Exploratory play – Touch; Shape and Texture

Sometimes we plan and prepare play with Daisy. Sometimes her play is in an instant, led by her curiosity to find out about the world around her. So when Mummy had some felt to make up the Very Hungry Caterpillar costume, Daisy wanted to have some felt too.
Daisy took some of the large pieces and sat examining them, touching the pieces, investigating the surface texture, the shape and the bright colours.

Noticing Daisy’s interest in the felt, Mummy also cut some shapes from the felt. More felt for Daisy to investigate, manipulating these shapes to find out about them and then deciding to finish her play with the felt by placing all the shapes into a large sieve. Ready for her to play with them on another day.

This kind of exploratory play is giving Daisy an opportunity to gather information about the felt and it’s also giving her skills to use to understand her environment. And this touching and investigating can happen around the home – in the kitchen when the saucepan drawer is open, beside the washing machine when you fill it with laundry, even by the front door where pairs of shoes are lined up.