This is a great option for kids of all ages and you can be so flexible based around things you already have at home and cater to the child's interests.

For preschoolers a great 'go to' is just a tub filled with some form of sensory material like rice, coconut or lentils (anything food based and dry is ideal and that will be easy to vacuum up if the kids make a mess and also non toxic and not a choking hazard) and add a few cups, funnels, scoops and sit back and relax while they scoop, pour, measure, tip and rummage their hands in the tub. (pic source busytoddler.com). 

tep it up by 'hiding' a bunch of small plastic animals and send them on a mission to find them all. These Wild Republic animal sets are great value to add to sensory play of all kinds. For older kids sensory play can mean all sorts of things! Bi-Carb soda on a tray with droppers and coloured vinegar in ice cube trays is awesome - just be sure to supervise. A great one if you want the hassle taken care of for you is our Sensory Sand kits - available in two sizes here and are a ready made all in one solution! 

A skill that some kids develop earlier than others is playing independently, and while it's certainly something that just happens more and more as they get older there are ways to gradually increase the time your kids will spend on an activity alone. Our best outcomes have been when there is a clear intention or activity and not just a general 'go and play'. So you might find you spend time setting up activities throughout the day or getting things ready but this is all part of the children developing their own skills. A great starting point is an activity with a clear purpose. For pre-schoolers things like stacking and sorting games, puzzles and threading & lacing all work really well. 

ve them clear instructions and leave them to it. No doubt that they will rush back and want to show you something, ask a question or wonder where you went, but over time and with redirection back to the activity to do the next thing, another thing or a different thing - will reinforce that they actually can play alone. This stacking game is a great one to start with as are any threading and lacing activities.

uzzles are another one that are perfect for any age. The older the child the better able they will be to complete it without guidance or help and if you really want that little break then make sure you pick one they can do without help no matter the age, rather than making it a challenge. We often encourage challenge puzzles as its better value for money long term but there's also a place for 'quick and easy' achievable puzzles which allow you and them that solo time. Check out our kids puzzles here and the collection includes everything from 2 piece wooden puzzles, floor puzzles like the world one shown here, peg puzzles and right up to puzzles for 9 year olds.

Single Player Games are another way to encourage the kids to work things out themselves and Smart Games are very good at making games for as young as three year olds, in themes that are appealing and age appropriate and right up to adult brain teaser challenge games. The important part is to initially sit with them and show them the game, explain the process, the rules and how to work through each level - the kids pick it up pretty quick but often skip to the 'play' before actually understanding how to which can lead to frustration just like trying to put Ikea furniture together without looking at the instructions!!