PRINT AND PLAY / 06 / SENSORY EXPLORATION
Notice, choose & describe
Explore familiar textures and movements at the child's pace, with permission to watch, choose or stop.
Give it a try.
- Offer two familiar items and invite the child to choose one, both or neither. Watching is a valid way to join.
- Notice how an item looks, moves or feels. Offer simple words such as smooth, folded, soft or still without deciding how it should feel to them.
- Ask whether they want the same item, a different one or a pause. Keep sounds optional and avoid surprising them with a new sensation.
- Finish by putting the chosen items away together. Remember the child's preference for another day without turning it into a rule they must always follow.
A QUESTION TO EXPLORE“Would you like more of this, something different, or a break?”
A SMALLER START
Keep it simple.
Stay with one familiar item. The adult can describe while the child watches.
IF THEY WANT MORE
Take it further.
Compare two things the child chooses, or invent their own descriptive words.
MAKE ROOM FOR EVERYONE
Find their way in.
Never require touch, movement or sound. This is preference-led play, not an assessment or a promise of a calming effect.
Something to remember.
The child chose… They wanted a pause when… A preference to remember is…
An optional conversation or paper note. There is no score, account or information to submit.