21st April 2020

Simple Play ideas for Scarves

Chiffon scarves are a cheap and fun way to engage with your baby or child. Below you will find some simple and easy play ideas for babies and then for toddlers and pre school children

Babies

Speech and language development

Start by discussing the scarf with your little one, how it looks, what colour it is, how it feels? This is a great way to interact and develop speech, language and communication skills with even tiny babies.

Body part recognition

Go from body part to body part moving the scarf in different ways and directions. Going soft, hard, slow and fast. As you touch each body part say the body part name. ‘Oh look I’m ticking your toes!’ ‘Let’s find your tummy!’ And so on. This enhances spatial awareness and fosters body awareness as well as developing those speech and language skills too.

Let’s play Peek a boo!

Use the scarf to cover your face and then peek out at them. Try peeking from different angles and sides to keep them engaged and looking for you. Try covering them with the scarf and doing the same. Start with the scarf at the top of their body and trace it all the way to their toes.

Hide the chiffon

Work on memory and recall skills by hiding and recovering the chiffon. For small babies move out of their view or pop behind your back. Add in a tickle on their tummy on return or other body parts. For older babies hide them under a small blanket, tub or basket for them to find.

Add music or rhymes

Adding music introduces rhythm and beat which can aid speech development too. Songs like ‘peek a boo’ by Judi Cranston or ‘Can you play at peek boo’ by the Tumble Tots are some of my favourites. Adding songs like ‘Over the rainbow’ or a nice lullaby and just moving it around freely for them to follow and watch is a lovely relaxing activity for both parent and baby.

Lots of Scarves

Place lots of scarves on the floor or in a sensory tray. Place your baby lying or sitting to explore, feel, touch and watch how the chiffon move. Lift the scarves and throw them up, again developing eye tracking but also fostering their natural curiosity.

Toddlers and Pre School Children

All these activités above can be used with toddlers and pre school children with some adjustments. Here are some more ideas too;

Colour Recognition

Using the scarves to learn colours can be done in many ways. Turn it into a game and take them out a bag or from behind your back telling them the  colours or encouraging them to tell you. Make a colour match game by laying them out on the floor and hunting for objects around the house or garden that are the same colour. Once you match a item place it on top of the scarf and say the colour to consolidate the learning.

Develop Fine motor skills

Use an old tissue box, empty baby wipe box or just a little box you can add a hole in the top of. Add your scarves into the box and then let your little one pull them out. Hours of fun!! A great high chair activity or just a spell of peace for you to grab a cuppa.

Throw and Catch

Throwing your scarves up in the air and catching them can be lots of fun and great for coordination, timing, prediction and motor skills. Simple showing and catching or throwing to a parent/sibling and back again. who can throw the highest? Who can catch mums scarf? How far can you throw?

Dancing

This is one of my favourite ways to use scarves. You can use any piece of music and do some free movement. Explore rhythms and tempo by using different genres of music. Classical, can we move slowly and gently. Rock, can be move fast and energetically. You get the idea lol!  You can also use action songs like ‘Jiggle your scarf’ by Judi Cranston or ‘Scarf Dance’ by Mary Jo Huff. A great way to burn energy and have a few giggles along the way.

Grab your scarves with the link below or a tuff tray to add them into for more play

Scarves

Tuff Tray

I hope you have lots of fun trying these out! Why not share with us how you get on via our Facebook or instagram pages?

For more session, recipes and play ideas check out the Bambeenies Academy 

Good luck

Jenny