Parents & Guardians Form
Professionals Form
Friends & Family Form
Refer a Childrefer arrow

Encouraging Healthy Development - Healthy Development Ideas - 5 Years

Young children are busy exploring their world and discovering new things every day. And there are many things you can do to support and nurture healthy growth and development. Below, we’ve listed some specific activities to help a 5-year-old learn and grow. 

moving icon Moving - Physical or Motor Development

  • Provide opportunities for physical play.
  • Help your child climb on the monkey bars.
  • Play with balls - catching, running and kicking.
  • Visit parks, playgrounds and large indoor play spaces where your child can run and climb freely.
  • Play with toys that encourage your child to put things together.
  • Help your child learn to pump his/her legs back and forth when swinging.
  • Provide riding toys, such as a bike with training wheels or scooter.
  • Put on your child’s favorite music and have a dance party; copy each other’s moves.

talking icon Talking - Communication and Language Development

  • Read with your child every day and ask him/her to predict what will happen next.
  • Teach your child his/her address and phone number.
  • Point out familiar symbols and words for your child to know.
  • Pay attention when your child is talking and carry on a conversation with him/her.
  • Encourage your child to “read” by looking at the pictures in a book and telling a story.
  • Encourage your child to count items.

interacting icon Interacting - Social and Emotional Development

  • Catch your child being good and encourage all the things your child can do.
  • Gently and consistently help your child manage feelings and control behavior.
  • Say positive things; praise your child and what he/she is doing.
  • Give your child opportunities to play with other children.
  • Teach your child about “safe touch.”
  • Praise your child when he/she asks for things nicely and calmly takes “no” for an answer.
  • Give your child more freedom to choose activities to play with friends and let your child work out problems with friends.

thinking icon Thinking - Cognitive Development

  • Teach your child about time – morning, afternoon, evening, today, tomorrow and yesterday – and start teaching the days of the week.
  • Play with toys that encourage your child to put things together.
  • Follow your child’s interests by taking your child places such as the zoo or the library to find books on interest areas.
  • Make an activity box with paper, crayons, scissors, tape, markers, ribbon, glue stick, etc.
  • Encourage your child to draw and make art projects using different supplies.
little girl with paint all over her face and hands

If you have concerns about a child's development and think a child might need extra help to learn and grow, don't hesitate to refer a child.

The family will be contacted by the local school district to arrange for a screening or evaluation to determine if their child is eligible for Infant and Toddler Intervention or Preschool Special Education services in Minnesota.

Refer a Child

Services are free!

Regardless of:

  • Income
  • Immigration Status
All services are free regardless of income level or immigration status.
Locate services for pregnant and parenting families with young children.
phone icon You can also call 1-866-693-4769 to refer a Minnesota child.
Email helpmegrow@state.mn.us