16mo–2.2y10 minFree playFamily time
Brave Explorer, Safe Base
A gentle exploration game where your child practises moving away to explore and coming back to you for reassurance, building confidence through a secure base.
What you'll need
Essentials
- 3-5 safe household objects (e.g., spoon, cup, soft sock, small box)
Nice to have
- blanket or towel to mark the 'base'
- basket or container
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneExplores with caregiver as secure baseHeart· 10mo–20mo· core
- MilestoneUses familiar adult support in new situationsHeart· 8mo–20mo· core
- MilestoneSeeks out others to share experiences.Heart· 14mo–2.2y· core· Step 2
- MilestoneCalms with adult helpHeart· 20mo–3.2y· stretch· Step 3
- MilestoneSelects or finds named objectMind· 10mo–19mo· core· Step 2
- MilestoneUnderstands simple spoken instructionsMind· 14mo–18mo· core· Step 2
What it practices
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Enable children to explore by providing a secure base for them.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)