Play@Home

‘Play@Home books are a treasure trove of activities for various stages of early childhood.’

Play@Home is a physical activity programme for children from 0-5. It originated in New Zealand in 1990 and was adopted by the Scottish Government in 2008.

Presented as a series of books for babies, toddlers and pre-school children, the programme provides resources for parents to help them support their children to participate in fun physical activities to improve child development and achieve strong family bonds (attachment). Many of the simple activities included in the Play@Home materials are great ways of providing the experiences that children need – as outlined in Building the Ambition, 2014.

Care and Learning Alliance has been a member of the Play@Home Advisory Group since 2002 and has delivered promotional support since 2008, jointly funded by NHS Highland and The Highland Council.

Download CALA’s latest Play@Home report (2015)

Resources

Play@Home Baby, Toddler & Pre-school books introduce play activities and ideas which will contribute to each stage of the child’s development and promote parents and carers as the children’s first and most important teachers. Books are provided FREE of charge for all parents with children under 5 years.

  • Baby & Toddler books are provided by your Health Visitor
  • Pre-school Books are handed out via ELCC providers, as part of the Bookbug pack

The series of books is also available to borrow from your local library.

Play@Home Activity Sheets

You can download Play@Home Activity Sheets, produced by Care and Learning Alliance, on the NHS Health Scotland website.

Resources – Gaelic

  • Play@Home Baby Book (additional Gaelic songs & rhymes added)
  • Play@Home Toddler Book (launched 2008)
  • Pre–school booklet of Gaelic songs & rhymes
  • ‘Cluich Comhla’ – CD of Gaelic songs & rhymes sung by children from Acharacle Primary School (downloadable from Gaelic4Parents)

Resources – Polish

  • Play@Home Toddler Cards, Rhymes & Songs

For further information please email [email protected]

Feedback

‘Play@Home books are a treasure trove of activities for various stages of early childhood.’

‘Thank you for doing this, I wouldn’t have thought of doing this at home, but will try it now!’

‘The singing at the end was great, I didn’t realise all those songs were at the back of the Play@Home book.’

‘The tunnelling with torches and hats was a brilliant idea. My older children would love that too, something they can all do together.’

‘He absolutely loves the gloop. I’m going to have to buy cornflour on the way home, I didn’t realise that was all it was!’