Mystery Box

What they explore

Children love to touch. This activity lets children practice using different senses to explore the world.

They must also use their thinking skills to interpret what they are touching and match it to an object they’ve seen.

What you need

• a cardboard box (shoeboxes are great)
• scissors
• variety of objects (ideally with different textures, e.g. soft fur, smooth plastic, wood, metal, etc.)

What you do

Cut a hole in the side of the box, large enough for your child to reach in with their hands, but not so big that they can easily see in.

Secretly place an object in the box, then ask your child if they can tell what it is just by touching — no peeking!

When they’ve guessed, they can peek in or open the lid to see if they are right.

Change the game by putting smelly things (like a banana) in the box and asking your child to sniff to find out what it is.

What to ask

• Can you tell what it is?
• Is it hard or soft, big or small, smooth or rough?
• What does it smell like?