Early years
Play and learn at home: six family games
Try six short, no-cost activities with things many families already have at home. Count stairs, spot shapes, listen for first sounds, pair socks, share a story or help stir and count in the kitchen, then draw a favourite activity together.
Choose one small game to try together. The pictures help families turn everyday objects into talk and play.
Read the complete materialRead the material
Try six short, no-cost activities with things many families already have at home. Count stairs, spot shapes, listen for first sounds, pair socks, share a story or help stir and count in the kitchen, then draw a favourite activity together.
Complete resource. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
Page 1
stairs 1 Count the stairs Count the stairs as you go up. Count them again on the way down. shapes 2 Shape hunt Find circles, squares and triangles around your home. How many can you spot? sounds 3 I spy with first sounds Play I spy with the first sound of a thing, such as âsssâ. Take turns to guess. socks 4 Sort the socks Sort the socks into pairs. Which two match? story 5 Share a story Read or tell a story together. Stop and ask, âWhat do you think happens next?â kitchen 6 Help in the kitchen With a grown-up, pour, stir and count the spoons. Pick one. Five minutes is plenty. Talk, laugh, and have fun together. Nothing to buy: everything is already at home. Turn over to remember what you did. Family home-learning prompts ¡ Play Studio Page 1 of 2 FAMILIES AGES 3 TO 6 HOME LEARNING Play and learn at home Six small games for families to try together.
Page 2
NAME DATE draw colour a star GROWN-UP READS Draw what you did at home. Then colour a star for each game you tried. all done stairs shapes sounds socks story kitchen Something my child said GROWN-UP, OPTIONAL Family home-learning prompts ¡ Play Studio Page 2 of 2 HOME LEARNING AGES 3 TO 6 MY PAGE What we did Draw it. Colour a star. Tell us about it. draw
A teaching sequence
Build shared talk, noticing, early counting and turn-taking through a short everyday activity.
Choose one small game to try together. The pictures help families turn everyday objects into talk and play.
Read the complete materialChoose a counting or shape game
Count stairs going up and down, then look for circles, squares and triangles at home. Count safely with an adult and take turns naming shapes and places.
Which small activity fits your home and feels safe to try together?
Try a sound or sock game
Play âI spyâ with an objectâs first sound, then sort socks into pairs and describe a missing matchâs colour or pattern.
What first sound or matching colour and pattern can the child describe?
Share a story and listen
Share or tell a story. Pause to ask what might happen next, then listen to the childâs idea.
What does the child think might happen next?
Remember a game you tried
Draw an activity the child chose to try and colour its star on the second page. The adult may record something the child said; kitchen pouring or stirring is another optional adult-led choice.
What would the child like to draw or say about the chosen activity?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Notice whether the child joins in, takes a turn, counts or describes something they notice. Ask an open question such as âHow did you know those socks match?â Keep the exchange playful; a child can point, gesture or answer in the familyâs language.
Give a little support
Choose one activity rather than trying to complete the set. Let a child watch first, point, gesture or use their home language. Use objects that are safe and familiar. An adult should stay with the child around stairs, kitchen tools and food, and adapt the activity for mobility, sensory or communication needs.
Take the idea further
Invite the child to invent a new shape hunt or make up another ending for the story. Compare the two stair counts or sort socks by a different feature, such as pattern or size, and describe the rule together.
Things to keep in mind
These are optional play ideas, not a test or a measure of development. Families have different homes, routines, languages and access to materials; adapt or skip any activity that does not fit. Sound games may work differently across languages.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAIâ˘, then review what you create.
Ideas for using this resource
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet the creators whose teaching interests connect with this template. Find an approach to try with your class.
Tomasz Wieczorek
I support Polish-language family communication through short, natural explanations, checking translated wording with a fluent speaker and someone who knows the family so meaning and tone remain clear.
Meet the creator
Rosalind Bowyer
I observe before intervening in play, giving children time to develop an idea, then use the details to prepare a meaningful transition summary for their next teacher.
Meet the creator
Orla Timmins
I value transition practices that make room for questions, protect childrenâs privacy and give the next teacher a useful understanding of the learner.
Meet the creator
Chloe Beaven
I lead outdoor play with natural and sensory materials, watching what holds childrenâs attention and recording details that help the nursery team decide what to offer next.
Meet the creator
Calm Table
Families can try six five-minute activities: count stairs, hunt for shapes, play first-sound I Spy, pair socks, share a story or help in the kitchen with a grown-up. Families can draw what they tried on page 2.
Thoughtful Pause
For ages 3 to 6, the prompts build talk, noticing, early number and turn-taking into ordinary routines, with ânothing to buyâ stated directly. Each activity names a small action rather than asking families to prepare a lesson.
Paperclip Perspective
The page says to pick one activity, and the home record allows drawing plus an optional grown-up note. That leaves room for families to try a game that fits their routine rather than completing all six.
Planning List
The kitchen task is with a grown-up, and activities should fit the familyâs home and preferences. The optional star record is not evidence of a childâs learning or a measure of family engagement.