339. Q&A: What are the best toys and strategies to actually get my child to play independently?

Update: 2025-09-04

Description

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg and I talk about...

How to step back and figure out if (and when!) you’re interfering in your child’s play.
Practical strategies to set up your home environment so independent play can actually thrive.
The surprising “sweet spot” number of toys that leads to longer, more engaging play.
What a “yes space” is—and how it can support your child’s growth through play.
How to set realistic expectations, and what to do if you’re looking for a balance between being fully uninvolved and slightly engaged.
The difference between “alone play” and “independent play.”
What are the best toys and activities that actually encourage independent play (and how to tell if a toy is worth it).
The developmental tasks by age that you can lean on to foster longer stretches of play.

If you’ve ever wondered how to encourage your child to play on their own (without guilt, overwhelm, or resorting to endless screen time), this episode is packed with perspective, validation, and practical tools to help you get there.

REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:

🔗 RAD Furniture (R.A.D. Children's Furniture) - Dr. Sarah's favorite place to get Pikler triangles and other play furniture for incouraging gross motor development

🔗 MakeDo – Dr. Sarah's go-to birthday gift, open-ended construction tools (screws, saws, screwdrivers, etc.) for building

🔗 Magna-Tiles – Both Dr. Sarah and Dr. Emily's kids love these magnetic building tiles (pro tip: put a bin with these on the floor to make them easier for kids to access on their own!)

🔗 Doctor’s Kit Play Set, Vet's Kit Play Set, and Cleaning Play Set - Toys that help them play with and work through concepts from their own life

ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode answering the question, is there a wrong way to encourage independent play?

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about fostering independent play with The Workspace for Children's Lizzie Assa

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the benefits of play with Jennie Monness

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how to use a RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) approach in your parenting with Janet Lansbury

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the importance of play for adults and using it as a tool to prevent burnout with Mike Rucker

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:

Go to https://drsarahbren.com/question to send us a question or a topic you want to hear us answer on Securely Attached - Beyond the Sessions!