What are the different types of play?

Kelli Sheldon, MA ECE

June 7, 2026

This summer when thinking of things to do at home or a friends house, think of some different types of play and what they mean.

1. Physical Play: Indoor and outdoor physical play is vital to gross motor development. Running, jumping, marching, climbing and skipping are all important skills to have. These skills can be done in a variety of activities. Get creative and have a blast. Plus it's a great form of exercise for the parents as well. Go be a kid again!

2. Pretend Play: There are so many ways you can bring real world ideas into pretend play. Play house, doctor, doggie daycare, restaurant, school, office, nanny, post office, car wash, taco truck, hair and nail salon, barber shop or just have a tea party.

3. Sensory Play: This is where messy and laughter meet. Sand and water, water beads and scoopers, cornstarch and water, playdough and paint. Getting down to the hands and feet is fun, and allows the body to adventure into likes and dislikes of ourselves. Sensory play allows us to create with our senses and sometimes makes us say "eeewwww".

4. Independent Play: Putting a puzzle together, exploring different shapes and structures of Legos or just simply drawing a picture can help critical thinking explode while playing alone. Don't underestimate the act of independent play. It's vital to growth and development and an important part of trusting one self to create and explore alone. Has your child ever told you, "I do it myself"?

Keeping your child busy over the summer helps the long days pass, and keep little ones learning and active. Don't limit yourself to just these 4-types of play and remember play does not have to cost money or be time consuming. Most play can be constructed from items right inside or outside of your home. A box from an Amazon package can be turned into a car, a rocket, or used as an art installation piece using crayons and markers. Use your imagination and think back when you were a child with some of the fun things you did to pass the time. Have fun playing because play is the most important work for a child. Happy summer!