5 years old
The World of Imagination
Play ideas, a book, a song and a little encouragement for your 5 year old, from Maddie.
By Maddie, early childhood educator and Mum
6 min read · Updated
In this guide
Hello again, wonderful parent 💛
Happy 5 years! Can you believe it!
You’re stepping into a month full of imagination and energy. Your little one is becoming quite the storyteller, dreamer, and independent thinker. At five, they can be so many things; a chatterbox, a leader, an observer, a joker, a negotiator, a creator, a deep feeler, a rule follower… or a rule tester. And often, they’re all of these in the same day.
I’m still always a bit stumped when someone asks me, “What’s their personality like?” I used to hear that question and think, do I even know my children? Why is this question so hard? The truth is, how do you sum up someone you know to their bones while still discovering them every single day? I can’t even answer that about myself! And that’s what makes it all so beautiful and exciting; watching who they are, and who they’re becoming at the same time.
As we come to the final month of these first five incredibly influential years, I hope this newsletter has been something you’ve looked forward to. A little pause in your month. A reassuring hand. A reminder of things you already know, or something to learn. A gentle nudge back to your own childhood, and a way to lighten the journey alongside your little one.
I hope, in some small way, it’s felt like a community; that we’ve felt a little like friends.
And now, as this chapter comes to a close… I don’t think I need to say much more; as we know, you've got this, your doing enough, and your doing it beautifully!
As we dive into our final few activities, remember that as they step into new adventures; school, sports, friendships; their world will expand in the most exciting ways. But their need for play and connection doesn’t disappear. It’s still there, just as important as ever.
Play might start to look a little different, conversations might go deeper, and their ideas might grow; but the heart of it stays the same. But its no different to what you have seen over the last few years, their play adapting, growing and extending everyday.
So come back to these simple activities. Adapt them, stretch them, follow their new interests. They will grow with your child, just as they are 💛
Activity 1: Make a Storybook
How: Start by gathering some paper, pencils, crayons, or markers and invite your child to create their own story. Let them make the story adding pages as you go, they get to decide how long their story will be. Some stories might be one page, while others might keep growing! Once their story is finished (or they’re happy to stop), fold the pages in half and staple, tape, or clip them together to create their very own book.
Your child might draw the pictures first and scribe you the story as they go, you may write the story together first and then they can go back and illustrate it. Or they may create a book that is mostly pictures; or write it themselves. You can encourage their ideas with questions like, “What’s happening on this page?”, “Who is in your story?” or “What happens next?” but respect their story, and write what they ask (even if it doesn't really make sense.)
If they enjoy it, they might like to add a front cover, a title and their name as the author, make a series with the same characters, act out their story, or come back and add more pages another day.
Why: Creating their own books builds storytelling, imagination, and early writing skills while helping children understand that words and pictures can be used to share ideas. It supports sequencing as they think about what happens at the beginning, middle, and end, while also giving them a wonderful sense of pride and ownership. It doesn’t need to be neat, make sense, or even be finished—the magic is in their ideas, their creativity, and the joy of creating something that is completely their own.And there’s something pretty special about reading back a story they’ve made 💛
Activity 2: Target Games
How: Set up a simple target game at home. Use soft balls or rolled-up socks to throw, kick, or roll towards a target. You can use buckets, hoops, or even marks on the floor.
Why: These games help refine coordination and motor skills while giving your child a chance to aim, focus, and achieve. Plus, it’s a fun way to use up some of that boundless energy and cheer on their efforts!
Song of the Month: Boom Chicka Boom
A high-energy, repeat-after-me song that kids absolutely love; full of silly voices and big actions!
How: You say a line, they copy it back. Add actions, claps, stomps, or funny voices each round.
Words:
Leader: I said a boom chicka boom
Children: I said a boom chicka boom
Leader: I said a boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chicka boom
Children: I said a boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chicka boom
Leader: Uh huh
Children: Uh huh
Leader: Oh yeah
Children: Oh yeah
Leader: One more time…
Children: One more time…
Leader: This time.... silly voice
Then repeat it again with different voices:
Whisper voice 🤫 Loud voice 📣 Robot voice 🤖 Baby voice 👶 Fast / slow 🐢⚡
This one is so much fun, its a good one when everyone's gone abit wild and we need a reset, or a great one for the car!
Book of the Month: A Journey Home- Alison Lester
A gentle, beautiful story that follows a journey through different places and animals on the way home. The illustrations are soft and full of detail, giving you so much to look at and talk about together.
It’s calm, simple, and perfect for slowing down, inviting little conversations and quiet moments side by side. Because even a big 5 year old still loves to snuggle in for a story.
And like always, it’s not about reading every word; or any particular book it’s about being together and sharing the moment 💛
Did You Know?
Did you know that after turning 5, children don’t suddenly become “big kids” overnight?
They’re still very much learning through play, still needing connection, still figuring out big feelings. But you might start to notice little shifts; longer stories, deeper questions, more complex ideas, and friendships that really start to matter.
They begin to make sense of the world in new ways… but they still come back to the same things that have always helped them feel safe; play, routine, and you.
So while it can feel like a big step into something new, they’re not leaving those early years behind; they’re building on them 💛
Social & Emotional Skill Building
This month, focus on supporting your child's independent choices. Whether it's picking out the day's outfit, deciding on a snack, or choosing the bedtime book, these little moments of decision-making build their confidence and sense of self. You might hear them say, "I want the blue one," or "Let's read this story." Each choice is a chance to practice expressing preferences and explore their own independence.
✨ Remember
These days moving forward still don't have to be a whirlwind of activity or routine. It's your simple, everyday presence that matters most. You’re nurturing their unique sense of self, one page, one story, one gentle lullaby at a time.
Thankyou for including us in your most beautiful and important adventure, play is something that I am so passionate about and hope to fill as many children's and adults lives with it for as long as possible.
Keep playing, keep connecting, and keep that love of learning alive for many years to come 💛
You’re doing beautifully, and honestly, that's more than enough 💛