Object inquiry skills
A young infant looks at small toys as part of brief play with a caregiver.
Hold an infant on your lap in a sitting position, with the infant’s back fully supported by leaning against you. Place one hand on the infant’s chest to prevent him/her from tipping forward. Use your arm to support the infant’s head, if needed.
Invite the infant to play by saying his/her name and talking with a happy and quiet voice. Example: “Let’s look at a toy, Shawn. I think you will like this toy.” Use the following sequence to help the infant explore a toy:
At this age, an infant may focus on a toy for a few seconds. Repeat the sequence with the second toy if the infant is calm and alert.
If the infant needs help calming, hold him/her while gently swaying side to side. Talk or hum quietly. Example: “Seeing the toy and hearing my voice were exciting for you. You looked away, so I put away the toy.”
Non-mobile infants are generally alert for short periods of time. There may be a few minutes to engage in a play activity after the infant has had food or bottle and feels comfortable. Another good time for brief play with some infants is upon waking. Introducing a toy-focused play activity is generally not helpful to an infant who is tired or fussy.
Watch the infant’s visual attention to a toy. Remember that looking is a way to explore an object. A young infant typically will be able to clearly see an object that is about 12 inches away. Use a slow pace to allow the infant to see the shape and color of the toy. Most young infants will not be able to reach for or grasp a small object.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
An infant participates in guided play with opportunities to reach for and manipulate different toys.
Be Prepared: The activity description uses a toy bear and a turtle as examples. Use two different toys that you anticipate will appeal to the infant. Use toys with different textures if you expect this will be of interest to the infant.
[Sit on the floor facing an infant who can sit alone. Begin the interaction by describing the infant’s actions. Example: “Adrianna, you are looking at me with your big brown eyes. You are watching what I am doing.”]
[Hold one toy within easy reach of the infant and within the infant’s line of vision. Do not place the toy in the infant’s hand without first providing a chance for the infant to reach for the toy.]
Here is a soft little toy. Our toy is a bear.
[Playfully describe the toy. Focus on aspects of the toy that seem to be of particular interest to the infant. Examples: “The teddy bear has a big nose.” “I think you are looking at the bear’s ears. The bear has soft ears.”]
Would you like to hold our bear?
[Encourage the infant to grasp the soft bear. Describe the infant’s actions. Respond to the infant’s vocalizations, leaving pauses for the infant to respond.
If the infant does not take the bear, playfully tip it from side to side and pretend the bear is talking or singing. Move the toy close to the infant and ask again “Do you want to hold the bear?” Continue to describe the toy and the infant’s actions. Examples: “The bear is soft.” “You are pulling on his ear.” “You are feeling the bear’s nose.”
If the infant is holding and/or manipulating the first toy, offer the second toy in the same manner you offered the first toy. Describe the toy with a playful voice. Example: “This is a turtle. The turtle has eyes.” Move the turtle toy close to the infant and ask “Do you want to hold our turtle?” Pause for the infant to respond.
If the infant looks, but does not reach for the toy turtle, playfully tip it from side to side and pretend the turtle is talking. If the infant looks away from the toy, put it down. Pause and observe to determine infant’s interest. Follow the infant’s cues about what to do next.
The infant may hold a toy in each hand. Point to and describe what the infant is doing. Example: “You are holding two toys. You have one soft bear in this hand and a turtle in your other hand.”
Describe the feel of each toy. Emphasize bumpy turtle and soft bear.
If the infant drops one toy, pick it up and hold it so he/she can see the toy. If the infant wishes to reach out and grasp the toy again, encourage him/her to “get the toy.” Put the toy aside if the infant shows no interest in it.
Continue the activity as long as the infant remains interested.]
[Offer a brief summary of what the toys look like and what the infant did with each one. Example: “We played with a soft bear and a turtle. You held the bear’s soft foot. You made a singing sound and shook the little turtle.”]
Notice what the infant looks at during the activity and, as suggested in the activity plan, build your description of the toy(s) on what seems to be the focus of the infant’s gaze. Keep in mind that the infant’s eyes may be fixed mostly on you and your actions rather than on the toy. Although the goal of the activity is to help an infant strengthen his/her ability to focus on objects, there also are opportunities for the infant to practice reaching, grasping, and manipulating an object. Infants will differ in their readiness to hold one or more items. Some infants may grasp one toy and release it when the second toy is presented. Some infants will hold the first toy and grasp the second toy with the opposite hand. Infants often shake toys and explore the texture by bringing it to their mouth. As described in the ELM Curriculum User Guide: Birth–36 Months, mobile infants may “take off” with the toy! Be patient in awaiting their return.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
Infants strengthen their ability to look at different objects.
Be Prepared: Create discovery bottles for infants by putting a variety of small craft items into non-breakable bottles and securing the lids. Provide bottles with contrasting weight and different items. Water makes a bottle heavier and makes items inside float. Bottles with only light items inside offer a contrast infants will notice. Be sure to secure all lids with glue and tape.
Place all the bottles in a box or basket and invite several mobile infants to explore the toys. Sit on the floor facing the infants. If singing at the beginning of an informal gathering is a routine in your room, sing a favorite song. Invite the infants to remove the bottles from the box. An infant who is walking may enjoy carrying one or both bottles from place to place.
Talk about the bottles and encourage the infants’ exploration. Describe and draw attention to what is inside the bottle. Example: “Look at what is inside this bottle. This bottle has a feather inside.” Pause for an infant to respond. Point to the bottle you are describing. Some infants may focus on putting bottles into the box and taking them out again. Draw attention to the differences and similarities of the bottles. Describe each infant’s actions.
Notice how infants manage this open-ended play activity. As suggested in the activity description, some infants may focus on a bottle’s contents, whereas other infants may enjoy moving the bottles around. To help infants focus on bottle contents, describe items in the bottle or characteristics of the bottle, including differences in bottles. Example: Point and say “this one is light.” Touch or point to a water-filled bottle and tell the infant “It is heavy.” To support infants who move the bottles around, talk about their actions or arrangements they may make with the bottles. Example: If an infant is interested in gathering the bottles, emphasize the concept of more bottles. You may also observe an infant moving the sensory bottles to a basket or cart to push.
Infants who crawl may enjoy pushing the bottles on the floor to make them roll. The craft items in liquid will move differently than small objects in an empty bottle. Walking infants will notice the difference in the weight and feel of the bottles while carrying them.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials needed: see activity description
Provide materials for infants to look at and manipulate. Non-mobile infants will enjoy exploring small rattles and books with textures, such as Baby Touch and Feel Cuddly Animals by D.K. Publishing. Rattles with handles and soft toys, such as texture bears or cloth dolls, will appeal to early mobile infants. Mobile infants typically like to play with stacking cups that include soft play materials inside that they can remove. Mobile infants also like to explore texture books, such as Baby Touch and Feel First Words by D.K. Publishing.
Materials needed: puppets, soft toys, dolls or teddy bears, tub, sand, water
Children of all ages enjoy looking at, touching, and manipulating novel things. Preschool- and school-age children may enjoy playing with puppets or other soft toys while you engage an infant in Option 1 or 2. Consider setting up a tub with dry sand and giving toddlers and preschool-age children small amounts of water to add to the sand. Talk with children about how sand feels when it is dry and when it is damp. Preschool-age and older children will enjoy learning how to use a mold to form a shape with wet sand.
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