Nursery World - Just the trick

Appropriate playthings for one-to two-year-olds are: * Materials they can influence and change, with different textures and properties to experience and experiment with: sand, water, dough, clay, mud, finger paints

* Materials they can influence and change, with different textures and properties to experience and experiment with: sand, water, dough, clay, mud, finger paints

* Simple equipment to accompany the above: sand pits and paddling pools; buckets, strong plastic spades and rakes, easily operated sand and water mills, funnels, floating ducks or boats; sand-proof mini vehicles; rolling pins, dough cutters, embossed toys to leave a print.

* Real domestic items that they can pretend with safely: brushes, pans, shopping baskets, handbags and purses, adult hats and clothes; realistic but safe toy versions of more delicate or dangerous items - toy cameras, telephones, cutlery, crockery, kitchen appliances and so on.

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