1. TouchPlaying with sand is a great way for young children to refine their hand-eye coordination as it is a highly sensory material, with a changeable texture. Encourage your toddler to grab, scoop, sift and dig through sand, adding water or using

by tipping in a few plastic sharks, ducks, fairies, or whatever your child enjoys. And if there’s a handy sandpit ‘island’ nearby, so much the better.School-age childrenTo play hosepipe tag, the child who’s It squirts another with water. That child then has

), the optimum ratio is eight times as much sand as you have water. There's even a mathematical formula for it: OW = 0.125 x S. Not that the average child needs to worry too much about ratios, but more serious sandcastle makers undoubtedly do. Indeed

Whizzing down a gentle slope on a toboggan can give your child a wonderful thrill, but it can also cause injuries, so it’s always wise to follow some basic safety tips.* Choose a sled that is the right size for your child One that can be steered

To ensure everyone has fun when you're having a bit of rough-and-tumble play, be sure to put these rules into action – and remember (parents) that you are the bigger person in this game, so tone it down if you think there's any chance it might

After 60 years as Queen of England, you'd expect that dear old Lizzie would be quite used to seeing herself recreated in many different forms, but as she ever looked so darn dinky and cute? Toddlers will love to get their hands on this Happyland Diamond Jubilee set £5 from ELC – ...

run riot if his playtimeisn’t stage-managed, structured or rule-bound. To encourage imaginary play, choose simple toys that can be whatever your child wants them to be, such as a set of building blocks. Pretend tea sets and cooking equipment, or a

. And guess what? It’s really good for him (even if it may mean soggy clothes for you). Lively outdoor play activities are important for your child’s development of independence and autonomy. According to the Children and Nature Network Research Studies, when

is dressing up as an occasional part of play,” she says. “In fact, this kind of role play is actually a normal and healthy part of growing up and helps your child develop his sense of self.” Felix is not alone in his penchant for wanting to occasionally switch

drumkits to dry-pea shakers, you can improvise a range of instruments from the kitchen cupboards. Add a real instrument to the band such as a keyboard or guitar, and they can play the day away.Move to the musicThis could entail working out a sequence