11 Ways to Encourage Independent Play

What is Independent Play?

Independent play allows your child to play by themselves without you entertaining them. But not everybody knows how to encourage independent play. I will give you some ideas so you can start fostering independence in your own child when it comes to playtime.

Have you ever tried to get something done with a toddler that just can’t seem to play by themselves? When a child doesn’t have independent play skills, it can become challenging to get things done that you need to get done.

Why is Independent Play Important for Children? 

Independent play is essential for children because it encourages creativity and self-reliance. Having the skills helps them learn how to entertain themselves and not constantly feel the need to be entertained.

I Have Worked with Children My Entire Life

One thing that I have tried to stay consistent with regarding my children is that I don’t entertain them. Yes, I play with them, and I still accompany them as they play, but I don’t spend my entire day making sure they are entertained and having fun. I allow them to have downtime often to learn how to play independently.

Many people tell me that my children behave so well with each other and so well with themselves. My response is always, “That’s because I don’t entertain them.”

11 Ways to Encourage Independent Play

Encourage Your Child’s Imagination

Each child is born with an imagination. Some children’s imaginations are more active and creative than others. But if you encourage children to develop their imagination, they will.

You can help encourage your child’s imagination by offering open ended toys that do not have an end goal. Giving them blank paper instead of coloring books so they can use their imagination to create whatever is in their mind. You can also ask them to create a game and play along with it, even if it’s not the type of game you would want to play. This encourages them to get their creative juices flowing.

Don’t Take Over Their Playtime

It could be tempting to take over your child’s playtime. To show them how to play with a particular toy or tell them what they need to do when they’re playing

Fight the urge to take over your child’s playtime and be an observer or an assistant. Let your child be the director; let your child decide how playtime will go.

Separate Screens and Their Play Area if You Can

If you can separate their screens and their plate area, try to have a place without screens where they can go to you and play and use their imagination.

Screens are often very tempting for young children. But playing on their kindles or their TV for hours on end offers no room for creativity and imagination to form. They say when you don’t exercise a muscle, it doesn’t grow. I believe the same is true of your creativity and imagination. If you want your child’s imagination to grow and they’re independent, place girls, then they must exercise that muscle daily.

“Play” Parallel to Each Other

This goes back to when I said I don’t entertain my kids. Often, I would sit next to my children as they play and watch them. They felt comfortable because I was sitting next to them primarily as a toddler, and yeah, I could get things done that I needed to do, like fold laundry or do some work on my business.

As my children aged, they became more comfortable playing independently without me sitting parallel.

Provide Open-Ended Toys 

These days, popular toys on the market are ones with an end goal in mind. Or they are simply for entertaining purposes. Yes, they’re fine and bright and colorful, but if you notice, most children grow bored of these toys quickly.

Why is this? It offers no room for growing their imagination. They meet the end goal, then the game is done, the toys are over, and there’s no point in using them anymore. Instead, try to offer several open toys that your child can flex their creative muscles with. These can include Lincoln logs, blocks, Legos, sheets of paper and crowns, magnets, etc.

There are so many options on the market for open-ended toys. 

Limit the Number of Toys That are Offered to Your Child

Have you ever created a playroom for your child and put a ton of toys in there simply for them not to play with anything? When a child has too many options, they feel overwhelmed with their toys. They don’t want to play with anything because they don’t know what to do.

You can help your child feel more comfortable during playtime by limiting the available toys. That doesn’t mean you need to get rid of all their toys. You could create a rotation where you put some of their toys away for a couple of months, and then when you see that they are getting bored of them, then switch them out.

Don’t Interrupt Playtime if it Happens Naturally 

If your child is playing naturally by themselves, fight the urge to interrupt, especially if there’s no real reason or rush to interrupt them. 

For example, we homeschool. I like to get our homeschool done in the morning because I like to have my afternoon free. But there have been times when my children will play very nicely together or even by themselves, which can last for an hour or two. It’s very tempting for me to interrupt them and say let’s get school done, but it interrupts the creative skills that they are developing. So, instead, I try to find other things on my to-do list, be patient, and let them play independently until they are done. 

Create a Safe Room Where They Can Play Alone 

Create a space where they can play independently without you having to be right next to your child. This can be just the living room after the side while cooking dinner, so you can keep an eye on your toddler, especially if they’re young. Playing alone, doesn’t always mean being alone. You can create a safe space where your child is still supervised yet able to entertain themselves.

As they grow older, they can play independently and safely in a separate room without you having to hover. This is especially handy when you are trying to cook dinner or get chores done and need your child to play independently.

Offer Choices 

Offer your child choices. Instead of handing them electronics while you were trying to get work done, say something along the lines of, “You can play with Play-Doh, or you can color a picture. Mommy needs 15 minutes for you to play independently. Which one would you like to do?” You can set up an area at the table, especially if your child is younger, and let them play while you are doing what you need to do.

Offering choices will make it easier for your child to choose what they want to play with. It also lets them know that his mommy needs to get this done, but in 15 to 20 minutes, I can play with you again.

Fight the Urge to “Entertain” Your Child

It can be very tempting to entertain your child 24/7, especially if they are a baby or toddler. But try to fight the urge to entertain your child constantly. 

When you fight this urge, your child will learn how to entertain themselves, develop self-reliance, and use their own imagination. 

Set Boundaries 

Make sure your child knows that there are certain times of the day when you have to do things. For example, if you really need to do the dishes, get that checked off your list and set boundaries for your child. Let them know Mommy needs 10 minutes to unload the dishwasher right now, and you need to be playing by yourself. If they don’t like it at first, then you just have to continuously set boundaries. Eventually, they will get the point.

Benefits of Independent Play 

• Encourages creativity
• Teaches self-reliance 
• Improves child’s focus 
• Let’s mom have “me time.” 
• Self-confidence growth 
• Provides quiet time for family 
• Social independence 
• Improves thinking skills 
• Increases ability for empathy 
• Helps your child explore passions and interests 

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