What makes you happy?
Sharing ideas and emotions in creative ways.
Download a fully illustrated pdf, or print this webpage.
You will need
Baseplate.
As many bricks as you like.
Skills we will be engaging
SOCIAL — talking, listening, sharing experiences.
EMOTIONAL — happy, calm, excited, interested.
COGNITIVE — building a model to show your ideas.
CREATIVE — building from your imagination.
PHYSICAL — building with bricks, understanding space.
How to play
This activity is all about being creative with the bricks to re-create something that is important, special and fun to your child.
Ask your child to “build something that makes you happy”.
Let your child start to play with the bricks and see what develops. Watch what they are doing and join in if they are happy for you to do so.
Joining in
Sit together - talk to them about what they are building.
Watch and comment - e.g. "The slide looks really fun!", "What else do you like to do at the park?"
Praise effort - e.g. "Well done! That looked really tricky to build."
Ask to help - ask if you can help find the bricks they need.
Both build your own model - build alongside your child and talk as you build.
Build together - work together on the same model.
Hints & tips
Have some pictures of your child’s favourite things to show them to help spark an idea.
Start your own creation and see if that helps your child to start their own build.
Re-create a favourite family memory using the bricks.
Create a story about the model.
After you've finished
Play with what you have made.
Celebrate! Tell your child how much you enjoyed it, “I loved building with you.”
Tell your child what you like about the model.
Ask your child what they like about the model.
Show the model to someone else.
Find somewhere to display the model or keep it safe.
Share your creations using the hashtag #playincluded.
Including others
Help the children to come up with a theme together.
Ask the children to explain to each other what they have built.