Touchy-feely

Strengthen your toddler’s sense of touch when you engage him in a fun “texture bag” activity.

Gather items from nature, such as rocks, pinecones, feathers, seeds, bark and leaves, for your child to touch. Use texture descriptors (rough, smooth, etc.) when describing similarities and differences. With an older toddler, place the items in a bag and let him reach inside and try to name the object without looking. Reinforce tactile experiences through play with a texture learning toy, or with books that have textured inserts.