# Ten-minute play, real life

Twenty small play invitations for busy Australian families and early childhood
educators. Start with a sock, a cup, a bit of paper or something you can see
from a window. Each idea takes about ten minutes: a minute to set up, several
minutes to play, then a short “what shall we try next?” The child can stop,
repeat or change the plan. No device, purchase, worksheet or score is needed.

This is a **play starter pack**, not a formal syllabus, developmental test or
school-readiness promise. The [Early Years Learning Framework V2.0](SOURCE_NOTES.md)
informs the broad approach to child agency, play, communication and
observation. The Queensland QKLG 2024 is additional inspiration for
Queensland settings; it is not asserted as the rule for all Australia. Local
educator review is pending.

## A five-week path that fits real life

Choose up to four days each week. A fifth day can be a repeat, a child's own
idea or no planned activity. The order is a suggestion. If a week is busy,
pick one; there is no catch-up. Keep the materials in a small box only if
that makes life easier. The [week map](five-week-map.svg) can go on a fridge
or noticeboard without becoming a reward chart.

| Week | Focus | Four ten-minute invitations |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Start with what is nearby | [01 Sock detectives](cards/01-sock-detectives.md) · [02 Cup builders](cards/02-cup-builders.md) · [03 Window watcher](cards/03-window-watcher.md) · [04 Doorway path](cards/04-doorway-path.md) |
| 2 | Let routines become play | [05 Table helper](cards/05-table-helper.md) · [06 Container match](cards/06-container-match.md) · [07 Mystery object](cards/07-mystery-object.md) · [08 Sound or quiet map](cards/08-sound-or-quiet-map.md) |
| 3 | Notice the outside world | [09 Fallen leaf studio](cards/09-fallen-leaf-studio.md) · [10 Cloud story](cards/10-cloud-story.md) · [11 What changed?](cards/11-what-changed.md) · [12 Tiny route map](cards/12-tiny-route-map.md) |
| 4 | Make, test, change | [13 Paper slider](cards/13-paper-slider.md) · [14 Window collage](cards/14-window-collage.md) · [15 Ramp roll](cards/15-ramp-roll.md) · [16 Pattern maker](cards/16-pattern-maker.md) |
| 5 | Share an idea, then choose again | [17 Toy parking](cards/17-toy-parking.md) · [18 Describe and find](cards/18-describe-and-find.md) · [19 Mirror moves](cards/19-mirror-moves.md) · [20 Pick, repeat, change](cards/20-pick-repeat-change.md) |

## Make the ten minutes easy

- **Put out only what you need.** Choose large, safe, familiar things. Keep
  small pieces away from younger children nearby. Check for sharp edges,
  loose batteries or magnets, breakable glass, hot items and choking hazards.
- **Give the child a real choice.** The [play-mode cards](play-mode-cards.svg)
  offer “look, talk, touch, move, make, or my idea.” Speech, home language,
  signed language, gesture, AAC and directing an adult are all ways to take
  part. There are no translated instructions in this pack; any future
  translation needs a fluent human review.
- **Keep it screen-free by default.** A few cards mention an optional local
  photo or recording to revisit an idea. Do not upload children's images or
  create an account for this pack.
- **Notice, then respond.** A useful note is concrete: “She tried two ramps
  and kept the slower one.” Ask what the child noticed. Do not score the
  activity or compare children.
- **Stay with the child.** Outdoor and household activities need the adult's
  usual supervision. Adapt every idea to family, setting, weather, mobility
  and sensory comfort. Choose a window view or indoor version when outside
  is unavailable.

The [two visual aids have full text alternatives](VISUALS_TEXT.md). Both are
original, black on white, low-ink A4 SVGs with printable PDFs. The source
cards are Markdown for an accessible text route.

## Reuse and review

Original cards, visual aids and text are © NeuroForgeIO Pty Ltd 2026,
[CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). You may share or
adapt them, including commercially, with attribution, a link to the licence
and a notice of changes. The visual build code is
[Apache-2.0](https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0). See
[rights](RIGHTS.md), [source boundaries](SOURCE_NOTES.md) and the
[item-level manifest](asset-manifest.json). The pack needs local educator and
accessibility review before a classroom-ready claim. No government authority
endorses it.