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Imagine · Wild and Tumble activity

This is not a stick

It's a wand! A spoon! A horse! One stick, endless ideas.

  • 10 min total
  • Low mess
  • Ages 2–5*
  • Indoors or out
  • Any season
Let's do this

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 2 min to find a stick · 7 min to play · 1 min to tidy. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • One smooth, short stick each, checked by an adult

Let's begin

Four simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Hold up your stick and say, "This is not a stick, it's a..."

  2. Little one leads

    Your child finishes the sentence and acts it out. A toothbrush? A fishing rod? A magic wand?

  3. Together

    Take turns. How many ideas can you think of?

  4. Pick a favourite and play with it for a while.

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

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