Paper Play
Here's What To Do
Gather different pieces of paper I can play with:
- Great paper for playing: printer paper, white tissue paper, brown paper bag, sticky note, note paper
- Avoid colored paper, magazine paper, newspaper, wrapping paper (colors can bleed if I put it in my mouth)
Show me all the different things you can do with paper!
- Crumple it
- Tear it
- Let it fall to the floor
- Wave it back and forth
- Wear it like a hat
Let me explore the paper myself. This might include putting it in my mouth; gently remove the paper so I don't swallow it.
When I play with paper, I'm learning how to be a scientist! I'm experimenting with making different sounds, what happens when I rip paper, and observing gravity when I drop it.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Give me a hug before we begin.
Engage:
- "It's fun to crumple paper like this. Can you try?"
- "Watch what happens when I drop a piece of paper to the floor!"
Encourage:
- Imitate how I play with the paper. I think this is a fun game!
- Describe what I'm doing, like: "You're tearing little bits off the tissue paper. Tissue paper is not very strong, so you can rip it more easily."
Reflect:
- What kind of paper play did I enjoy the most?
Not quite ready?
If I can't grasp paper yet, or if I'm only interested in putting the paper in my mouth, model all these different types of paper play for me. I'll enjoy watching, and one day I'll be able to experiment myself.
Ready for more?
Encourage me to engage in water play (in the bath, a tub of water, or a baby pool). Describe all the different ways water can move.
As your child masters this skill...
They will engage in different "experiments" to understand more about an object (like paper).