Right from the start

Aspect: A Healthy Child Component: Emotional well-being

What you need n plastic straws n small paper or plastic plates n colour photos of faces cut from magazines n glue stick, tape What you do As children get older and more mobile, changing time is often a bit of a challenge! These feelings masks may help to keep your relationships positive.

1 Make some simple masks by sticking photos on the plates. Attach a straw to each and keep them in a special tub or container near the changing area.

2 At changing time, offer the collection of masks to the child, so they can look at the faces and talk to them.

3 Sometimes, put one of the masks in front of your face and then pop out from behind it making a face with the same expression. This will probably result in much fun!

Another idea: Put some feelings face masks in the role play area.

Ready for more?

* Use a slip-in photo album to make a collection of faces from magazines, photos of children pulling faces, clowns, masks, etc. Use the book to talk through feelings, or let the children explore it on their own.

Individual needs

* Introduce masks with care - some children may be confused or frightened.

* Make your expressions and voice more exaggerated for children with perceptual or communication difficulties.

* Let older children choose from two or three different masks to experiment with.

Tiny tip: Some children find masks very scary. Restrict the use to happy faces until the fear has been overcome.

Watch, listen, reflect

* Watch how individuals respond to the masks. Do they hold them in front of their faces or just look at them?

* Note any words, sounds or copying of the expressions.

* Look at how children choose and decide how to play with the mask.

Working together Parents could:

* make some of these simple masks at home, using card from cereal boxes instead of plates;

* draw children's attention to expressions on faces in books and magazines.

Practitioners could:

* display photos of children with different expressions;

* add some puzzles and posters of faces to the collections in the setting and for loan to parents.

What are they learning?

Are they n looking at faces? n making choices? n learning names of feelings? n playing in role?

This leads to n role play n understanding feelings n experimenting Taken from Me and You (Little Baby Books, series 4, Featherstone Education, 17.99 per series). The four series, each with four books, cover the four aspects and 16 components of Birth To Three Matters. To order copies, call 0185 888 1212 or visit www.featherstone.uk.com