Understanding the World

Understanding the World is the strand about noticing how things work and where things come from. For a toddler that is ice melting in a warm hand, a sponge going heavy with water, a plant needing a drink, a leaf that crunches. The activities here are small experiments dressed up as play. Most happen in the kitchen or the garden and all of them give you a chance to say what is happening and wait for the look of surprise.

38 activities

Bubble Wrap Stomp illustration Bubble Wrap Stomp from 12 months · 5-10 min Flour Hand Prints illustration Flour Hand Prints from 12 months · 5-10 min Ice Cube Melt illustration Ice Cube Melt from 12 months · 10-15 min Jelly Squish Bag illustration Jelly Squish Bag from 12 months · 5-10 min Leaf Crunch Basket illustration Leaf Crunch Basket from 12 months · 10-15 min Pudding Finger Paint Splat illustration Pudding Finger Paint Splat from 12 months · 10-15 min Scarf Pull Tube illustration Scarf Pull Tube from 12 months · 5-10 min Torch Under Blanket illustration Torch Under Blanket from 12 months · 5-10 min Wet Sponge Squeeze illustration Wet Sponge Squeeze from 12 months · 10 min Cornstarch Goop Tray illustration Cornstarch Goop Tray from 14 months · 10-15 min Cotton Ball Scoop illustration Cotton Ball Scoop from 14 months · 5-10 min Mirror Light Play illustration Mirror Light Play from 14 months · 5-10 min Paper Tear Basket illustration Paper Tear Basket from 14 months · 10-15 min Play Dough Poke illustration Play Dough Poke from 14 months · 10-15 min Shadow Puppet Wall Watch illustration Shadow Puppet Wall Watch from 14 months · 5-10 min Soft Ball Roll Bowling illustration Soft Ball Roll Bowling from 14 months · 10-15 min Sponge Squeeze Bucket Transfer illustration Sponge Squeeze Bucket Transfer from 14 months · 10-15 min Toilet Roll Post illustration Toilet Roll Post from 14 months · 5-10 min Velcro Strip Pull Apart illustration Velcro Strip Pull Apart from 14 months · 5-10 min Window Raindrop Watch illustration Window Raindrop Watch from 14 months · 5-10 min Fill the Pet Bowl illustration Fill the Pet Bowl from 16 months · 5 min Frozen Toy Dig illustration Frozen Toy Dig from 16 months · 10-20 min Music Box Wind & Listen illustration Music Box Wind & Listen from 16 months · 5 min Pom-Pom Water Scoop illustration Pom-Pom Water Scoop from 16 months · 10-15 min Sock Ball Basket illustration Sock Ball Basket from 16 months · 5-10 min Bubble Bath Whisk illustration Bubble Bath Whisk from 18 months · 5-10 min Recycling Sort Bin illustration Recycling Sort Bin from 18 months · 10-15 min Water The Plant illustration Water The Plant from 18 months · 5 min Feed The Pet illustration Feed The Pet from 24 months · 5-10 min Gentle Torch Shadows illustration Gentle Torch Shadows from 24 months · 5-10 min Jelly Hands Dig illustration Jelly Hands Dig from 24 months · 10-15 min Water The Plants illustration Water The Plants from 24 months · 5-10 min Ice Cube Melt Race illustration Ice Cube Melt Race from 26 months · 10-15 min Shaving Foam Swirl illustration Shaving Foam Swirl from 26 months · 10-15 min Spread The Butter illustration Spread The Butter from 26 months · 5-10 min Texture Basket Guess illustration Texture Basket Guess from 26 months · 5-10 min Twist The Lid illustration Twist The Lid from 26 months · 5-10 min Muddy Garden Pat-A-Cake illustration Muddy Garden Pat-A-Cake from 28 months · 10-15 min

Other EYFS areas

Communication and Language activities for toddlers · Physical Development activities for toddlers · Personal, Social and Emotional Development activities for toddlers · Literacy activities for toddlers · Mathematics activities for toddlers · Expressive Arts and Design activities for toddlers · All activities