Pretend Play
Pots and Pans Parade
Turn the kitchen into a marching band and parade through the house.
Ages 3 to 8
15 minutes
Save as PDF from your print menu.
Get ready
2 minutes. Pull out two plastic bowls or small pots and two wooden spoons.
What you’ll need
Two plastic bowls or lightweight pots, two wooden spoons. Optional: a scarf for a flag.
Let’s play
1. Hand out the instruments and agree on a parade route through two or three rooms.
2. Start a simple beat. Tap, tap, rest. Let your kid copy it, then let them lead one.
3. March the route. Change speed when the drum major (your kid) shouts fast or slow.
4. Add a stop where the parade has to tiptoe past a sleeping dragon, then burst back into the beat.
5. Finish with a big final bang and a bow for the audience of stuffed animals.
Your part in the adventure
Be the loudest, most enthusiastic band member who still follows the drum major’s orders.
What they’re discovering
They’re keeping a beat, leading a group, and switching between loud and quiet, fast and slow, on command.
Before you begin
Lightweight bowls and pots only, nothing cast iron or with sharp rims. Clear the route of toys and cords, and keep the volume where ears are comfortable.
Keep the idea going
Younger kids can clap instead of carrying an instrument. Ages 6 to 8 can invent a parade song with three words. If energy runs out, end with a slow motion victory lap.
Every child is different. Adjust activities for their age and abilities, and stay close by. These are play ideas, not medical or developmental advice.