Tots Play Doncaster East

Is your baby on the move?

Wondering how best to play with them as they head towards toddlerhood?

At this age your little one will be curious about the world around them, and fascinated with just about everything they come across. They will be using all their senses, and their new movement skills to explore and learn - and the best way to support this learning and development is through play.

Repetition is an important part of learning and you might find they want to play their favourite game or listen to their favourite song over and over again. While they’re able to play a little by themselves they prefer playing with parents or other adults - so you will remain their favourite playmate for a while to come.

Some great activities for children around this age include:

- movement games, singing, dancing, action rhymes
- push along toys, push and pull toys, posting boxes,
- all kinds of sensory play
- exploring natural materials, like pine cones or shells
- splashing in puddles, water play, messy play

Play is the best way to help children learn and there are so many ways to bring it into your day.

Need some more inspiration? Join us at Tots Play, where you’ll find lots of play ideas perfect for older babies and toddlers, for you to enjoy together.

Each one is carefully researched and chosen to help boost your Tot’s development, and simple enough to do together at home through the week too - so the fun and learning doesn’t need to stop when you leave class!

Head to http://www.totsplay.co.uk to book your class today, and come and join in the fun! xx

Why Repetition Matters for Your Little One's Learning

If you’ve been to a Tots Play class, you’ll know we love a good routine. You might spot some familiar songs, activities, and equipment popping up each week. That’s no coincidence – it’s all part of the plan. Repetition is one of the most powerful ways babies and toddlers learn.

While it might feel like we’re simply doing the same thing again, for your baby, each repeat is a whole new learning experience. Their brain is working hard to make sense of the world, and seeing and doing things more than once helps build understanding, memory, and confidence.

Repetition also creates a sense of calm. Young children are surrounded by new sights, sounds, and sensations every day. Familiar routines help them feel safe and secure, which makes it easier for them to focus, join in, and enjoy what’s happening.

When your baby recognises a song, remembers what to do with a piece of equipment, or joins in with a favourite activity, they feel a real sense of achievement. This builds self-esteem, encourages independence, and lays the groundwork for even more learning.

So next time your Tot wants to sing the same song or play the same game for the hundredth time, smile and know that they’re learning, growing, and thriving – exactly as they should.

So next time your Tot wants to sing the same song or play the same game for the hundredth time, smile, be proud of their determination to master the skill they are learning about and confident they are developing just as they should!

And if you’re looking for a class where the benefits of both repetition and new experiences are built in to the programme, then we’d love to welcome you along to Tots Play.

What does your little one like to do over and over again?

Make your own rainbow shakers! 🌈

Little ones love bright colours, as well as exploring things that make different sounds, and they’ll not only love their own rainbow of shakers like the ones in the picture, but they offer so many fun learning opportunities too.

Line them up in rainbow order, ask your child to find and shake a particular colour, or just let them play and explore however they would like, and discover all the colours, sounds and sensory delights these bring.

The good news is they’re super simple to make. Just find some empty clear plastic bottles (they don’t have to be the type shown), add some small items of a single colour to each, or have some with a mixture of colours. You can pick up lots of bits inexpensively from a craft shop, or see what you already have at home, and get creative!

Seal the tops well, with either a glue gun or tape when you’ve filled the bottles with what you’ve chosen, and you’re ready to play!

Pop a picture or a comment below if you give it a try, and enjoy your colourful fun! xx

What a clever little week!
Children adore numbers and counting. And a box with holes! 😊
For our 8 weeks to crawling Discovery Tots we introduce counting through movement and sound, we count bounces and jingles before we count numbers. And they love it, it fascinates their growing brains!
For our confident crawlers and toddlers, it's all about exploring, moving and doing. After their yoga poses, dance break and signing, we explored our number box. It really is one of the simplest activities, but so absorbing.
Reaching in to find the three bears, balls or ducks boosts so many devopmental skills, all through play! Just the way we like it! And anything that stops a toddler in their tracks for 5 minutes of concentration time is a win too! ❤️

One of the most magical parts of Tots Play for me is being able to support you as a parent with ideas to strengthen the bond between you and your little one during the very early weeks, months and years.

My classes offer so many ways to do this, from baby massage, to yoga, lots of different types of sensory play, various ways to boost early communication and more.

Bonding with our tots can be instant or take time, sometimes weeks and even months. Both are totally normal, and wherever you are on that journey you'll find no judgement, just the support of other like minded parents to ease you on your way.

If you haven't tried classes yet, why not come and join us and see for yourself. You'll find a warm welcome when you do🧡🐵💙

Just pop me a message to find out more xx

"Mummy, I love to show you what I can do! Did you see me roll the ball? Can you hear me singing to you? Did you see my sign 'thank you'? I do it to make you smile, because having fun and smiling together is my favourite thing to do!"

If that sounds like your little one, then Social Tots is the place to be.

This is my class for toddlers and older babies who are on the move, and is all about quality time together and making memories, but with lots of learning and development thrown in too - not that we tell your Tot that, they’ll just think they’re having fun with you!

When all that matters is that tiny person in front of you learning and having fun, you need to join us at Social Tots!

Why not come and see for yourself? Head over to www.totsplay.co.uk and book a trial and I’ll see you there xx

Which baby class should you choose?

Of course you want the best for your baby, and so most likely want to do all the things you can with them - not only to have fun, (although that’s definitely important!) but to help support their development too. But how will you fit in, let alone afford, a baby massage class and a baby yoga class, plus a sensory play class, sign language, music and physical play?

How about if you could get all this and more in one place and for one affordable price?

You can when you join us at Tots Play!

Get the benefits of all these wonderful activities and enjoy special time together in a warm, welcoming environment, plus learn lots of ways to continue to support your little one's development at home too. It’s like 6 classes for the price of one! What's not to like?

Come and give it a try for yourself.

Visit www.totsplay.co.uk for more details and to book your place today. xx