The Magic of Play

15 Minutes of Play a Day

Did you know that just 15 minutes of play with your child can boost their mental health?

Here’s how, with Dr. Ariana Hoet and Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall from The Kids Mental Health Foundation (KMHF).

Let’s Play!

Need a little help supporting your child’s skills or choosing the right toy?

We’re here with expert insight and joyful play ideas.

Explore Skills

Learn about six skills that support your child’s mental health through everyday play.

Explore Toys

Browse toys by skill, and click any toy for play tips.

Playful Possibilities

Everyday moments that make play meaningful.

Browse by Skill

Independence: Children build self-esteem and confidence when they discover they're capable of doing something themselves. Giving them space to work through a task on their own is one of the best ways to build that confidence.

Problem Solving: Play helps children learn to find ways to work through challenges when things don't go as planned. Giving your child space to figure it out on their own builds flexible thinking, persistence, and resilience.

Handling Emotions: When children can identify their feelings and describe how those feelings show up in their body, they start to understand big emotions and what to do with them. These skills help kids build patience and work through challenging moments.

Decision Making: Having to make a choice when they have more than one option helps them think through possible outcomes. "What do you think should happen next?" is a great question to ask your child when playing. This allows them to think about what a good decision may be and what possible outcomes their choice may lead to.

Social Awareness: Through play, kids practice empathy, kindness, and how to get along with others. You can show your child how people talk to each other, what's helpful, and what's unkind. This helps them understand how others feel and builds strong relationship skills.

Mindfulness: Being fully present and noticing what is happening in the moment is good for calming down and for identifying feelings. Paying attention to sights, sounds, and textures helps kids stay grounded and focused.

Playful Possibilities

  • Intentional Time

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    Your child benefits from one-on-one time with you, especially when you let them take the lead. When you focus on what they are doing, you will learn more about them and build their confidence. During intentional time, consider:

    - Watching and noticing what they are doing. This step can lead to great conversations where you learn more about what they’re thinking and how they’re feeling.

    - Praising them for their effort: “You kept trying to get all of those in order. and you didn’t give up.”

    - Not asking too many questions. Instead, be a “playcaster,” narrating play out loud like a sportscaster would: “Now you’re putting the blue block on top!”

  • New Experiences

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    Some children may feel nervous around new experiences. Playing with the Wooden Sparkling Smile Dentist Kit or Wooden Little Doc’s Medical Kit can help children understand what to expect and can make them more comfortable when going to the office for the first time.

  • Helping Activities

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    Playing pretend helping activities is great for building a child’s confidence to help out in real ways. When a child helps wash dishes, they see themselves as connected to the family. It also builds their self-esteem to know that their help matters.

  • Routines

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    Kids love routines, and they need them to feel secure. You can use toys to help them practice how to get ready for school with the 4-in-1 Learn & Play Pack or show them what goes into a healthy breakfast with the Wooden Crack & Play Eggs or Wooden Press & Pop Toaster Set. Routines can also help when moving on to the next activity, which can be challenging for kids.

  • Family Traditions

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    When you play with a toy like the Wooden Slice & Share Birthday Cake and talk about how your family likes to celebrate birthdays, you're showing them how they fit into their family and traditions. This connects them not only with your family but also to their culture and background, which can build self-esteem.

  • Pretending

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    When kids invent their own worlds and think creatively, it helps build confidence in new skills and helps them problem-solve in a safe environment. You can encourage pretend play by following their lead.

Ask the Experts

Advice From The Kids Mental Health Foundation

  • Even when we’re fully present and engaged, kids will still test boundaries. It’s what they do!

    When it happens, take a breath. Then calmly remind them of your family’s rules. Something simple like, “Hey, we don’t throw toys in our house” works great.

    The idea is to gently stop the behavior so you can get back to having fun together. If they keep at it, let them know what comes next: “If you keep throwing toys, I’ll need to put them away and we’ll have to take a break from playing.”

    Here’s the tricky part: you have to actually follow through. Kids are smart. They’ll figure out pretty quickly whether you mean it or not! When kids see that your words match your actions, it builds trust, and it helps keep intentional time positive for everyone.

  • Having clear family rules helps everyone know what to expect during playtime. And here’s a little trick that works well: give kids a few options to choose from instead of leaving things wide open. It’s way easier for them to pick between three activities than to decide from infinite possibilities!

    Before you start playing, chat with them about what happens if rules get broken. Maybe the toys go into “time out,” or playtime ends early—whatever makes sense for your family.

    And yep, you guessed it: if you say it, you have to mean it. Following through is what makes the rules stick.

  • This is a great time to lean on your family rules. You might say something like, “We play nicely with our toys. If we can’t play nicely, we’ll need to put them away.”

    If the rough play continues, follow through—put the toys away. Then redirect them to something else. A change of activity can work wonders.

  • That’s okay! Remember, your child is the leader here. If they don’t want you to join in, they might just be flexing their independence, and that’s a good thing.

    Try sitting nearby and simply watching them. Every now and then, comment on what you see: “You’re pushing the truck!” or “Wow, that’s a tall tower!”

    Let them know you’re there and happy to jump in whenever they want. Sometimes kids worry we’ll take over, so hang back a bit. Avoid asking too many questions or offering lots of suggestions. Just being present, without directing, can make all the difference.

  • One-on-one time is wonderful when you can make it happen, but family time is special too!

    If everyone wants to join in, find a fun activity or toy that works for the whole group. Family time can absolutely count as intentional time. What matters most is that you’re present and engaged together.

  • Start simple—just sit nearby and watch. This helps you resist the urge to take over or offer too many suggestions.

    When you’re ready to join in, mirror what they’re doing or follow their lead. You don’t have to say anything at first! Just playing alongside them is a great start.

    As you get more comfortable, try narrating what you see: “I see you picked up the white cupcake,” or “You put the elephant on the red square.” That’s it. No pressure to be perfect, just be there.

  • Good news: you don’t need hours. Even just 5-15 minutes can make a real difference in your child’s life.

    Instead of worrying about how much time you have, focus on the quality. Put away distractions, get down on their level, and give them your full attention. Those few minutes of truly being present? They matter more than you might think.

  • The Kids Mental Health Foundation has more information you may find helpful. Consider signing up for their newsletter to get information emailed to you every week! Below are a few articles that you might find helpful.