Play isn’t just about keeping kids busy—it’s a vital part of how they grow and learn. Research shows that play in the early years is essential for brain development, helping children build important skills like language, creativity, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. The Australian Early Years Learning Framework highlights that children learn best through play-based experiences, where they can explore, imagine and discover at their own pace.
At My Creative Box, we’re passionate about making play easy, meaningful and fun for families at home. Our educational activity boxes are filled with open-ended, hands-on activities that support learning through play without the mess or stress.
1. Set up a simple play invitation
Organise the play activity on a tray or mat with the materials ready to go. This sparks curiosity and encourages independent play, especially for toddlers and preschoolers.
2. Let your child lead the way
Open-ended activities give kids the freedom to make choices, solve problems, and create in their own way—supporting critical thinking and confidence building through play. My Creative Box allows activities to be easily adapted to meet the different skills and abilities of each child. The activities are process driven making sure that the learning is in the doing!
3. Add language to the play
Talk about what your child is doing, ask open questions (“What are you making?”), and model new words to support language development as they play. We love that My Creative Box includes prompts from early learning specialists in their kids art and craft activities to guide discussion and make sure that children are getting the best early learning experiences.
4. Celebrate the process, not the product
Focus on the fun of exploring textures, colours and tools—not on creating something “perfect.” This promotes creative thinking and reduces performance pressure. Ask lots of open-ended questions so children have the opportunity to express their ideas and creativity.
5. Build play into your daily rhythm
Play and early learning activities don't need to be hard! Find a good time where your child is able to concentrate and wants to play and learn. This could be a quiet morning setup, post-nap wind-down, or weekend screen-free option. This creates consistency and reinforces the importance of playful learning and connection too!
Play is powerful—and with the right tools, it's easy to support at home. Our award-nominated boxes (like our Top 3 Finalist ASTRA Play Awards sensory craft box) are designed to inspire creativity, encourage connection, and make learning through play simple for families.
If you're ready to introduce fun learning activities into your families routine, check out our arrange of kids craft and activity boxes here
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