3 Sample Activity Plans

PolicyAndPlay Activity Plans

EYFS-aligned activities for 0–5 years, with materials, steps, observations & parent take-home sheets

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Treasure Basket Exploration

0–18 months 15–25 mins Under £3 Indoor
Materials needed
  • A low wicker basket or wooden bowl
  • Natural objects: pine cone, wooden spoon, lemon, smooth pebble, small mirror piece (safely framed)
  • Household items: wooden clothes peg, soft brush, small metal spoon, comb
  • Safe fabric pieces: velvet, hessian, silk, towelling
  • No plastic — real materials only
What you'll learn to observe
  • How the child grasps and explores each object
  • Which textures they return to repeatedly
  • Mouthing behaviour (normal at this age)
  • Eye-hand coordination development
  • Response to different materials (smell, weight, texture)
EYFS Learning Outcomes (Prime Areas)
Physical Development
Grasping and manipulating objects of different sizes and weights
Communication & Language
Responding to the adult's talk about what they're touching; early word connection
Personal, Social & Emotional
Building confidence through independent, self-led exploration
Step-by-step
1

Sit the baby comfortably on a rug or cushion, with the basket placed in easy reach. Sit nearby but slightly back — the child leads.

2

Let them reach in and explore at their own pace. Don't guide their hands — resist the urge to show them "what to do."

3

Narrate softly: "Ooh, that's smooth, isn't it? That's a pine cone — rough!" Keep language simple and warm.

4

Watch and note which objects they return to — this tells you about sensory preferences.

5

After the session, capture your observation (see below) and update the child's learning journey.

Observations to record
Which hand(s) the child uses most — any dominance emerging?
How long they engaged with the activity (attention span)
Specific objects they returned to or discarded quickly
Any vocalisations or facial expressions in response to textures
Whether they sought adult reassurance before exploring
Parent Take-Home Send this home to continue learning
Today we did: Treasure Basket Exploration

We filled a basket with safe everyday objects — different textures, weights, and materials — and let your little one explore. This type of play, called "heuristic play," is brilliant for babies. It builds hand-eye coordination, sensory awareness, and the confidence to explore the world around them.

Try this at home: Fill a bowl or box with kitchen items — a wooden spoon, a clean sponge, a smooth stone, a piece of tin foil, a fabric offcut. Sit nearby while your baby explores. Describe what they're touching: "That's cold, isn't it? And heavy!" You don't need to buy anything — the best treasure basket uses what you already have.
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Cloud Dough Sensory Play

18 months–3 years 20–40 mins Under £2 Indoor
Materials needed
  • 8 cups plain flour
  • 1 cup baby oil (or vegetable oil)
  • Large tray or tuff spot
  • Small containers, spoons, cups for pouring
  • Optional: food colouring or glitter
  • Old tablecloth for floor (easy clean-up)
Setting it up
  • Mix flour and oil — it holds shape when squeezed but crumbles when released
  • Pour into tray; add containers and tools around the edge
  • Roll up sleeves; this can get messy — that's the point!
  • Supervise closely due to allergy risk (flour/oil)
  • Check for flour allergies / coeliac before starting
EYFS Learning Outcomes
Physical Development
Fine motor skills: squeezing, pouring, moulding, scooping
Communication & Language
Describing textures: soft, crumbly, cold, squidgy, heavy
Understanding the World
Discovering how materials change and behave differently
Expressive Arts
Imaginative play: making cakes, castles, meals
Step-by-step
1

Present the tray of cloud dough without instruction — let curiosity take over. Most children dive in immediately.

2

Join in alongside them: "What does it feel like? It goes crumbly when I open my hand!" Model the language without directing.

3

Introduce the containers: "Can you fill this cup? Is it full or empty?" Introduce mathematical language naturally.

4

Follow the child's lead — if they make "cakes," play along. If they just squish and pour, that's great too.

5

After 20–30 minutes, involve them in tidying — even at 18 months, this builds responsibility.

Observations to record
How did the child react initially — cautious, enthusiastic, overwhelmed?
What language did they use to describe the texture?
Did they engage in any pretend play? (e.g. "making dinner")
Fine motor observations: pincer grip, pouring accuracy, tool use
How long before they disengaged — attention span developing?
Parent Take-Home Send this home to continue learning
Today we played with: Cloud Dough

We made "cloud dough" from flour and oil — it feels like a cross between sand and playdough. Your child squeezed, moulded, poured and explored. This messy play develops their fine motor muscles (the small hand muscles they'll need for writing), and we used lots of language about texture, full and empty, and following instructions.

Make it at home: Mix 8 cups flour + 1 cup vegetable oil. It takes 2 minutes and costs pennies. Pop it in a baking tray on the kitchen floor. Messy? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. Ask your child to describe how it feels — you might be surprised by the words they use!
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Growing Seeds — Planting & Life Cycles

3–5 years 30–45 mins + ongoing Under £5 Indoor / Outdoor
Materials needed
  • Cress or sunflower seeds (cheap, fast-growing)
  • Small pots or recycled yoghurt pots
  • Compost or cotton wool (for cress)
  • Watering can or spray bottle
  • Lolly stick labels and pens for naming pots
  • Child's growth journal (for observations over time)
Extension ideas
  • Draw the seed, then draw the sprout each week
  • Measure height with a ruler (maths link)
  • Compare: what does a plant need to grow?
  • Put one pot in a dark cupboard — what happens?
  • Eat the cress in a sandwich!
EYFS Learning Outcomes (all 7 areas)
Understanding the World
Living things, plants, and what they need to grow
Communication & Language
Predicting, explaining, and describing what they observe
Maths
Measuring, counting seeds, comparing height over time
Literacy
Labelling their pot, writing in their observation journal
Physical Development
Fine motor: carefully placing tiny seeds, watering with precision
PSED
Responsibility: caring for a living thing over time
Step-by-step
1

Show the children the seeds. "What do you think this is? What do you think it will become?" Note their predictions.

2

Each child fills their pot with compost, then presses 2–3 seeds in. Practise counting: "One... two... three seeds."

3

Write their name on their lolly stick label — great for mark-making and name recognition.

4

Water gently and place on a sunny windowsill. Establish a daily watering routine — great for responsibility.

5

Weekly: draw and measure the plant. Discuss: "What changed? Why do you think it grew?"

6

At the end: harvest the cress and make sandwiches, or press a dried sunflower in a scrapbook.

Observations to record
What predictions did the child make before planting? Were they correct?
How did they handle the responsibility of daily watering? (did they remember unprompted?)
Language development: did they use words like "absorb," "roots," "nutrients" after discussion?
Maths: can they measure accurately? Do they understand more/less, taller/shorter?
Mark-making/writing: what does their journal show about letter formation and drawing detail?
Parent Take-Home Send this home to continue learning
Today we started growing: Seeds!

Your child planted their own seeds today and will be watching them grow over the next few weeks. This isn't just gardening — it's science, maths, literacy, and responsibility all in one. They're learning about living things, what plants need, and how to measure and observe change over time.

Keep it going at home: Ask your child every morning, "Do you think our plant has grown?" Look at it together and talk about what's changed. If you have a windowsill spare, plant cress seeds in a yoghurt pot — they sprout in 3–4 days and you can eat them in a week. Gardening together is one of the best early years activities there is — it's slow, patient, and full of wonder.

These are sample activity plans from PolicyAndPlay — the professional toolkit for UK childcare settings.

Professional plan includes 200+ activities covering all EYFS areas, ages 0–5, seasonal themes, and printable parent take-home sheets.