Object inquiry skills
A young infant looks at a mobile and other objects during a caregiver-guided tour of the room.
Be Prepared: This activity is an opportunity for you to take one infant at a time on a brief tour of items in your room, with special focus on a mobile. An existing mobile may be used. Alternatively, use ribbon to hang a few familiar toys from a 12” length of dowel. Hang the toys where the infant can see them when held by a caregiver.
Hold an infant who is not yet reaching toward objects in a secure manner that provides a strong opportunity to fix his/her gaze on objects in the room, including the mobile.
[Pick up an infant who is alert and seems ready to engage in interaction. Say “hello” in a gentle voice.]
Let’s look at some things in our room.
[Carry the infant slowly and intentionally around your room. Stop frequently and encourage the infant to look at objects. Point to and name the object, especially objects that attract the infant’s attention.
Describe each object that interests the infant. Examples: “This is a paper butterfly. It has bright colors.” “I see you are looking at the edge of the door. We can see a light color next to a dark color.”
Carry the infant to the mobile.]
Here is a mobile. Our mobile has pretty colors.
[Describe the mobile and infant’s response. Example: “I see some animal shapes. I think you are looking at the red dog.”
Encourage the infant to look at the mobile’s movements. If necessary, blow on or touch the mobile lightly to initiate movement.]
Would you like to touch the mobile?
We will move closer so you can reach the mobile.
[Move the infant close enough to swipe at the mobile, if he/she wishes.
Describe shapes and colors on the mobile. Stay close to the mobile for about 30 seconds.
Describe the infant’s responses. Examples: “You are looking at the mobile. Your legs and arms are moving and your eyes are wide. I think you like to look at the mobile.” “You moved your hand and arm and made the mobile move.”]
We walked around our room together. We stopped to talk about interesting things in our room.
[Name the items that caught the infant’s attention.]
You had fun looking at a mobile.
[Describe the infant’s reactions to the mobile.]
Reflect on the way people behave at a museum or an antique car show. Some individuals move slowly, looking carefully at each item, whereas others move more quickly. Be attentive to differences in the pace each infant prefers for touring the room. Some infants may like a leisurely tour with time to focus on one or two single objects. Other infants may enjoy the motion of being carried and may want to move and see things at a faster pace. Your responsive actions, including language, are key to supporting the infant’s learning in this activity.
An infant may initially look at an object and then look away. You may notice an infant lean toward colorful shapes. When the infant is interested in the colorful shapes, you may notice his/her legs and arms moving. Some infants open their mouth when in contact with an interesting object. These movements are indicators the infant finds an object attractive.
Physical skills develop rapidly during infancy. Some infants may have the ability to swipe at the mobile or grasp the mobile toys. You may see younger infants enjoy looking at the mobile, or reaching their hands toward the mobile.
Infants have individual ways of letting you know “I’ve had enough.” Be aware of how much novelty each infant can manage without feeling overwhelmed. Looking away, frowning, or fussing may be signals to change activities.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
An infant looks at and manipulates similar soft toys.
This activity is designed for an infant who can readily grasp an item. Display the container of soft toys and invite the infant to look at some toy animals that live in a sea. Sit facing the infant if he/she can sit without support. Sit on the floor and provide support with your legs if the infant is not yet sitting independently.
Place the container of soft toys in front of the infant. Encourage the infant to look at what is inside the container. Some infants may reach for the soft toys, and other infants may express surprise and delight looking into the container.
Take signals from the infant about how to proceed with the activity. If the infant begins to remove the sea creatures, encourage him/her to get another one. Describe the infant’s actions. Example: “Deondre, you are taking the toy fish out of the container! Do you see more things inside the container?”
Offer short descriptions of items. Examples:
Also describe the infant’s actions. Examples:
You may wish to imitate the infant’s actions, such as shaking a toy, if you anticipate this would not distract the infant from exploring the toys. Pace the activity so the infant has time to hold and manipulate as many toys as he/she wishes.
The key aspect of the activity is exploration of the materials. Encourage the infant in the way he/she is playing with the toys. Allow the infant to lead the activity. Some infants may be interested in removing all of the items, and other infants may take out one item at a time and examine it closely. Playing with the container may be of interest to some infants. There are many ways to play with the soft toys and container. The colors and noise-making features of the four sea creatures are likely to be appealing to infants.
Mobile infants have experience with toys that are hard and soft. The container may introduce a new idea; toys can be in the container and toys can be taken out of the container.
ELM does not recommend coaxing an infant to play with the toys in a particular way. Simply observe the infant’s actions and talk about what is most interesting to him/her. The activity may go on for several minutes. Bring the activity to a close when you see the infant losing interest.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
An infant looks at and manipulates different types of toys.
Be Prepared: Place the two bells in the container with the four soft sea creatures.
Mobile infants will enjoy a game of finding and exploring two types of toys presented in a container. Begin by sitting on the floor facing an infant who sits well without support. Place the container of toys in front of the infant. Invite the infant to explore the contents of the container. Wait for the infant to respond.
Some infants may be excited to reach inside the container. Other infants may benefit from a demonstration.
Observe the infant as he/she begins to explore the contents of the container. Some infants may be intent on removing all the toys, whereas others may remove one soft toy or bell and spend time exploring its properties. Describe the infant’s actions. Example: “You found a bell. It makes sounds when you shake it.” Point to your ears and say “I hear our bell.”
If the infant removes all the toys, talk about what appears to interest him/her the most. Draw attention to the differences between the soft toys and the hard bell. Also, draw attention to how the two different types of toys can make a noise. Demonstrate shaking a toy that rattles and shaking a bell. Encourage the infant to shake each one. Emphasize key descriptive and action words as you talk with the infant, such as soft, hard, shake, and ring. Join the infant in ringing bells together.
If there is a pause in the activity, hold a bell and soft toy in your palms. Offer both to the infant. Ask “Do you want a bell or a sea creature?” Support a back-and-forth interaction with the infant.
Becoming mobile represents a big change for an infant. Crawling allows an infant to move toward objects and get ahold of them. Often infants shake and mouth new objects they encounter. Providing a variety of materials and textures stimulates curiosity and exploration. Maintaining your focus on the infant’s intentions and exploration is one way to support the important work that engages infants. Learning about the properties of objects, such as soft and hard, cool, warm, sound producing and quiet, requires an infant to focus his/her attention on play. By staying close and paying attention, the infant is encouraged to explore and gets the message what he/she does is important. Describing each object and action helps an infant become more aware of language and further supports cognitive development.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: mobiles, small toys, board book, art cards, play mat, hanging toys, cloth bag with stacking rings, soft vehicles and animals
Place mobiles in novel spots in your room. Encourage nonmobile infants to watch and reach for mobiles. On another day, arrange small toys infants can view, touch, and/or manipulate. Infants may bring objects to the mouth to explore textures and shapes. When the infant is done with the toy, put the toy in a basket to be washed. Open a board book and place it on the floor close to a nonmobile infant to see. Hang infant art cards for infants to view.
For an early mobile infant who is learning to reach, a simple play mat with flexible arches can be used during floor play. An infant’s development is supported by offering one or two hanging toys. Place several small toys in a dish or basket on the floor near an infant who is beginning to roll over and creep.
Place interesting play materials in containers for mobile infants to discover. Example: a cloth bag with stacking rings. Arrange soft vehicles and animals at a level crawling infants can explore. Infants who can stand will enjoy being able to reach a hanging toy by himself/herself. Display books in several areas of the room. Exploration will be more focused when infants have a few well-chosen playthings. Too many toys can distract infants from prolonged exploration.
Materials Needed: magazines, tape, flashlights
The goal of helping infants visually attend to objects may be easily extended to older children in a family child care setting. Young children enjoy looking intentionally and finding things. Play an I Spy game during play periods indoors or outside. Adapt the clues to the age of the children, remembering most toddlers will not know color names. Examples of I Spy items for toddlers include a soft bear and a firetruck. Examples of I Spy items for preschool-age and older children include something purple and a toy emergency vehicle.
Another option is to cut pictures from magazines and tape them to your ceiling. Let children shine flashlights on the pictures, or simply lay on the floor to identify the images.
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