Helicopter Parents, Lawnmower Parents, Chicken Blood parents…so much has been written about parents who do too much for their kids which doesn’t allow them to engage in self-reliance-building activities such as independent play.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of this rhetoric gets directed at mothers.

But, what should moms do when we’d be happy to step back but we see our preschoolers are having a hard time taking those tiny steps away from us and towards independence?

Kids need help learning how to engage in independent play

Here are four methods for helping younger kids play by themselves for longer periods of time:

1. Independent Play: Utilize Child-Friendly Podcasts

Have a preschooler who won’t play alone in their room or siblings who are always looking for an adult playmate? Try child-friendly podcasts to add another layer of engagement during independent play.

Listening to podcasts while playing is an easy way to encourage kids to play independently by engaging their imagination first and their hands second.

Preschoolers can listen to podcasts as part of their independent play

Another exciting part about this podcast journey? Your kids will gradually grow to find their favorites and begin to follow longer, more complex plot lines with little assistance or guidance from you.

Read my post Moms Need More Downtime, 7 Kid-Approved Podcasts to the Rescue for a list of my favorite podcasts.

2. Independent Play: Create Play-Friendly Spaces

Another way to encourage preschoolers to engage in independent play is to create spaces that they can navigate and enjoy without adult assistance.

Group toys in areas that support different types of independent play

Here are some tips for creating such a space:

Group toys in areas that make it easier to engage in continuous play. Position building blocks next to a clear open space, magnets next to a magnetic wall area, a play tent near books, and Play-dough on a Play-dough table. Easy access draws a kit’s interest to specific activities without having to ask an adult for help.

Rotate toys and activities in designated play areas but instead of stashing them, “hide” them on a low shelf in a closet nearby. Activities that kids can discover and take out themselves have their own allure.

Create a designated treasure/junk box with all the items that don’t fit in any other toy category. You’ll be surprised how often this box gets used.

3. Independent Play: Revitalize Existing and New Toys

Kids love playing with new toys and are often ready to explore them independently. Want to extend that new toy downtime for longer? Try managing your kids’ existing toys using these two creative methods:

l) Toy Staggering

What is toy staggering exactly?

Toy staggering is the simple act of presenting portions of a toy or activity over time rather than all at once in order to get the most out of each item.

Bring out play food and sets over time to encourage ongoing independent play

Here are some examples:

Investing in a Play Kitchen? don’t bring out all the play food on the first day. Instead, keep the cupcakes or a fun tea set for another day.

Leaving out some Play-Dough? display only part of a tool set and offer other pieces on a different occasion.

Purchasing puffy sticker sets or a sticker book? Same rule applies – give some pages now and set aside the rest for later.

This is a pretty straightforward method, but often in our desire to entertain our kids we provide them with more entertainment than they need in one sitting. Toy staggering can help remedy that.

ll) Toy Extensions

If your preschoolers need novelty to get excited about independent play, try this –

Invest in toy extensions – a compatible set or small additions that introduce novelty to an existing activity.

Extend independent play such as dress up with different accessories

If your preschooler enjoys –

Building with different magnetic building blocks – add a car expansion set to make it mobile.
Blowing bubbles – add some special bubble making items to your regular set and bring them out when you want to encourage independent play outdoors.
Playing dress up – add a shatterproof mirror, dress-up accessories, costume sets, or a bolt of leftover fabric to encourage imaginative play.
Leafing through books – add some glow-in-the-dark books and hand-cranked flashlights.
Using stickers – try sets that allow them to Make-a-Face or build sticker robots rather than just move stickers from one place to another.

The nice thing about extensions is that not only do they extend the life of a toy but they also create good activities for siblings or kids to do together, thus freeing up even more time for mom.

4. Mix and Match Toys & Activities

This last tip is the easiest and most satisfying way to encourage preschoolers to play independently –

Experiment with bringing together non-toy items or activities from around the house to create something novel and new.

Here are some examples:

Play kitchen? add real food from the kitchen to make it more exciting.

Play-dough? have kids collect some leaves, rocks, and sticks to add to it for some creative play.

Kinetic sand? bring in your beach toy set and set up a beach area inside a shallow tub. Add gemstones and other shiny items lying around as buried treasure.

What it comes down to is this – independent play should really be a Win-Win situation – preschoolers spend time engaging in meaningful play and we free up time for the things we need to get done. By using the methods featured here we can do just that.

Now that you’ve heard some ideas for independent play, how about some gift ideas for activities the whole family can enjoy together? Read 5 Last Minute Gift Ideas For the Whole Family next.