🔬 Science & our world · Ages 2–3 · about 2 weeks

Soft, Smooth and Bumpy

Goal: Explore safe household textures and describe them with a word, gesture or choice.

For parents: A texture is how a surface feels. Let your child choose whether to touch. Show and describe the objects openly; blindfolds and guessing are not needed.

Do together

  1. Touch or look

    You need: A whole soft towel and a smooth unbreakable cup

    Check that both are clean, intact and safe to handle. Offer each to your child. Say 'soft towel' and 'smooth cup'. They can touch with a hand, point or just watch you. Stop if they do not enjoy the feeling.

  2. A bumpy surface

    You need: An intact piece of corrugated cardboard larger than an adult's hand

    Check for staples, sharp edges and loose pieces yourself. Run your finger over the ridges and say 'bumpy'. Let your child choose to explore it. Compare it with the smooth cup. Remove the cardboard if it is mouthed or starts to break.

  3. Find the matching feel

    You need: Two whole towels and two smooth unbreakable cups

    Put out one towel and one cup. Offer another towel and ask which feels similar. Repeat with the cup. Describe the choice together: 'These feel soft.' Stay nearby and put everything away afterwards.

Talk about it

  • Would you like to touch it or look?
  • Does this feel soft or smooth?
  • Which one feels like this towel?

Words to use

  • feel
  • touch
  • soft
  • smooth
  • bumpy
  • rough

Play

  • Five Senses
    The five senses
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