Series of Themed Play - Pets (Dogs)

This is the first set of instructions in the Series of Themed play that teach your child about related vocabulary and actions that go along with each scenario.  The following activities will target many life skills and is a great learning experience for babies, toddlers, and/or preschoolers.

The play below is directed towards pretend play with pets (dog). It is important to have a plush puppy/dog in the house for you to try out the following activities. For all other items, you can use old or unused items lying around your home. Your job is to say the vocabulary out loud/clear and demonstrate a sample action that goes along with each activity. Then you will let your child try it out for a few minutes, until they get bored or lose interest. This way you don't overdo it and it will only last a few minutes. Little kids have very little attention spans and lose interest quickly, so it's important to set up the materials before starting the activity. I had all the things gathered in a basket before we got started. I also jotted down what I wanted to do or language that I wanted to target, on a piece of paper. I purchased all of the dog play things at a dollar store and all together they cost around $5.

© Everything Family Guide

Let's look at how we used each play thing during the themed play:

1. First, we pretend that our toy pet is a real pet by naming him as we invite him into our home. In our case, we named him "Rider". Say "What is your pet's name?"
2. Next, talk about self-care and ask your child; "How are some ways that we can care for our pet?" Show your child how to:
• Pet an animal by using gentle hand movements and behavior. Say "Gentle".

  

  © Everything Family Guide

• Feed the animal by looking at various dog foods while you visit the grocery store (wet or dry varieties). "What does a puppy/dog eat?" or "How do we serve doggy food?"
• Talk about other things that dogs or puppies do, like sleeping or going to the bathroom. Say "Dogs sleep in a basket" or "Dogs go outside to relieve themselves."
• Talk about what happens when your pet gets sick? "We take him to the vet."
3. Look at the pet and examine the various body parts such ears, eyes, tail, paws, nose, mouth, and legs. "Where is the puppy's ears?" or "How many legs does a dog have?" Point to the dog's body parts as you say them out loud.
4. Talk about the sounds that pets make when they are trying to get your attention. Use words like "whimpering", "barking", "growling", "whining", or "howling".
5. Look at various pet owners around the neighborhood and talk to your child about how they behave with their pets while taking them for a walk. Tie a ribbon or string around the plush dog's neck and take him for a walk around the house. Use words like "running" or "walking".

© Everything Family Guide

Overall, I found this play to be very productive as I showed my kids some ways that they can play. Kids need role models in life and they watch you and learn from you. We repeated this exercise where I just let my kids lead and they did well by themselves. 

Have fun playing,
Annie