—7 minArtFamily timeFree play
My Turn, Your Turn Marks
A shared mark-making game that practises early writing roots alongside waiting, sharing, and supported frustration.
What you'll need
Essentials
- paper
- thick crayon or damp cloth on tray
Nice to have
- paper and crayon if useful for recording
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 3-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
What it practices
- Early mark-making is not the same as writing. It is a sensory and physical experience for babies and toddlers, which they do not yet connect to forming symbols which can communicate meaning. (See roots of mark-making and handwriting in Playing and exploring and Physical Development).Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Is aware of others’ feelings, for example, looks concerned if hears crying or looks excited if hears a familiar happy voice.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Growing sense of will and determination may result in feelings of anger and frustration which are difficult to handle, e.g. may have tantrums.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Responds to a few appropriate boundaries, with encouragement and support.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Begins to learn that some things are theirs, some things are shared, and some things belong to other people.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE) — cross-aspect multi-target authored per DM2012 's See [other aspect] pattern