Preschooler Playtime with Cups
As your child gets older, something as simple as cups can still be a great toy. Use playtime as a way to have a conversation. Ask your child what they are doing. Then ask more questions. Your child will love that you are interested in them!
- Audience
- Caregiver
- Subject
- Open-Ended Play
- Age
- Pre-KPreschool
- Languages
- EnglishHaitian CreoleSpanish
- Materials
- Cups
Play is a natural way to support the parent-child bond. Try engaging your preschooler in playtime with cups!
Get ready
Clear some space on the floor or at a table. Sit down with your child and place the cups in front of you. Smile at your child and say, “What can we do with these?”
Try this!
Build it!
Give your child the cups. Add some clean things from your recycling bin, like yogurt containers, toilet paper tubes, and cereal boxes. Let them build in any way they choose. “Tell me about what you are building.”
Make music
Gather some spoons or sticks. Say, “Let’s turn the cups into drums!” Tap on the bottoms of the cups. Make different sounds using larger cups and smaller cups. Play some music on your phone and join the band with your child.
Cups as tools
Bring the cups into the bath or with you when you go outside. Ask, “What can you do with the cups?” Maybe scoop and pour water. Or make a sand castle. Or collect things like leaves and acorns—then sort them into different cups.
Safety tip!Most paper or plastic drinking cups are great to play with. Just make sure the plastic is not sharp if it breaks!
While you play...
Watch carefully. Cups have so many different uses. Notice what your child does with them. Do they use the cups for building? Or pretending? Or making music? Or something you didn’t think of?
Practice together. Build with your child. Or build on your own next to them. When your building falls, smile and say, “Whoops! That didn’t work like I thought it would. Can you help me think of something else to try?”
Say, “Yay!” Show your child that you can be proud of yourself. “Wow! I did it. I’m glad I kept trying.” It is important to let your child see you being happy about your own work. Then thank your child for their help. “Thank you for sharing such a good idea with me.”
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