Professional Development

Curriculum » Developmental Play Curriculum

Two to Five Year Old Developmental Play and Recommended Toys

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Two years Old

  1. Less rapid shifts in attention. Interest in pretending that dolls are real and manipulating play material to feel, pat and pound.
  2. Interest in dolls and teddy bears (domestic mimicry); beads (string them), or drop them in holes in tops of boxes or cans only to dump them out and repeat the process; blocks and wagon (transports blocks in wagon more than building with them.)
  3. Does not imitate things which he remembers, but only those events which are present to his senses.
  4. Parallel play predominates when with other children, though he obviously enjoys being with other children.
  5. Little interest in what other children have to say, but may hug them or push them out of the way as though they were physical objects.
  6. Little social give-and-take but much physical snatch and grab accompanied by defending rights by kicking and pulling hair which may end in hilarious scuffle.
  7. Does not ask for help; adult must be constantly watchful and ready to help without waiting to be asked.

List of Toys for Two Year Old Level

  1. Develop Physical Strength and Skill - Push and Pull Toys, Wagon, Wheelbarrow, Wooden Beads and String
  2. Develop Creative Play, Large Hollow Blocks, Large Peg Boards and Pegs, Cones of Blocks
  3. Develop Ego Strength - Doll Carriage, Broom, Sweeper, Dishes, Simple Trains, Simple Boats, Toy Animals, Milk Wagon
  4. Social Development - Dolls, Balls, Blocks, Wagons, Picture Books, Lacing Shoe
  5. Develop Artistic Ability - Easel, Large Crayons, Modeling Clay, Jingle Bells, Drums

Three Year Old

  1. Dramatization and imagination beginning to enter into play.
  2. Interest in combining such playthings as blocks and cars, making roads, garages and bridges.
  3. Increasing interest in playing with other children rather than playing alone. May play in groups of two or three, but these are constantly shifting in make-up and activity.
  4. Cooperative activity taking the place of physical contacts.
  5. Is willing to wait his turn.
  6. Will put away his toys with some supervision.

List of Toys for Three year Old Level

  1. Develop Physical Strength and Skill - Junior Jungle Gym, Toy Auto to Ride in, Small Slide, Three Wheeled Scooters, Balance Board, Wading Pool, Push and Pull Toys
  1. Develop Creative Ability - Sand Toys, Blunt Scissors and Colored paper, Tinker Toys, Hammer and Large Nail Set, Picture Puzzles (3-4 Pieces), Montessori Pieces
  2. Ego Strength Development - Broom, Sweeper, Dump Truck, Small Auto For Dolls, Design Blocks
  3. Social Development - Dolls, Doll Corner Material (furniture), Balls, Wagons
  4. Artistic Development - Easel, Modeling Clay, Crayons, Water Colors, Play Dough

Four Years Old

  1. Considerable increase in constructive use of materials and in manipulation and dramatization of play.
  2. Has very complicated ideas but unable to carry them out in detail, and has no carry-over from day to day.
  3. Prefers to play in a group of two or three children. Often chooses favorites companion of own sex.
  4. Suggests turns but is often bossy in directing others and is often silly in his play and may do things wrong purposely.
  5. Puts away toys by himself.
  6. Marked rise in activity.
  7. Likes to “dress up”.

List of Toys for Four Year Old Level

  1. Develop Physical Strength and Skill - Bubble Set, Sand Digger, Simple Throwing Games, Simple Rolling Games, Balls, Hand Car, Ten Pin Game
  2. Develop Dramatic and Imitative Play - Garden Toys, House Keeping Toys, Simple Stories, Fire Engines, Garages and, Gas Stations, Farm Sets, Noah’s Ark, Toy Telephone
  3. Social Development - Toy Village
  4. Creative Development - Blocks, Paper to Cut, Blunt Scissors, Small Beads to String, Felt-0-Game, Picture Puzzles
  5. Artistic Development - Easel, Large Paints and Crayons, Finger Painting Material, Modeling Clay, Paper Weaving, Paper Chains, Paper Birds, Chalk or Crayon Drawings, Sewing Cards, Sewing Coasters, Sewing Pictures
  6. Educational Stimulation - Animal and Bird Stimulation, Object Lotto Games, Scrapbooks and Pictures, Aquarium

Five Year Old

  1. Very fond of cutting out and pasting and in working on a specific project such as a store or a boat (project is carried over from day to day), and in dressing up in adult’s clothes
  2. Definite interest in finishing what he has started even though it takes several days.
  3. Plays in groups of two to five. Friendships are becoming stronger.
  4. Spurred on in activity by rivalry.
  5. Interest in going on excursions.

List of toys for Five Year Old Level

  1. Develop Strength and Skill - Tennis Racket with Ball Attached, Scooter, Simple Throwing Games, Simple Rolling Games
    Balls, Roller Skates and Ice Skates, Ten Pin Game, Kite
  2. Develop Dramatic and Imitative Play (cont’d) - Noah’s Ark, Toy Telephone, Small Pocketbook
  3. Social Development - Animal Lasso Games, X-Ray Pictures, Huckleberry Hound Game, Counting Frame, Parquetry Blocks
  4. Creative Play - Blocks, Paper to Cut, Blunt Scissors, Simple Tool Chest, Hammer and Small Nail Set, Indian Hat, Musical Instruments
  5. Artistic Development - Woven Paper Mats, Easel, Large Paints and Crayons, Finger Painting Pictures, Chalk and, Crayon Drawing, Water Colors, Leather Link Belts
  6. Educational Stimulation - Animal and Bird Lotto Games, Rubber Stamp Print Set, Animal and Bird Picture Puzzles, Scrapbook and Pictures, Aquarium, Lincoln Logs
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