Trace The Lid
What you need
- a plate
- a lid from a plastic tub
How to do it
- Hold up a plate and run your finger around the edge, saying 'round and round'.
- Guide their finger around it too.
- Find a tub lid and trace that one: 'round, like the plate'.
- Let them go around each one as many times as they like.
Why it matters
Running a finger around an edge is a way to feel a circle, not just see one.
What they're learning
- Shape by feel
- An edge that never stops is what 'round' feels like.
- Shape words
- 'Round' said while the finger moves joins the word to the feeling.
- Following your lead
- Copying your finger around the plate is close, shared attention.
What to look for
Watch for them tracing an edge again after you've stopped.
A tip
Plastic plates are lighter for little hands and won't break if dropped.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: use just the plate and trace together
Harder: add a small box and feel its corners: 'this one isn't round'
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