Scarves
Create a collection of scarves
Vary: * the size * colour and * fabric, including cotton, silky, muslin (or similar), open-weave and wool.
Wash them all carefully before using them.
Exploring…scarves
Provide a basket of fabric pieces for children to explore. Place the pieces side by side, touching them, describing them and inviting the children to join in. Explore with your hands and then your feet – take off your own socks and shoes and join in the explorations.
Rub your cheek with the various scarves, then brush them gently over children’s faces and arms to explore the different textures.
Hang the scarves from a ribbon ‘washing line’ over changing areas, from tables or between chairs to that children can touch them with their hands and toes. Lie on the floor with the children and stretch up to touch the scarves with your toes.
Head outdoors and watch the scarves moving in the breeze – sit on a rug together and hold them up to the wind, hang them from a washing line, dance around the garden with them.
Look through the scarves. Can you see anything?
Play peek-a-boo using the scarves. Cover your own head or that of the child then snatch it away with a look of surprise.
Play ‘hide and seek’ by covering and uncovering small objects with a scarf to develop children’s object permanence.
Pull scarves through tubes.
Use scarves while sharing a song or listening to music with a child – wave them slowly/quickly, high above your head/from side to side, etc.
Other fabrics
Create a collection of fabrics
Vary: * the size – from knitted blankets, face clothes and towels to small swatches of fabric * colour * pattern * texture – from silk and velvet to coarse and fluffy wools * shade – such as shades of green and autumnal yellows, oranges and reds.
Wash them all carefully before using them.
Exploring…
Some pieces of fabric can be displayed and used in the same way as scarves (see above).
Create dens by draping lengths of fabric over clothes horses. Or create toddler tents by weaving fabrics through bamboo frames. Be creative and use fabrics of similar or complementary shades, textures and patterns.
Drape fabrics or net around the walls or from the ceiling and attach such items as balloons, feathers, ribbons or leaves.
Cut fabrics of different textures into small pieces, then throw some gently, like confetti, into the air. Let them fall to the ground or floor or on your face. Encourage the children to stand and throw small fabric pieces with you – this is a good introduction to throwing and catching objects.
Place a selection of brushes on a large piece of material and draw up the four corners to hide them. Slowly reveal the collection, explore each of the objects (their different shapes, textures, etc) and how how they are used. Sing 'This is the way we brush our hair/teeth' and so on depending on the brush selected. You could also provide a selection of face clothes and towels and sing ‘This is the way we wash/dry our face’.
Make a variety of fabric bags and fill them with textured objects for children to feel with their hands or toes. Include, for example, tinsel, cones, pom-poms, fur fabric, wooden or marble eggs, then sort into rough and smooth.
Drape a large piece of fabric over a basket (box or tub) and fill with balls (or cones, etc). Invite the children to pull all corners of the fabric at the same time and watch the balls ‘jump’ from the box. Gather up the balls together and repeat the game.
Attach a range of bows, ribbons and beads securely to coloured facecloths. Use to play peek-a-boo or allow babies to manipulate the decorations – make they are well secured and provide close supervision at all times.
Set up an area with pillows, quilts, cushions, scatter rugs, covers and blankets that the children can touch, bury themselves in, crawl around in or rest on.
Blow up about 40 balloons half full and place them inside a single duvet cover. Invite small groups of children to roll gently over the quilt and side to side.
When using these suggestions, make sure that your resources are clean and safe for young children and that the activity is age appropriate - the ideas outlined cover the birth to three age range
Based on ideas by Alice Sharp, managing director of training and resources company, Experiential Play, http://www.experientialplay.com
