Discovery box Activity
Create a fun sorting and matching game with household items. Encourage tamariki to notice and talk about similarity and difference. Explore properties of everyday objects together to support an increased vocabulary and strong whānau relationships.
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
| Te reo Māori | English |
|---|---|
| Kohikohi | Collect, gather together |
| Te tae | The colour |
| Kakano | Texture |
| Āhuahanga | Shape |
| Aro | 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 |
| Kumete | Bowl |
| Rākau | Stick |
| Pune | 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 ball |
| Homai te rau nui | Give me the big leaf |
| He rerekē ngā āhua | They are different shapes |
