Discovery box Activity
Use items from around the house to make a discovery box. It's an easy way for parents to connect and communicate with their pēpi.
Why do it?
- A box of objects provides a way of focusing on certain characteristics — for example, colour, shape, texture or material.
- It’s an opportunity to widen your child’s vocabulary.
- Notice and talk about the similarities and differences between objects.
How to do it
You need: a box or a basket and a set of objects e.g. round, metal, wooden, blue or smelly things.
- Let your child explore the contents of the discovery box with one set of things in it.
- Name the things she picks up — for example, a wooden set may include a peg, bowl, stick, spoon and a block.
- Notice what they do with things and use parallel talk like ‘you’ve put the spoon in the bowl’.
- Try tapping things together so they make sounds.
- On another day, explore a different set of things.
Using more te reo Māori
| Kohikohi(a) | Collect, gather together |
| Te tae | The colour |
| Kakano | Texture |
| Āhuahanga | Shape |
| Aro(hia) | Notice, pay attention to |
| Kōrero mai | Talk to me |
| Rite tonu, ōrite | Same |
| Rerekē | Different |
| Maitai | Metal |
| Kakara | Fragrant, scented |
| Pīataata | Shiny, bright |
| Tangohia | Pick up |
| Waihotia | Put down |
| Whakahokia | Put back |
| Homai te... | Give me the... |
| Mātiti | Peg |
| Kūmete | Bowl |
| Rakau | Stick |
| Koko | Spoon |
| Awe | Feather |
| Rakau whero | Red block |
| Titiro mai | Look here |
| He aha tēnei? | What is this? |
| Whakaaturia mai te pōro kōwhai iti | Show me the little yellow bal |
| Hōmai te rau nui | Give me the big leaf |
| He rerekē ngā āhua | They are different shapes |
