Play Shelf Guide & Checklist

Pinch of Play
Mar 5, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jul 12, 2024

FREEBIE ALERT - Keep reading to score your free guide and checklist!

What is a Play Shelf?

In short, a play shelf is an open opportunity for your child to play with items in your home in a different way. This play is child directed, not parent-led. We've found that themed Play Shelves engage our children more than any other ways to play, allow us to connect with our children in new ways, and support their growth & development! We use a 6 cube shelf from Target for our Play Shelves, and rotate out items (similar to a toy rotation) with each theme. Read on for a FREE Guide and Checklist for creating your own Play Shelf!

Apple Orchard Play Invitation

Why themes?

At Pinch of Play, we LOVE themed play and activities. Some of our favorite themes have been our Apple Orchard (pictured), Construction, and Camping Shelves. We don't want Play Shelves to feel messy or cluttered, and themes seem more cohesive in our busy home!

How do you pick the items?

We think about the theme and what pretend play could be utilized as the main component of the Play Shelf. For example, in our Apple Orchard, the pretend play is centered around running on our own Apple Orchard. We sell apples, make apple pies, pick apples, and more! . After the pretend play component is decided, we include STEM activities, crafts, real life applications (like a phone or cash register), and any other items that may get our kiddos excited to play or stretch their creativity! We try to include gross or fine motor growth activities, items that allow creativity, or set up play that aids social skills and language development. We think of developmental skills for preschool age children, and add items to help aid those skills. (Like our Apple Orchard receipt - uses counting skills and early writing skills with a dry erase marker!) We like to display our themed books for each Play Shelf somewhere on or near our shelf for easy access whenever we have a few minutes to read!

How do you come up with the themes?

We use ideas for themes from literacy, holidays, events, or child interests!

Play Shelves create engagement, wonder, and joy right in your home! They have given us an opportunity to connect through play with our kiddos AND encourage our children to play independently throughout each month. Play Shelves allow our children to take the lead and be in charge of their own space and play, building their confidence and problem solving skills.

Play Shelves go hand in hand with our monthly Purposeful Play Kits. Check out our shop for our individual kits here.

You can also subscribe for new kits shipped every month, cancel anytime.

Check out our Kindness Play Shelf, Camping Play Shelf, Farmer's Market Play Shelf, and Castles Play Shelf here.