Rice Bottle Roll

What you need

• rinsed juice bottle
• rice
• tape

How to do it

1. Half fill a rinsed juice bottle with rice and tape the lid on firmly.
2. Sit on the floor facing your toddler and roll the bottle to them along the ground.
3. Encourage them to roll it back, listening to the rice rattle as it moves.
4. Move a little further apart each time they roll it successfully.

Why it matters

Rolling a rattling bottle back and forth is an early turn-taking game with a sound that tells them exactly when it has arrived. The bottle held juice this week and rattles its way towards the recycling once playtime is over.

What they're learning

Turn-taking

Rolling the bottle back and forth practises sending something and waiting for it to come back.

Cause and effect

A push here sends a rattle rolling there, a clear, repeatable result.

Balance

Kneeling and reaching to push the bottle asks for steady, controlled balance.

What to look for

Watch for them pushing with a flat hand rather than a grab, sending the bottle in a straighter line.

A tip

Tape the lid on well and check it before every roll; the rice must stay sealed inside.

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