- Gather together a range of small bags, pockets and sacks of different textures, patterns and colours; and multiple small items, such as shuttlecocks, air-flow balls, feathers, strings of beads, chalks, pencils, crayons and small notepads.
- Put around 15 of the same item in each of the bags and place them in an area for the children to discover and explore.
- Allow the children to select and explore the bags, and when appropriate, talk to them a little about what they are doing. Remember not to interrupt their engagement with idle chatter.
- Vary the activity by placing a selection of items in the same sack. You could, for example, provide a 'nature' bag containing a twig, leaf, grasses, moss and herbs. Or, link the contents to the senses - perhaps provide a 'noise' bag with wrist bells, animal noise pots, scrunchy paper, squeakers and bead bracelets.
- The bags and content can be used to respond to children's interest and build on their play or to introduce ideas and support the development of specific skills.
On the mat
Provide five or six sucker mats in shapes, such as a flower, frog, car and star, and a range of small items for children to balance on the suckers, such as raisins, small balls, marbles, grapes and small piece of soaps.
