12+ months

• Introduce the First Friends play house by showing your child the front of the house and pointing out its features such as front door, roof, windows etc. Encourage independent exploration of the house but if necessary show how the house opens up to reveal the inside.
• Assist your child in arranging the fences and furniture and place the First Friend inside. Show your tot that the door opens, just like a real house! If your child hasn't already discovered First Friends, demonstrate the character's moving, clicking parts too.
• Encourage independent play.
• Encourage your child to play with the character inside and outside the house - relate it to your own house and the activities you do there.
• Show your child how to close the house up and encourage them to tidy up the pieces into the house when they have finished playing.



18+ months

• Encourage your child to open out the house by themselves and arrange the items inside.
• Talk about the appearance of the house - introduce younger children to new language such as roof, chimney, windows, fence, garden path. etc.
• Ask older children to tell you what all these features do and why they are useful to us - eg, the windows let in light so the house isn't too dark inside.
• You may like to bring in other First Friends characters and pets and ask your child to talk about the family that might live there.
• Encourage your child to pack and tidy up the house after he/she has finished playing and to lift it by its easy carrying handle.
• Encourage your child to use his or her imagination to play. Let your child take the lead but help with ideas/scenarios if necessary. Prompt your child to use the outside as well as the inside - the First Friends family might like tea in their garden! Help your child create a colourful and imaginative world!

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