What's in the Bag?

What’s more fun than a mystery? Try this guessing game that will keep your child engaged and amused. Gather a bunch of household objects that you will be placing into a bag. Tip: It’s best to mix familiar objects with a couple of new ones. Have your child put their hand into the bag and feel the object inside. Ask them to make a guess as to what they think it is just by feeling the object. Making predictions are a necessary skill in learning math and science but also helps to enhance children’s language development.   

What you will need:
- A bag that you cannot see through such as a shopping bag or a cloth bag
- Some interesting to touch but familiar household items. You might include, a toy car, a favourite soft doll, a spoon, a water bottle, a key, a spatula, a ball, a banana, etc.  

Engaging your child:  
You should open your activity with a simple invitation. “Let’s play a guessing game. Put your hand inside the bag and tell me what you think it is!” During the game you can ask your child to describe the object. “Is it soft? Or is it hard?” You can give clues to your child if they are having trouble. “It is something that you like to eat at breakfast.” Remember, though we want to challenge children we do not want to make the game so hard that they become too frustrated to enjoy the experience. Encourage language from your child by introducing rich vocabulary throughout the game “A ball? Yes, it is the bumpy squishy orange ball that you love!”