How can I play “Pick Up Toys” with my child?
By Down Syndrome Digital ·
Suggested age: 21–25 months
About this activity
Activity: Pick Up Toys — a short, child-led play idea for children with Down syndrome aged 21–25 months. Follow your child’s cues and enjoy the activity at their pace.
These steps are invitations to play, not therapy or a milestone test. Choose a comfortable, stable position, supervise closely, and pause whenever your child needs a break.
What can this activity invite?
This activity may offer opportunities to notice:
• Understand the general word: toys.
• Follow an adult’s request.
• Gather toys into one large container.
• Walk, bend over, and squat.
• Move in the required direction.
• Participate in tidying up — understand that the toys are collected.
What do I need for this activity?
A comfortable, stable place to play and the familiar items named in the steps. Choose materials made for your child’s age and ability; keep small parts, loose strings, plastic bags, and balloons away from babies and young children.
How do I play this activity?
1. Try this together
Say to your baby, "Let's pick up the toys and then watch a cartoon!" Give the child a cart or a wheeled box they can push in front of them. Show how to put toys into the cart: "We'll put the toys here." (pointing gesture). Place the first toy while commenting, "your grown-up put the bunny. The bunny is in the cart.
2. Say to your baby, "Now you put a toy here." (pointing gesture)
When the child puts a toy in, praise them: "Good job! You put the bear! The bear is in the cart." Continue collecting toys as you move around the room: "Let's go on!" Comment on what you put in together: "We put the bear, we put the car." Repeat from time to time, "We are picking up the toys!
3. Try this together
When all the toys are collected, summarize: "We put away all the toys: the bear, the bunny, the kitty, the car, the ball." Suggest, "Take the toys to (name the place), and we'll watch a cartoon." Sit with the child in a chair and watch the cartoon together.
Frequently asked questions
Does my child need to finish every step?
No. Follow your child’s interest and stop whenever they need a break. There is no correct pace or required outcome.
What if my child is not interested today?
That is okay. Pause, try another activity, or return another day. Looking away or turning away is a cue to give your child space.
How long should we play?
There is no set duration. A short, comfortable moment is enough; stop if your child seems tired, distressed, or uncomfortable.
Is this therapy or a developmental assessment?
No. This is a play invitation, not therapy, a milestone target, or an assessment. It does not replace advice from your child’s clinicians.
Can I adapt this activity for my child?
Yes. Keep it comfortable and child-led. For questions about feeding, oral-motor skills, bath safety, positioning, or movement, use guidance from your child’s own care team.