Exploring texture

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Texture is all around us – and using the tactile sense is an important part of the child’s sensory play and observation.

Introduce your children to different textures, and encourage them to use their fingers, hands and other body parts to find out how the world feels.

Texture maps

Subject > EYFS Area of learning > Personal, social & emotional development > Building Relationships

Use the Activity sheets, ‘Natural textures circle-time cards’ and the Poster, ‘Natural textures’, to introduce children to different texture words.

Explore the setting with small groups of children, finding different textures to feel – for example, the rough carpet, the scratchy doormat, the soft cushions, the fluffy teddy, the smooth window pane, the velvety curtains. As you explore the setting, help the children to take photos of the items and textures, using a digital camera.

Make a large, simplified map of the setting showing the different areas – the doors and windows, the book corner and so on. Plot the different textures on the map – the soft cushions in the book corner, the scratchy doormat by the door, the prickly teasels on the nature table. Show the children how to reduce the size of the photos on the computer and print them out. Stick the photos onto the map and add a label naming the item and its texture. Encourage the children to find new textures to feel and add to the map.