk slowly around the room singing a bus song, and stop at a \\"bus stop\\" to let someone choose where to go next\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Cooperation - Materials: Large hula hoop - Safety note: Keep the hoop below the children's chests, walk slowly on a clear, flat floor away from stairs, and let go of the hoop straight away if a child trips\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/ride-the-hula-hoop-bus/content.md) ### [Roll cars back and forth with a friend](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/roll-cars-back-and-forth-with-a-friend) Sit two children facing each other on the floor with a chunky toy car each\. Roll yours to your friend, say go, and let them roll theirs back\. Try a ramp from a cushion to change the speed\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: Chunky toy cars; Cushion - Safety note: Use cars bigger than a toilet\-paper tube with no loose parts, and stay close to both children\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/roll-cars-back-and-forth-with-a-friend/content.md) ### [Say goodnight to the room](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/say-goodnight-to-the-room) Read a short goodnight book, then say goodnight to things in your room, like the lamp, the window, or the teddy\. Let your toddler wave or blow a kiss to each one as you go\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Books - Type: Activity - Benefit: Calming down - Materials: Goodnight book [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/say-goodnight-to-the-room/content.md) ### [Shake a big sheet together](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/shake-a-big-sheet-together) Grown\-ups and toddlers hold the edges of a light flat sheet\. Lift it high and bring it down slowly, then drop a soft ball in the middle and shake together to make it bounce\. Let the children take turns walking underneath, only while the grown\-ups hold all the edges up high\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Cooperation - Materials: Light flat sheet; Soft ball - Safety note: Use a light sheet, keep it from settling over a child's face, and clear the floor of toys\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/shake-a-big-sheet-together/content.md) ### [Take turns dancing in the middle](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-dancing-in-the-middle) Sit in a small circle and put on a bouncy song\. One child dances in the middle while everyone else claps, then the music pauses and the next child gets a turn\. Grown\-ups can dance in the middle too\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: Music - Safety note: Clear the floor of toys and hard edges, and let any child who does not want a turn simply clap\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-dancing-in-the-middle/content.md) ### [Take turns down a little slide](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-down-a-little-slide) At a playground toddler slide, line two children up at the steps\. Say \\"your turn\\" as one goes down, then cheer for the friend who goes next\. Wait together at the bottom until the slide is clear\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Have one grown\-up for each child\. Touch the slide first and skip it if it is hot, remove scarves and hood cords or drawstrings, use a low toddler slide, send one child at a time feet first, keep the bottom clear, and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-down-a-little-slide/content.md) ### [Try on hats in the mirror](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/try-on-hats-in-the-mirror) Set out two or three soft hats or scarves near a low mirror\. Put one on your toddler, say \\"hat\!\\" and let them look, pat, and take it off\. Swap hats and name each one\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Self\-awareness - Materials: Soft hats; Low mirror - Safety note: Use unbreakable mirrors fixed to the wall, and skip hats with strings, ties, or small decorations\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/try-on-hats-in-the-mirror/content.md) ### [Tuck a teddy into bed](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/tuck-a-teddy-into-bed) Bring a teddy, a small blanket, and a cushion for a bed\. Show your toddler how to lay the teddy down, pull the blanket up, and pat gently\. Say \\"night night\\" together and sing a short lullaby\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Teddy; Small blanket; Cushion - Safety note: Keep blankets for the teddy only, and clear them from your toddler's own sleep space afterward\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/tuck-a-teddy-into-bed/content.md) ### [Walk under the London Bridge arch](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/walk-under-the-london-bridge-arch) Two grown\-ups face each other and join hands high to make an arch\. Toddlers walk underneath one after another while everyone sings London Bridge, and on \\"my fair lady\\" the arch comes down gently around whoever is inside for a hug\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Group play - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Lower the arms slowly and gently, never onto a child's head or neck, and clear the floor first\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/walk-under-the-london-bridge-arch/content.md) ### [Wash baby dolls in a basin](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/wash-baby-dolls-in-a-basin) Fill a shallow basin with a little warm water and give each child a plastic doll and a washcloth\. Pretend to wash faces, tummies and toes, and say what each doll needs next\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Shallow basin; Plastic dolls; Washcloths; Towel - Safety note: Never leave a child alone near water\. Use only a couple of inches of lukewarm water and wipe up spills to prevent slips\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/wash-baby-dolls-in-a-basin/content.md) ### [Make a sock puppet](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/make-a-sock-puppet) Draw eyes and a mouth on a clean sock with a marker, put it on your hand, and give the puppet a voice\. Let your toddler wear it, and talk to it or make it sing, sleep or hop\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Clean sock; Washable marker - Safety note: Draw the face with a marker rather than gluing on buttons or stickers, and keep the sock away from the mouth\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/make-a-sock-puppet/content.md) ### [Pour pretend tea for a friend](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pour-pretend-tea-for-a-friend) Set out a toy tea set on a blanket\. Show your toddler how to pour into a friend's cup and pass it over, then wait while the friend takes a sip\. Swap places so each child gets to pour and drink\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Toy tea set; Blanket - Safety note: Use only toy dishes, with no water or drink, and keep small pieces larger than a toilet\-paper tube\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pour-pretend-tea-for-a-friend/content.md) ### [Squish playdough at one table](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/squish-playdough-at-one-table) Put a lump of playdough in front of each child on a shared table\. Poke, squeeze and roll it, and flatten a piece for each child to press a hand into\. Talk about what their friend is making\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Playing alongside - Materials: Playdough; Table - Safety note: Stay close because playdough is not for eating, and keep tools and cutters away from mouths\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/squish-playdough-at-one-table/content.md) ### [Open a pretend shop](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/open-a-pretend-shop) Set out a few toys or empty clean food boxes on a shelf as a shop\. Take turns as shopper and shopkeeper, saying hello, asking for an item, and handing over a pretend coin or paper\. Swap roles with your toddler and a friend\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Empty clean boxes; Toys; Paper for pretend money - Safety note: Use clean boxes with no sharp edges, and keep any pretend coins larger than a toilet\-paper tube\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/open-a-pretend-shop/content.md) ### [Pass a beanbag down the line](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pass-a-beanbag-down-the-line) Have two or three children sit in a row\. Pass a beanbag from one child to the next, saying each child's name, until it reaches the end, then pass it back\. Try a faster pass and a slow pass\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: Beanbag - Safety note: Use a soft beanbag with the seams sewn firmly shut, and keep play on the floor\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pass-a-beanbag-down-the-line/content.md) ### [Cheer up a sad teddy](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/cheer-up-a-sad-teddy) Lay a teddy on the couch and say that it looks sad\. Ask your child what it might need, then help them try it, such as a blanket, a pat, a song, or a quiet cuddle\. Say how the teddy looks now\. - Age range: 2–5 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Empathy - Materials: Teddy or soft toy [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/cheer-up-a-sad-teddy/content.md) ### [Name the feeling on a face](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/name-the-feeling-on-a-face) Look at faces in a picture book or make your own faces in the mirror\. Point to one and name it, like happy, sad, or mad, then ask your child to make the same face\. - Age range: 2–5 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Books - Type: Activity - Benefit: Naming feelings - Materials: Picture book with faces or a small mirror [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/name-the-feeling-on-a-face/content.md) ### [Share a snack picnic](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/share-a-snack-picnic) Spread a blanket on the floor and set out a simple snack for your child and a friend to enjoy together, passing pieces back and forth\. - Age range: 2–4 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Sharing - Materials: Blanket; Simple snacks - Safety note: Offer soft, bite\-sized snacks and stay seated together while eating\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/share-a-snack-picnic/content.md) ### [Wash toy dishes](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/wash-toy-dishes) Set out a small bin of water and let your child wash a few toy dishes with a cloth\. - Age range: 2–6 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Pretend play - Materials: Small bin; Toy dishes; Towel - Safety note: Use shallow lukewarm water and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/wash-toy-dishes/content.md) ### [Build a block city together](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/build-a-block-city-together) Tip out a big box of blocks and build a pretend city with a friend — roads, towers, and a garage for the toy cars\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 25 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Cooperation - Materials: Building blocks; Toy cars [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/build-a-block-city-together/content.md) ### [Finish the puzzle yourself](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/finish-the-puzzle-yourself) Pick a puzzle your child can nearly manage and sit nearby while they work on it\. They ask for help only if they are stuck, and then you point to one area instead of placing the piece\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Persistence - Materials: Jigsaw puzzle with a suitable number of pieces - Safety note: Check that puzzle pieces are not small enough to go in the mouth if younger siblings are nearby\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/finish-the-puzzle-yourself/content.md) ### [Paint at a shared easel](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/paint-at-a-shared-easel) Set up paper for two side by side and let your child and a friend paint their own pictures, sharing the same pots of color\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 30 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Sharing - Materials: Paper; Washable paint; Brushes; Smocks - Safety note: Use non\-toxic washable paint and cover clothes and the table\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/paint-at-a-shared-easel/content.md) ### [Play follow the leader](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/play-follow-the-leader) Take turns being the leader with a small group of children, marching, hopping, and stretching while everyone copies the moves\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Imitation - Materials: No special materials listed. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/play-follow-the-leader/content.md) ### [Say how you feel with a word or a face](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/say-how-you-feel-with-a-word-or-a-face) Pick a regular moment, like after daycare or before bed, and ask how your child feels today\. They can answer with a word, a face, or by pointing to a picture\. Share how you feel too, and accept whatever they pick\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Naming feelings - Materials: Optional: pictures of faces [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/say-how-you-feel-with-a-word-or-a-face/content.md) ### [Say sorry, then fix it](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/say-sorry-then-fix-it) After a squabble, once everyone has calmed down, help your child say sorry in their own words, without pushing if they are not ready yet\. Then ask what could make it better, like handing back the toy, rebuilding the tower, or offering a hug, and let the other person say yes or no\. A no is fine too\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Making amends - Materials: No special materials listed. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/say-sorry-then-fix-it/content.md) ### [Smell the flower, blow the candle](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/smell-the-flower-blow-the-candle) Sit together and breathe in slowly through the nose as if smelling a flower, then blow out slowly as if blowing out a birthday candle\. Hold up one finger as the candle so there is something to aim at\. Do three rounds when everyone is calm, so it feels familiar when a day gets bumpy\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Calming down - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Use a finger, a paper candle, or a pinwheel, never a real lit candle\. Keep the breaths gentle rather than big, have your child sit, and stop if they feel dizzy\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/smell-the-flower-blow-the-candle/content.md) ### [Take turns choosing the next game](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-choosing-the-next-game) Sit with one parent or sibling and take turns picking what to play next, such as a song, a ball roll, or a drawing game\. Say whose turn it is each time and play the pick before swapping\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Turn\-taking - Materials: Whatever games you already have [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-choosing-the-next-game/content.md) ### [Take turns stacking blocks](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-stacking-blocks) Take turns with a friend adding one block at a time to a shared tower, seeing how tall you can build it together before it topples\. - Age range: 3–5 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: A friend's home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Cooperation - Materials: Building blocks [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/take-turns-stacking-blocks/content.md) ### [Hunt for hidden toys](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/hunt-for-hidden-toys) Hide a handful of small toys around the room, then send your child and a friend to find them all as a team and count them up together\. - Age range: 4–6 years - Duration: 25 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Cooperation - Materials: A few small toys [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/hunt-for-hidden-toys/content.md)