Toy parade
A simple play invitation to line up toys along a strip of masking tape. Great for imagination, sequencing, and fine motor play.
Sometimes the simplest play invitations lead to the most playtime.
With just a strip of masking tape on the floor, your child can turn their toy collection into a grand parade. Invite them to march their figurines, cars, or stuffed animals into neat lines, side-by-side, or in fun patterns along the tape.
This kind of play encourages sequencing, early maths concepts (like order and position), and storytelling as children decide who goes where and why.
It can be calming, imaginative, or completely silly - depending on your child’s mood. Best of all, it takes less than a minute to set up and can stretch into long stretches of focused play.
Materials
Prep
Step 1:
Stick a strip (or several) of masking tape onto the floor.
Step 2:
Gather a selection of toys your child enjoys and lay a few on the tape, keeping the rest next to it.
Step 3:
Invite them to start their parade!
Play
Step 1:
Lay toys one by one along the tape, like a marching parade.
Step 2:
Mix things up - make a traffic jam, zig-zag the tape, or add more parade "lanes."
Step 3:
Join in the fun by helping announce the parade as if you’re the commentator at a real event.
Extend
Marching Band: Add music and let toys “dance” along to the beat.
Decorate the Parade: Draw or tape paper flags, banners, or floats alongside the parade line.
Sort the toys: Line toys up by colour or size for an extra sorting challenge.
Bridge challenge: Pretend the toys are crossing a bridge, can they get to the other side? Can cars roll across it too? Can you balance on the line yourself?
Counting practice: Count the toys and use it for addition and subtraction practice
