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Topic “Learning and Engagement”
Shifts Attention to another Task or Activity
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Attention Shifting Through Imitation – Familiar toys or materials the child enjoys. | 1. Imitate your child’s current play. 2. Slowly introduce a small change in your own play (e.g. moving to a different toy). 3. Wait to see if your child notices and follows the shift. | Changes should be small and predictable. |
| Sensory Bridge Activity – Two activities with shared sensory features (e.g. water play to bubbles, textured toys). | Linking sensory experiences supports smoother transitions. Observe sensory regulation carefully. Withdraw if the child becomes distressed. | |
| Side-by-Side Activity Change - Two simple activities placed next to each other (e.g. puzzle and blocks). | Model interest rather than instructing. Avoid verbal demands. Accept partial attention or brief glances as successful shifts. |
Uses special interests to engage positively in activities
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporate characters or special objects into learning Character toy or laminated print out of favourite TV or film character | Incorporate your child's favourite character into free flow learning, e.g. 1) If you are learning "We're going on a Bear Hunt", allow the character to go through the grass, mud river etc. 2) If you are learning Three Little Pigs and playing with toy houses, allow the character to visit the houses. 3) If you are learning transport, using a train set, use a laminate of the character and blu tac to allow them to ride the train. | Try to retain elements of the whole class learning so that your child is having new experiences related to the theme. |
| Special Interest Play Session – Toys, objects or media linked to the child’s special interest (e.g. trains, dinosaurs, animals, letters, numbers, cars). | Follow your child’s lead and do not direct the play. Use the interest as motivation for shared attention and enjoyment. Avoid removing or changing materials too quickly. | |
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Investigates items and activities
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sound-Making Toy Exploration Toys that make sounds (rattle, bell, crinkle toy) | 1. Briefly activate the toy to gain interest, then pause. 2. Let your child explore by shaking, tapping, or squeezing. 3. Use single-word comments linked to your child’s actions or sounds. 4. Continue while your child remains engaged. | Follow your child's lead Avoid over modelling and asking questions |
| Object Exploration Basket Basket with a variety of everyday objects (spoon, cup, ball, soft toy, lid) Objects should be safe and easy for the child to manipulate | 1. Place the basket within reach and wait for your child to choose an item. 2. Allow your child to handle, turn, bang, mouth, or visually inspect the object. 3. Observe and follow the child’s lead, positioning objects so they are easy to see and reach. 4. If child loses interest, take another object out of the box, showing excitement to try to regain attention. | Allow your child to explore the objects any way that is safe. Don't ask questions and allow them to spend as much or as little time on each object. |
| Household Object Play Safe household objects (cups, spoons, lids, boxes) | Let the child control which object is explored and for how long. Avoid showing the “correct” use of the item too quickly. Pause and wait to allow independent investigation before introducing a new object. | |
| Cause-and-Effect Toy Play Simple cause-and-effect toys (pop-up toy, push-button toy, spinning toy) | Give the child time to experiment through trial and error. Do not overprompt; investigation is more important than success. Repeat actions only if the child shows continued interest. | |
| Sensory Tray Investigation Tray or bin with sand, rice, water, or jelly Small objects hidden inside (cups, animals, blocks) | Allow messy, hands-on exploration. Follow your child’s preferred sensory actions. Avoid rushing your child to find all objects. | |
| Container Play Containers with lids, boxes, bags Small toys or objects to place inside | Exploration is more important than completing the task. Let the child attempt problem-solving independently. Keep language simple and responsive. |
Explores toys or objects
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sensory Play - Sensory toys and materials for messy play (e.g. trays with sand/ cornflour and water/jelly). - The best toys are those that the child can manipulate easily to produce a result. | 1. Guide your child's hands and visual attention to toys/trays of material(s) that they can touch and look at. 2. Let your child explore the toys/materials in the tray and encourage them to investigate all their properties, stimulating all of the child's senses as far as possible (colour, smell, texture). 3. You may need to draw the child's attention back to the activity if the child becomes distracted. Use your voice to regain their attention (e.g. a drawn out "ohhhh!", or an intake of breath). | Do not continue with something the child has lost interest in, but wait a while before introducing another object. |
| Textured Toy Play Toys with different textures (soft, bumpy, smooth, squishy) | Allow your child to explore the objects any way that is safe. Don't ask questions and allow them to spend as much or as little time on each object. | |
| Household Object Play Safe household objects (cups, spoons, lids, boxes) | Allow the child to lead the play. Let them play with the objects in the way they choose, they do not need to use the objects functionally. |
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