You’ll need
- A cardboard box, like a shoebox
- Scissors
- A variety of objects with different textures, like soft fur, smooth plastic, wood and metal
What to do
- Cut a hole in the side of the box – large enough for your child to reach in with their hands, but not so big that they can easily see in.
- Secretly place an object in the box, then ask your child if they can tell what it is just by touching – no peeking!
- When they’ve guessed, they can peek in or open the lid to see if they are right.
- Change the game by putting smelly things in the box, like a banana or a piece of bread. Ask your child to sniff to find out what it is.
Questions to ask
Can you tell what it is?
Is it hard or soft, big or small, smooth or rough?
What does it smell like?
What's happening
Children love to touch. This activity lets children practise using different senses to explore the world.
They must also use their thinking skills to interpret what they’re touching and match it to an object they’ve seen.
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