The teacher places several items of different textures, shapes, and familiarity – some familiar, some unusual – into a box. Children try to guess what the object is through touch, and then come up with alternative uses for the item beyond its real function.
Proposed step by step implementation of the learning activity:
- Preparation and Tuning In: The teacher prepares one or more boxes filled with various objects. These should be safe but not immediately recognizable—unusual in shape, old, or rarely used. The goal is to provide diverse tactile experiences through a variety of materials and textures. The teacher explains the purpose and rules, emphasizing it’s an exploratory, playful task with no wrong answers. Students are encouraged to use imagination and touch. It’s important to create a safe group atmosphere, especially for more hesitant children.
- Object Exploration – Tactile Phase: Students approach the box one by one or in groups (e.g., carousel style) and feel an object inside the box using only their hands. Alternatively, a blindfold can be used without a box. The aim is to identify the object solely by touch. The teacher may guide them with questions like: “Is it smooth or rough? Cold or warm? Soft or hard?”—this helps perception and also builds vocabulary.
- Identification and Description: Students describe what they felt and guess what the object might be, using their own words freely. All responses are acknowledged by the teacher—this phase is about experimentation, not correctness. The whole class may try to guess together.
Alternative Use Brainstorming (Individually or in Groups): Once the item is revealed, students enter the creative phase: What else could this object be used for? What role could it play in a story or a play city? They may invent a short story around it (“Imagine it’s a magical item…”). Ideas can be expressed verbally, in drawings, or pantomime.