Go_Out_and_Play.txt

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Go Out and Play! Kit

A resource to help early educators monitor 
development through play


Kentucky �Learn the Signs. Act Early.�

For more information call: 502.852.7799

https://louisville.edu/education/kyautismtraining/actearly

Seek early intervention, if your child is under age 3, contact the First Steps Program at (800) 442-0087. 

Contact your local school district�s special education department, if your child is age 3 or older to secure special 
education services your child is entitled to under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

www.cdc.gov/actearly | 1-800-CDC-INFO

Department of Health and Human Services � Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Learn the Signs. Act Early.



Contents

About This Kit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Planning To Make a Day of It?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Safety First!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Monitoring Milestones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Go Out and Play! Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

For Parents: Fun in the Sun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Tips for Talking With Parents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10



About This Kit

Warm weather not only signals a change of season, but for 
many young children it also signals days of endless exploring 
outdoors, as well as games of kickball, tag on the playground, 
and �Red Rover� with friends. And, when the sun comes out 
and the temperature rises, it seems teachers (and parents) just 
can�t wait to say, �Go out and play!�

As an early educator, you know the importance of play and 
that, for a child, to play is to learn. In fact, play is so essential 
to optimal child development that it has been recognized formally 
by the United Nations as a right of every child. But did 
you know that play also offers a perfect opportunity for you to 
observe a child�s development? It�s true! Encouraging developmentally 
appropriate indoor and outdoor play is a great way 
to observe social, emotional, and cognitive milestones that 
mark a child�s development. Watching for the developmental 
milestones that are appropriate for a child�s age provides clues 
to a child�s development and can help you identify a child 
who might be at risk for a developmental delay or disability. 
As a trusted caregiver and educator, you can play a vital role 
in helping that child reach his or her full potential by sharing 
what you observe, and any concerns you might have, with that 
child�s parents and encouraging them to talk with their child�s 
doctor.

To help, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention�s 
(CDC) �Learn the Signs. Act Early.� campaign offers this Go 
Out and Play! Kit, a resource for fun and interactive activities 
designed for children 3 through 5 years of age, as well as 
other important information about development and how to 
share concerns with parents.

In this kit, you�ll find:

� Sample activities for children 3 through 5 years of age.

� Information about monitoring developmental milestones.

� Suggestions for how to make your activity day successful 
(and fun!).

� Tips about talking to parents if you suspect a child has a 
developmental delay.

� A special pullout section with activities to share with parents 
for at-home play.

The Go Out and Play! Kit also is available on the campaign 
website (www.cdc.gov/actearly), where you can find a variety of 
other free tools to help you monitor the development of young 
children, including fact sheets about key developmental milestones 
and a complete list of child care provider resources.

Now, �go out and play!�

Let us know how you played:
Did you �go out and play?� Let us know how you 
used the Go Out and Play! Kit by e-mailing us at 
actearly@cdc.gov.



Planning To Make a Day of It?

Engaging young children in developmentally appropriate 
activities can be fun and educational for both children and 
teachers. If you are planning a dedicated activity day or 
event, we�ve pulled together a few suggestions to consider 
as you plan. If you are using this kit as a resource for daily 
activities, please follow your usual outdoor play plans and 
move ahead to the Safety First section.

� Get consent from parents for each student before the 
event. Invite parents to volunteer to help children enjoy 
the activities and manage the day.

� Develop a plan that outlines the roles and schedules for 
teachers and volunteers. Keep in mind that you might 
want to have more than one person assisting with each 
activity.

� Think about the materials and resources you will need 
during the day. You might want to ask parents to bring 
in materials or partner with another organization to help 
make your event happen without a lot of money. For 
example, if you will need snacks and drinks, you might 
consider asking a local supermarket for a donation.

� Keep the children in mind when planning the activities. 
What do they enjoy doing? Try planning similar activities 
with a twist to make it a fun new experience. Do 
you have students with physical limitations or other disabilities? 
Make sure to adapt activities so that everyone 
can participate. For more information on adapting play 
for children with disabilities visit: http://tinyurl.com/
ACFadapt4disabilities

� Decide how many activities you want to have during the 
day and how they will be organized. For instance, will 
children move from activity to activity in an assigned 
team? This might work well if you have multiple relay 
activities. Or, will you set up different stations and let 
children select the activities they most want to participate 
in? This might require additional volunteers to guide the 
children through the activities.

� Pick activities that are hands-on and educational. Young 
children love to experience things that help them learn 
new concepts in a fun, interactive way. The sample activities 
in this kit are a few ideas to get you started.

� Consider expanding the day by working in other special 
activities. For example, the event can be combined with a 
family cookout to thank parents for their support. Or, the 
students can create a banner that will hang in a common 
area to mark the occasion.

� Decide if and how children will be rewarded for their 
accomplishments. For example, you might give children 
colored ribbons for each completed activity or give them 
a �passport� with all the possible activities and a star for 
each activity completed.

� Measure your own success in changes in children�s attitudes, 
knowledge, or behavior. By talking to parents and 
teachers, you can learn a lot about the activities that had 
an effect and ideas to improve for next year�s event.


4



Safety First!

As an educator of young children, the safety of your students 
is your first priority. Before organizing any outside event, it is 
important to consult your school�s safety and security policies 
and procedures. Following is a list of a few suggestions to 
help ensure that your event�and everyday play�is safe and 
healthy.

� Perform a walk-through of the play area. Debris, rocks, 
water, and other hazards should be removed from play 
areas. If you are using a very large field, you might consider 
creating a smaller play area by roping or taping off 
the perimeter of the desired space.

� If any of your activities require the use of sports or protective 
equipment, be sure to inspect it to make sure it fits 
properly and is in good condition. Also, show teachers 
and volunteers how to use and sanitize the equipment 
properly.

� Create or review your emergency action plan. Every 
school should have a written emergency action plan. 
Make sure that individuals are aware of their roles in an 
emergency situation. For sample plans, visit www.cdc.
gov/Features/BeReady/ or www.naccrra.org/disaster/.

� Keep an emergency medical authorization form on 
file for each child. This form gives parental permission 
for emergency medical care, if it is required. It should 
include contact names, addresses, telephone numbers, 
and health insurance information.

� Be aware of the weather conditions and prepared to 
move children, staff, and volunteers inside or to a safe 
area in case of bad weather.

� Encourage children to drink plenty of fluids before, during, 
and after activities. Fluid breaks should be offered 
at least every 30 to 45 minutes (or more often during 
warmer conditions).

� Have well-stocked first-aid kits available at all times. 
Every school should have a first-aid kit stocked with supplies 
for wound and injury care. Athletic tape, elastic 
wraps, gauze, bandages, and antiseptic ointment should 
be included. Ice for injury care should be readily available. 
Follow your state licensing requirements for this 
first-aid kit.

� Follow your state licensing requirements about sunscreen 
and insect repellent. Remember to get written permission 
from parents before applying either to children�s skin.

� It is a good idea to remind parents of any specific dress 
preferences for your play activities (e.g., sneakers, loose-
fitting clothing, etc.). You also might want to remind 
parents that young children often get dirty when playing, 
so it is helpful to keep that in mind when choosing what 
they will wear to school. You want to be sure the children 
have appropriate clothes to fit the activities and weather.

� If you are planning an activity day, try to have a nurse 
available on the day of the event.


5



Monitoring Milestones

As early educators, you spend your day working with, playing 
with, and watching children, and you are already familiar with 
many developmental milestones.such as pointing at objects, 
smiling, and playing with others. Each child is unique, but 
sooner or later you will see a child who is not developing 
typically.

You are a trusted resource for parents! They look to you for 
information on their child, so the �Learn the Signs. Act Early.� 
campaign has created a series of resources to help you 
educate parents on the full range of child development. The 
campaign website (www.cdc.gov/actearly) has a lot of helpful 
information as you monitor developmental milestones of children 
in your classes.

� Download Materials�View or download materials 
created for early educators.Get fact sheets about developmental 
milestones for children from 3 months through 
5 years of age; developmental disabilities, including 
autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 
cerebral palsy, intellectual disability (also known as mental 
retardation), vision loss, and hearing loss; and developmental 
screening. It also includes milestones checklists 
you can print out and share with parents and tips for talking 
with them about child development. Also available 
are additional flyers to share with parents.

� Hand Out Milestones Checklists�You can print 
out our milestones checklists for parents or your staff, or 
both, to complete. These checklists note key developmental 
milestones to watch for as children reach different ages. 
Teachers (and parents) will find them helpful in monitoring 
a child�s development and identifying possible delays.

� Share the Interactive Milestones Chart�Our 
interactive chart is a great way to show parents how children 
develop. Consider mentioning this great interactive 
tool in your parent newsletter or bookmarking it on a 
parent resource computer at your center.

� Link to the �Learn the Signs. Act Early.� 
campaign�We have created a �linking kit� that allows 
you to link easily to the campaign and its resources from 
your own website. Instructions for how to do this can be 
found on our site.

� Include �Learn the Signs. Act Early.� Print 
Advertisement in Your Newsletter�We also have a 
print advertisement that would be great to include in your 
newsletter to tell parents about the campaign. Visit the 
campaign website to download the advertisement. All you 
need to do is download the PDF file and copy and paste it 
into a digital file in your newsletter to be sure the children 
have appropriate clothes to fit the activities and weather.


6



Go Out and Play! Activities

Congratulations�you�ve decided to �go out and play!� 
Now, you want to choose activities that are developmentally 
appropriate. We�ve pulled together several sample play 
activities that are fun for young children, while giving you 
the opportunity to observe important developmental milestones. 
Although monitoring children�s motor skill development 
is also very important, this kit focuses on helping 
you observe less familiar social, cognitive, and emotional 
milestones. Lists of all age-appropriate developmental 
milestones can be found at www.cdc.gov/actearly.

The following activities are designed for children 3 through 
5 years of age; toddlers younger than 3 years of age 
might enjoy some of these activities as well, but might not 
be able to engage in outdoor play to the same degree as 
children a bit older. In playing any game or engaging in 
any activity with young children, remember that safety is 
the first priority. (See Safety First tips.)

Children often will adapt the game themselves; following 
their lead can be an easy way to make sure they like what 
they are doing and get the most from the activity.

1. Scavenger Hunt�A traditional scavenger hunt easily 
can be adapted according to the age of the children. 
It also can be adapted so you can track milestones you 
normally might not be able to track during a traditional 
scavenger hunt.

� Sorts objects by shape and color: Tell the children to 
collect something green, command, and recognizing 
something blue, and something red. When they bring 
the objects to you, have them make piles of the items 
according to color. You also can substitute shapes for 
colors. 

� Understands concept of �2�: Instruct half the class to 
find two of one thing and half to find two of another. 
While they are looking, start a pile for each object. 
When students return, have them place their objects in 
the correct pile.

� Recognizes common objects or pictures: Show children 
pictures of items to collect, but do not tell them what 
the item is. For example, hold up a picture of a flower 
and say, �Find one of these� instead of saying, �Find a 
flower.�

� Follows 2- to 3-step command: Before the children 
begin their search, tell them what items to find and 
where to put the items once they�ve been found. When 
the children begin to return, do not repeat where they 
are supposed to place their items.

� Cooperates with other children: Pair the children or 
place them in small groups before sending them on their 
search. If you have pictures of the items they are looking 
for, give all the pictures to one child in each group and 
tell these children to give pictures to their team members.


The Development of Play 
Milestones to watch for at 
different ages:

At age 3: Imitating, turn taking, playing 
make believe, sorting objects by shape and 
color, understanding the concept of �2,� 
following a 2- to 3-step command, and 
recognizing pictures

At age 4: Cooperating with other children, 
negotiating solutions to conflicts, following 
3-part commands, and engaging in fantasy 
play.

At age 5: Agreeing to rules, enjoying 
singing, dancing, and acting, and wanting 
to please or be like friends.

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2. People to People�This is a game for kids who are 
learning their body parts.

 Divide the children into pairs. Call out, or have a child 
call out, a body part in the following manner: �toes to 
toes,� �arm to arm,� �knee to knee,� etc. Children then 
stand with their partner with these body parts touching. At 
any time, the caller can call out �people to people,� when 
that happens, the children should all run together into a 
group. Divide the children into new teams, and start over.

3. Three Little Pigs�You can engage children�s skills in 
imitation, pretend play, and storytelling with this role-playing 
game.

 Divide the class into roles from the story �The Three Little 
Pigs.� Several children might need to perform the same 
role. While the teacher or another student tells the story, 
the children act it out, using areas designated by the 
teacher as the three houses (e.g., an area behind a bench 
could be the house of straw, behind a tree could be the 
house of sticks, and so on). Each time the wolf �blows 
down� the �house,� all the little pigs run to the next house 
with the wolf chasing them. Each child caught by the wolf 
becomes another wolf. At the end of the story, the pigs 
can chase the wolves away.

4. Follow the Leader�This classic game builds on a child�s 
ability to imitate and the development of the concepts of 
�same� and �different.�

 Put a new spin on this familiar game by instructing the 
children to do something different than the child in front of 
them.

5. Crazy Ball�This game helps children demonstrate and 
develop skills such as direction following, imitating, turn 
taking, and being able to differentiate between concepts.

 Have the children form a line, leaving a few feet between 
each child. Using one playground-sized ball, have each 
child do something silly with the ball while passing it down 
the line. You can change the direction to alter whether the 
child with the ball does the same thing or something different 
than the child before him or her.

6. Duck, Duck, Goose�In this classic childhood game, you 
can build on a child�s ability to follow directions, awareness 
of being a boy or girl, and ability to take turns.

 Making slight changes to this old favorite can help you 
keep an eye out for some specific milestones. Tell the 
children that �it� can pick another child of the same (or 
opposite) sex only. Instead of running, instruct the children 
to hop, skip, or march when chasing the �goose.� Have 
the children make up and agree to some new facet of the 
game.

7. Playground Equipment�The playground provides many 
opportunities to see children engaging in imitating, taking 
turns, engaging in fantasy play, wanting to please and be 
like friends, and cooperating with friends.

 A great time to encourage children to use their imagination 
is when they are playing on playground equipment. 
Children on swings can fly to the moon, children on slides 
can sled down a hill, and children on a jungle gym can 
be monkeys in trees. Pull out your milestones lists, put on 
your thinking cap, and give children some hints that will 
start games that allow you to see if they are meeting their 
milestones.

8. Hide and Seek�This is a favorite game of many children. 
It is a great game that demonstrates a child�s ability 
to understand placement in space, follow directions, and 
cooperate with others.


8



Hide and Seek is a wonderful way to observe how children 
change their manner of play over time. Younger children 
often hide in obvious places.sometimes in plain view.and 
often hide in the same place a friend was just hiding. 
They also tend to give away their hiding place by saying 
things like, �You can�t find me� or giggling while they are 
being looked for. As children get older, their hiding skills 
become more advanced, and they begin to develop strategies 
to reach home base without being caught.

 You can track milestones by adding a little more structure 
to the game. For example, tell children to hide under or 
behind something, or have the seeker call out where they 
see their friends (e.g., �Joe is behind the tree.�). Place 
children in pairs or small groups and have them decide 
where the group will hide before the counting begins. 
Have the children choose and pretend to be characters 
who might look for each other (e.g., a knight searching 
for dragons or a mother duck looking for her ducklings).

9. Animal Tag�A few changes can turn this traditional 
game of tag into an easy way to monitor milestones. 
During this game, children will show their ability to follow 
directions and recognize common objects or pictures, and 
their awareness of which sex they are.

 Separate the children into small teams. Assign a different 
animal to each small team and instruct the children to act 
and make sounds like the animal throughout the game. 
When a child is tagged, they are �frozen� (must stand 
completely still). Only another child of the same �species� 
can unfreeze a frozen child. Children can identify their 
teammates by the noises they are making.

 Check on object or picture recognition by giving each 
child a picture of an animal instead of telling the child 
what animal to be.

 Tag also can be altered to include identifying which sex a 
child is by allowing only a child of the same (or opposite) 
sex to be the �unfreezer� (e.g., only boys can unfreeze 
girls, or only boys can unfreeze other boys, depending on 
how you establish the rules).

10. Dance Party�Grab a CD 
player and head outside for a 
dance party! Dance Party will 
showcase children�s ability to 
imitate and cooperate with 
others and dress themselves. 
This game also gets children 
to participate in fantasy role 
playing, singing, dancing, and acting.

 Play music and have the children dance and imitate 
each other. Watch the children imitate dance moves their 
friends are doing and cooperate as they dance together. 
Encourage children to take turns showing their friends 
their special dance moves. If possible, allow children to 
�dress up� before going outside, but make sure that their 
costumes are safe for moving around (e.g., clothes do not 
drag the ground and shoes fit properly and are safe for 
outside play).

For more information and resources related to engaging children 
in the outdoors, visit: http://www.childrennatureandyou.
org/onlineresources.html.


For Parents: Fun in the Sun

During the warm weather months, many parents also like 
to �go out and play!� with their children. To encourage 
them to monitor their child�s development during play, 
we�ve included this special section for you to pull out or 
copy for parents. The back page is an easy tear-off page 
for you to send home with parents to encourage them to 
engage in developmentally appropriate play with their children 
outside of school. Just send a copy of these activities 
home and encourage them to enjoy spending time with 
their child and watching him or her grow.

9



Tips for Talking With Parents

If you suspect that a child has a developmental delay and 
believe a parent is unaware of it, this sample conversation 
can give you ideas of how to talk with the child�s parent.

Good afternoon, Ms. Jones. We love having Taylor in 
class. He really enjoys story time and follows directions 
well. He is working hard on coloring, but is having a 
difficult time and gets frustrated. I also have noticed a 
few things about Taylor�s social skills that I would like 
to discuss with you. Do you have a few minutes? [Cite 
specific behaviors and when they occurred.]

Have you noticed any of these at home?

Ms. Jones, here is some information that shows the 
developmental milestones for a child Taylor�s age. 
Let�s plan to meet again next week [set a time] after 
you�ve had time to read it and think it over. [Provide 
information such as the fact sheets.]

Ms. Jones, I know this is hard to talk about, and I 
might be overly concerned, but I think it would also 
be a good idea to talk to Taylor�s doctor about this 
in the next few weeks. You can take this information 
with you when you go. The doctor can give Taylor 
a �developmental screening� that can answer some 
questions about his progress and whether you need 
to do anything else. Maybe there is no problem, but 
getting help early can make a big difference if there 
is, so it�s really important to find out for sure. Let me 
know if you need anything from me for that doctor�s 
appointment!

Thank you for agreeing to talk with me today. We�ll 
all do our best to help Taylor. He is a great kid!

If a parent approaches you with concerns about his or her 
child, this might help you respond.

Mrs. Smith, you wanted to speak with me privately 
about Taylor? [Listen to her concerns. See if she has 
noticed the same behaviors you have, and share 
examples that are the same as or different from 
hers.]

I am glad to know we are both on the same page. 
I have some information that might help you when 
you�re watching Taylor at home this week. This fact 

10



sheet shows the developmental milestones for his 
age. Each child develops at his or her own pace, so 
Taylor might not have met all these milestones; it�s 
worth taking a closer look. Let�s meet again next [set 
a date] after you�ve had time to read this and think 
about it. I also think it would be a good idea to talk 
with Taylor�s doctor about this in the next few weeks. 
You can take this information with when you go. The 
doctor can give Taylor a �developmental screening� 
that can answer some questions about his progress 
and whether you need to do anything else. Let me 
know if you need anything from me for that doctor�s 
appointment.

Thank you for talking with me today. We�ll all do our 
best to help Taylor. He is a great kid!

Tips for these conversations with parents:

� Highlight some of the child�s strengths, letting the parent 
know what the child does well.

� Use materials such as the �Learn the Signs. Act Early.� 
fact sheets. This will help the parent know that you are 
basing your comments on facts and not just feelings.

� Talk about specific behaviors that you have observed in 
caring for the child. Use the milestones fact sheets as 
a guide. Example: If you are telling the parent �I have 
noticed that Taylor does not play pretend games with the 
other children,� you could show the parent the line on 
the milestones fact sheet for a 4-year-old that says that a 
child that age �engages in fantasy play.�

� Try to make it a discussion. Pause a lot, giving the parent 
time to think and to respond.

� Expect that if the child is the oldest in the family, the 
parent might not have

� experience to know the milestones the child should be 
reaching.

� Listen to and watch the parent to decide on how to 
proceed. Pay attention to tone of voice and body 
language.

� This might be the first time the parent has become aware 
that the child might have a delay. Give the parent time 
to think about this and even speak with the child�s other 
caregivers.

� Let the parent know that he or she should talk with the 
child�s health care professional (doctor or nurse) soon if 
there are any concerns or more information is needed.

� Remind the parent that you do your job because you 
love and care for children, and that you want to make 
sure that the child does his or her very best. It is also 
okay to say that you �may be overly concerned,� but that 
it is best to check with the child�s doctor or nurse to be 
sure because early action is so important if there really is 
a delay.


11



Go Out and Play!

Activities for You and Your Child


Play isn�t just healthy and fun. It�s also how your child learns! Time 
spent playing can be a chance to observe your child�s development�
how he or she plays, learns, speaks, and acts. You can even 
look for milestones during playtime. Milestones are the things your 
child should be doing at different ages (see some examples in the 
box below). Keeping track of milestones is really important. It helps 
you to see if your child is developing typically for his or her age or 
if your child could be at risk for a developmental delay. Noticing a 
delay and getting help for your child as early as possible can help 
ensure that your child reaches his or her full potential. If you are 
concerned about your child�s development, don�t wait. Talk with your 
child�s doctor about your concerns. For more information about child 
development, tools for tracking milestones, and what to do when you 
are concerned, visit www.cdc.gov/actearly.

Following are a few activities that you can do with your child to 
observe his or her development. Remember to have fun and �go out 
and play!�

People to People�This game is fun for kids learning body parts. 
Call out, or have your child call out, a body part in the following 
manner: �toes to toes,� �arm to arm,� �knee to knee,� etc. Then 
stand in front of your child with the called body parts touching his 
or hers (your toes touching his or her toes, etc). Take turns being the 
caller.

Scavenger Hunt�A traditional scavenger hunt easily can be adapted 
according to your child�s age. It also can be adapted for tracking 
different milestones.

Sort objects by shape and color: Tell your child to collect 
something green, something blue, and something red. When 
he or she bring the objects to you, have him or her make piles 
of the items according to color. You also can substitute shapes 
for colors.

Understands concept of �2�: Tell your child to find two of one 
thing and two of another. While he or she is looking for the 
objects, start a pile for each object. When your child returns, 
have him or her place the objects in the correct pile.

Dance Party�Grab a music player and head outside for a dance 
party! Dance Party will showcase your child�s ability to imitate and 
cooperate with others and dress themselves. This game also gets 
your child to participate in fantasy role playing, singing, dancing, and 
acting.

Play music and dance with your child. Take turns imitating 
each other�s dance moves. Watch your child imitate dance 
moves and cooperate by taking turns with you. If possible, 
have your child �dress up� before going outside, but make 
sure that the costume is safe for moving around (e.g., clothes 
do not drag the ground and shoes fit properly and are safe 
for outside play). This game is also great for a group of children. 
Have each child take turn being the leader while the 
other children imitate his or her movements.

The Development of Play Milestones to 
watch for at different ages:

At age 3: Imitating, turn taking, playing make believe, 
sorting objects by shape and color, understanding the 
concept of �2,� following a 2- to 3-step command, and 
recognizing pictures

At age 4: Cooperating with other children, negotiating 
solutions to conflicts, following 3-part commands, and 
engaging in fantasy play.

At age 5: Agreeing to rules, enjoying singing, dancing, 
and acting, and wanting to please or be like friends.