Playing games through touch

These activities are for children aged 3-4 years.

Safety first

What you'll need

Everyday items such as fabrics, papers and cardboard, plastic milk bottle lids

Tips

• Matching textures games are fun and simple to create. As you develop your own, you can gradually introduce new cards for your child to keep things fresh and fun.
• Always create an organised play space, using a tray is helpful to ensure that the cards do not drift out of reach.

Activity

• Make two copies of each texture by securely glueing to the card or inside a plastic milk bottle top. As your child gets used to the activity, you could extend the number of cards and textures.
• Pass your child one card and encourage them to describe it. You may need to model new language to your child, for example, "This card feels scratchy, smooth, silky."
• Encourage your child to scan visually  from left to right or ask them to use touch to locate and explore each card. Give your child time to check if their new card matches the one in their hand. Reassure your child to use all of their senses to do so.
• Model the amount of time your child should take, encourage a careful, systematic approach and celebrate when together when any person playing the game finds a matching set.
• Take turns, use the same techniques, and keep the activity fun.
• To extend this activity, you could put matching objects in a bag and take turns to reach in and select two cards which match.