Play activity 2 - body brushing

This activity develops skills of discovery and learning about the body, exploring and experimenting, making choices and communicating preferences, making connections with the world.

What’s in the box?

Five different textured brushes (for example, paint brush, make-up brush, bottle brush)

Activities

• Gently brush the back of the child’s hand, which is usually less sensitive than their palm. Alternatively, try the tops of their feet, or other areas that the child is more comfortable with.
• When the child is used to the sensation, brush the palms of their hand and each finger separately, moving in between the fingers.
• Vary the type of brush used, brush faster and more slowly using different amounts of pressure.
• Brush other parts of the child’s body, especially the back of the neck, tummy, feet and back.
• Be gentle in your movements. Watch the child’s responses to see what they like, dislike or that they have had enough. Respect their choices and respond appropriately.
• Discuss the body parts that you are using, counting fingers and toes as you are brushing.

Moving on

Introduce new equipment - for example:

• Feathers (be aware of possible allergies)
• Cotton wool
• Soft sponges
• Leaves
• Silver pan scourers
• Silky scarves

Observation and assessment

• If you are doing this activity alone, and need to hold the child, use a mirror to see the child’s responses.
• Use a simple form to show what the child likes or dislikes.
• Encourage other children to watch for responses. This will help them see how the child is able to communicate.
• Do not necessarily dismiss items that the child does not seem to like. Reintroduce them at a later date, briefly, to see if there are any changes. As the child becomes more used to the brushing they may become more tolerant of different textures.

Inclusion guide

• Involve the whole group, getting them to describe what the equipment feels like.
• Blindfold them to see if they can guess what the piece of equipment is.
• Encourage the group to massage each other’s hands and feet.