Why Smooth and Bumpy Hunt works

Smooth and Bumpy Hunt is designed to practice careful sensory comparison through a sequence that begins when the child is asked to touch one known safe smooth surface. Search for smooth and bumpy surfaces and compare them with fingertips rather than collecting objects. The opening action leads directly into the moment when the child is asked to find one safe bumpy surface.

Set up — Touch one known safe smooth surface

Prepare household items before the child is asked to touch one known safe smooth surface. Keep the space simple enough that the child can move from touch one known safe smooth surface to find one safe bumpy surface without rearranging everything. Use clean, non-toxic, age-appropriate materials and stop with any irritation or discomfort while the child works through the first instruction to touch one known safe smooth surface.

Step 2 — Find one safe bumpy surface

After the child tries to find one safe bumpy surface, ask one brief question about the result. Connect their answer to the next request to compare them directly rather than explaining it for them.

Step 3 — Compare them directly

Have the child compare them directly before offering a solution. What happens here should help them understand how to find another example of each, especially compared with the earlier request to find one safe bumpy surface.

Step 4 — Find another example of each

Give the child time to find another example of each and notice the result. The following instruction to describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different should use what they learned after previously trying to compare them directly.

Step 5 — Describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different

Allow room for a mistake while the child tries to describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different. A self-correction here is more useful than fast repetition before the child moves on to describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different.

What to notice before Describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different

Use the attempt to compare them directly as the observation point. If the child understands why they are next asked to find another example of each, the final request to describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different should feel connected.

Make Compare them directly easier or harder

A shorter version can finish after the child has tried to compare them directly, using this support: use two clearly contrasting materials. An advanced version can continue to describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different after you compare subtler examples while keeping the handling method the same.

Finish after Describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different

Let the final request to describe what makes the bumpy surface feel different be the last check. If the child can show how it connects to the earlier request to compare them directly, end there and choose the next activity through the activity search or activity generator.