Building Attachment and Learning through Play - The SELFIE Steps

Now it is “give and take”, you can think of ways to extend the play to make it more interesting.

Extend their play

Once you are playing together, you can try new ideas. If the child takes them up, you are off! If not, be patient, they may have a better idea …

Initiate new play ideas

At first, follow what the child is doing. Imitate them, or do the same things. Watch out for the child making an initiative to you, and then follow that!

Follow their play

Using words to give play meaning:

makes play richer

builds attachment

grows language & thinking skills Find some ideas in the “Label Box”

Label their play

Smile and laugh if you can. Accept anything they do that is safe – it is their play.

Enjoy their play

Watch your child play, and let them know you can see them!

See their play

If any stage does not

work, go back to the

previous one!

Adapted from Bieman’s

Contact Principles by

James McTaggart,

Educational Psychologist

A Little Box of

Labels

Emotion Labels

Thinking Labels

Describing Labels

“You’re pouring the water.”

“Splash splash!”

“The cars are racing”

“You’re a pirate today!”

“This is fun!”

“Oh, what a mess!”

“Look how high you are!”

“What a big brave lion!”

Sharing Labels

“The little horse is really happy”

“Poor car, all by itself”

“… is being very careful”

“Teddy wants some more tea”

Feeling Labels

“You know how to ….”

“The bear is wondering …”

“I wonder what you’re going to

do next”

“You’ve had a new idea!”

Thinking Labels