Small world play nurtures creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking through imaginative, hands-on exploration. These compact setups are easy to create, space-saving, and perfect for homes or classrooms. Using simple materials like natural loose parts and toy figurines, the 10 creative ideas featured here—from jungle adventures to minibeast habitats—offer endless opportunities for interactive, educational fun for children of all ages.

Dinosaurs are a popular playtime theme among children. Many enjoy learning facts and information about these fascinating creatures that once roamed the earth. They also enjoy pretend play to act out their knowledge and ideas about these creatures. We have three easy ways you can set up a dinosaur small world to spark imagination and continue a budding interest in this exciting and mysterious theme of dinosaurs. Read along to get some new ideas for your own dino-enthusiasts.

Fairies are a true favourite theme for kids to play. Setting up a Fairyland small world can be simple and provide hours of fun. Set up Fairyland with your child or set it up as a play surprise. You could include a fairy house, fairy garden, wicked river, mystical forest and gnome’s cave. This easy fairy activity doesn’t need fairy toys, use the free download to print fairy cut outs to use to create your own Fairyland.