In and out of containers
A range of small containers and toys can enable baby to explore, play with mathematical concepts like space and geometry and increase their vocabulary and listening skills. This is a fun way for whānau to support baby’s cooperative and turn-taking skills.
Why do it?
- This activity provides an opportunity for baby and whānau to share attention.
- Baby can reach, grasp, turn, mouth, shake, bang and look at all sides of an object, exploring and exercising their curiosity.
- Whānau can model how to explore an object and follow baby’s lead when they’re exploring something.
- Whānau can use parallel talk to describe what baby’s doing — this builds their ‘receptive’ language (language understanding).
- Whānau can use self-talk to describe what they’re doing — this also helps build baby’s receptive language.
How to do it
- Find 2–3 different sized containers (for example, plastic, cardboard and metal).
- Find a similar number of small, safe objects that will fit in the containers (for example, a block, spoon, small ball, little book, toy car, rattle).
- Give a container and an object to baby, and keep a container and object yourself.
- Model putting the object in and taking it out.
- Encourage baby to copy you.
- Give the words to baby — ‘The rattle is in the box. The rattle is out the box.’
- Play ‘in and out’ until baby has had enough.
Using more te reo Māori
| Te reo Māori | English |
|---|---|
| Mātaki | Watch, observe |
| Māhirahira | Curious |
| Torohē | To examine, explore |
| Pepamārō | Cardboard |
| Konganuku | Metal |
| Kirihou | Plastic |
| Ngā Ipu | Containers |
| Rarau | Grasp |
| Rūrūtia | To shake |
| Pouaka | Box |
| Pākete | Bucket |
| Pune | Spoon |
| Paoro | Ball |
| Motukā Iti | Little car |
| Ngā rākau | Blocks |
| Titiro mai, e te tau | Look here, my darling |
| Kei roto | In |
| Kei roto i te pouaka | Inside the box |
| Kei roto i te pouaka te pune | The spoon is inside the box |
| Kei waho | Out |
| Kei waho i te pākete | Outside the bucket |
| Kei waho i te pākete te motukā iti | The little car is outside of the bucket |
| Kimihia | Look for, search |
| Rite tonu, ōrite | Same |
| Rerekē | Different |
