Posting Colorful Pieces

💡 About this activity

🎯 Learning objectives

• Hold and release a piece into the box.
• Listen as an adult names colors during play.
• Explore opening and closing the box with help.

🧺 What you need

• A sturdy cardboard box with a lid or opening flap
• Two or three thick, rigid, colorful play pieces designed for the child's age and larger than the child's mouth in every
• Adult scissors for preparing the box

👣 How to do it

1. Before play, cut a wide, smooth opening in the top of the box. Make sure the pieces and your child's hand can pass through without getting stuck.
2. Place the box on the floor and sit beside your child with the pieces.
3. Show your child a piece and name its color, without asking them to repeat it.
4. Show how to drop the piece through the opening.
5. Offer one piece at a time for your child to explore and put in the box. Help as needed.
6. Open the box to reveal the pieces and invite your child to play again.
7. When you finish, put the box and pieces out of your child's reach.

🍎 Teaching suggestions

• Describe what happens: “The blue piece went in!”
• If it is tricky, move the box closer or offer the piece near the opening.
• It is fine if your child only holds or watches the piece. There is no need to get it right.
• Name the colors of large objects your child already sees at home.

🔀 Variations

💬 Talk about it

• What happened to the piece?
• Which piece would you like?
• How can we get the pieces out of the box?

👀 What to look for

• Notice whether your child holds and releases a piece into the box, with or without help.
• Notice whether your child looks, points or reacts when you show and name a piece.
• Observe how your child explores the box when you open it.