What to try
- When visiting a park, beach or wooded area, look out for natural items to build with.
- Take an empty bag with you and collect items that look interesting from around the area, or gather everything into a pile in an open space.
- When you have a selection of items, find somewhere safe and flat to sit.
- Empty your bag and start work on building a natural tower. Your toddler will be more likely to join in if they see you building too.
- Encourage your toddler to stack the items, checking for balance and noticing what works – and what doesn’t!
- Items from nature offer more challenges than blocks as they are often irregular shapes and sizes, so building with them helps your toddler to develop new skills – and patience.
Make sure items your toddler picks up are safe.