Today’s play prompt is one of my go-to resets because it works for so many ages… and it turns “I’m bored” into “I’m building.” Welcome to: Build a Tiny World. 🌎✨ The Core Idea (5–15 minutes) Tell your child(ren): “Your mission is to build a tiny world where something interesting happens.” That’s it. No fancy supplies required. Use what you have: books, cups, blocks, pillows, little figures, cars, paper scraps, tape, socks, whatever. Version 1: Blanket Fort World (cozy + immersive) Build: a fort or hideout. Add: a flashlight, one stuffed animal, and one “rule” for the world. Examples of rules: - “Everyone whispers.” - “You have to crawl to travel.” - “You can only talk in silly voices.” Story spark: “Who lives here… and what do they need today?” Version 2: Tabletop World (quick + contained) This one is perfect if you want less mess. Build: a world on a tray, placemat, or one section of the table. Add zones: “home base,” “forest,” “river,” “mountain,” “mystery spot.” (Paper labels optional.) Story spark: “Something is missing… where do we search first?” Version 3: Floor World (big body + big imagination) Build: roads with painter’s tape, rivers with scarves, hills with pillows. Add a challenge: “Your character has to get from A to B without touching the lava.” 😄 Story spark: “What obstacle shows up… and how do we solve it?” If you try this today, comment TINY WORLD and tell me which version you did: fort, tabletop, or floor.

Today’s kitchen play is a quick one — and it’s secretly building real life skills without anyone feeling like they’re “doing school.” Welcome to the Measure Hunt. 🔍🥄 Step 1: Set the Scene (30 seconds) Tell your kid: “I need a Scientist Helper. Your job is to find the tools that help us measure like real kitchen scientists.” Step 2: The Hunt Send them to find: - 1 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) - 1 cup Then ask: - “Which one do you think is the smallest?” - “Which one do you think holds the most?” - “What do you notice about the handles/labels?” Step 3: The Tiny Experiment (2–5 minutes) At the sink, give them water and do a simple test: - “How many teaspoons do you think it would take to fill the tablespoon?” - “How many tablespoons do you think it would take to fill the cup?” No pressure to be exact. The win is: predict → test → notice → try again. Cleanup Hack (because… real life) Put the tools in a bowl or tray while you play. When you’re done, everything goes straight into the dishwasher or a quick rinse. If you do this today, tell me: Did your kid love the guessing part… or the pouring part?

By New Year’s Day, a lot of families are caught between two impulses: Do nothing or start everything. This play prompt lives in the middle reflective without being heavy, playful without being chaotic. Play Prompt: “Keep / Try / Let Go” You’ll need: ✔️Three small piles of paper (or just three areas on the table) ✔️Something to write with (or draw) Label Them: 💖 Keep 💞 Try 💔 Let Go Invite kids to add ideas in any form that fits their age: - words - drawings - symbols - objects from around the room Examples: - “Keep reading together at night” - “Try learning a new game” - “Let go of yelling before breakfast” There’s no correcting and no debating. This isn’t about goals or resolutions, it’s about noticing. What I love about this prompt is that it gives kids a voice in the rhythm of the year ahead. It signals that change doesn’t have to be loud or drastic to be meaningful. Sometimes the most powerful New Year moment isn’t a fresh start, it’s choosing what comes with you.

Not every play recipe needs ingredients you can eat. Some of the most satisfying ones are the kind kids design instead of consume. This one is especially good for kids who enjoy systems, rules, and improving an idea over time. You’ll need: Nothing new just what’s already around. The Recipe: “Design → Test → Improve” 1️⃣ Design: Ask your child to design something with a purpose: a bridge that can hold three toys a vehicle that can travel from one room to another a structure that can be taken apart and rebuilt 2️⃣ Test: Let them test it without commentary. If it fails, that’s information, not a problem. 3️⃣ Improve: Ask one question only: “What would you change if you tried again?” Then let them redesign. What makes this a recipe is the repetition. The rhythm. Kids begin to expect that things don’t have to work perfectly the first time and they’re allowed to evolve. This kind of play builds more than structures. It builds patience, confidence, and the belief that effort leads somewhere. And during long winter days, that’s a powerful thing to practice.

After kids have been home for a while, they often don’t need more stimulation, they need direction. Something that gives their energy a job instead of letting it spill everywhere. Here’s a simple prompt that works especially well on long winter afternoons. Play Prompt: “The Helper Mission” Give your child a real-sounding mission. Not a chore, a role. You might say: - “I need a helper to create a delivery route from the couch to the kitchen.” - “We need a sorting station for all the stuffed animals.” - “Can you design a lost-and-found for things that don’t belong in this room?” Let them decide: - what tools they’ll use - how the job gets done - when it’s finished Your role is just to check in at the end and ask: - “What was the hardest part?” - “What would you change if you did it again?” - “Want another mission?” This works because kids love purpose. When play feels useful, they settle into it longer — and they often surprise you with how seriously they take it. No prep. No supplies. Just a little structure that turns restless energy into focused play.