the mystery bag

Did you know that around here we can actually

"see" with our hands?!

No, we haven't been practicing magic tricks;

we've been using a mystery bag to develop our 

stereognostic sense! 

Materials: 

• a bag - a basket covered with a cloth napkin would work, too
• a few objects that are both familiar and interesting to the touch

Presentation:

1. Invite the child to take the objects out of the bag and name them together.  
2. After exploring the objects, put them back into the bag.
3. Explain that this time, you are going to see with your hands instead of your eyes.  Model reaching into the bag, and describing what you're feeling.  I feel something smooth... and cold... and long... hmmmm... I think I feel the spoon.  
4. Take the object out of the bag.  It is the spoon!
5. Invite the child to see with his or her hands and choose an object from the bag.  
6. Repeat!

*We started with three objects, but feel free to add more depending on you child's ability.  Also, an older child may enjoy wearing a blindfold or closing his or her eyes.  

Here are a few of the mystery bags we've explored so far: