0mo–11mo9 minDevelopmental playFree playFamily time
Suck, Pull, Squeeze: Baby Treasure Time
A closely supervised ‘treasure time’ where baby explores a few safe household objects to suck (mouth), pull, squeeze, and hold—one at a time, with lots of pauses and cue-led breaks.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a safe floor space with a blanket/play mat
- 3–5 baby-safe household objects (large enough, clean, no loose parts): e.g., soft washcloth, clean sponge, silicone/teething-safe item, large plastic cup, soft ball
- a shallow container (basket/bowl) to hold the objects
Nice to have
- a clean scarf/muslin for a simple pull game (always supervised)
- a small towel for wiping drool (mouth exploration is expected—supervise closely)
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 objects by linking together different approaches: shaking, hitting, looking, feeling, tasting, mouthing, pulling, turning and poking.Body· 8mo–20mo· core· Steps 1, 2, 3, 4
- MilestoneExperiments with object actionsMind· 8mo–20mo· stretch· Steps 2, 3
- MilestoneHolds placed toy or rattleBody· 2mo–6mo· stretch· Steps 1, 4
- MilestoneRepeats actions that have an effect, e.g. kicking or hitting a mobile or shaking a rattle.Mind· 0mo–11mo· stretch· Step 3
- MilestoneReaches accurately and graspsBody· 3mo–6mo· stretch· Step 1
- MilestoneExplores or responds to texturesBody· 6mo–12mo· stretch· Step 2
- MilestoneReaches for nearby objectsBody· 4mo–11mo· core
- MilestoneTransfers object between handsBody· 6mo–12mo· core· Step 4
- MilestoneHolds one object in each handBody· 4mo–10mo· stretch
- MilestonePincer grasp for small objectsBody· 8mo–12mo· stretch
What it practices
- Watches and explores hands and feet, e.g. when lying on back lifts legs into vertical position and grasps feet.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Reaches out for, touches and begins to hold objects.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Explores objects with mouth, often picking up an object and holding it to the mouth.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Provide objects to be sucked, pulled, squeezed and held, to encourage the development of fine motor skills.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)