The sense of sight is the ability to see and identify objects around you. Our eyes give us the capacity to perceive color, shape, size and more.

This Play Invitation introduces the experience of mark making without using our sense of sight, offering children the opportunity for reflection about movement, direction, space perception, and memory.

What Could Lead Us to This Play Invitation

  • Children have been curious about developing their drawing skills;
  • Children are excited about playing in the dark;
  • Children have been exploring their senses.

Materials Needed

  • Colored pencils
  • Paper
  • Optional: Sleeping mask or scarf

Setting up This Play Invitation

  1. Place the paper and pencils on a table.
  2. Prepare the sleeping mask or scarf.

    Tips: If using a scarf, choose a light one so it doesn’t fall and cover their noses.
    Some children won’t like to be blindfolded. It is important to accept their level of comfort by having them close their eyes instead.

How to Create the Drawing

  1. Place the sleeping mask on the children.
  2. Start by inviting the children to find the limits of the paper and where the pencils are using their fingers.
  3. Next, invite them to make marks on the paper.
Child makes marks while closing eyes

How to Nurture the Natural Unfolding of the Child’s Identity During This Play Invitation

  • Children have the right to have their comfort levels respected. Not all of us have the same tolerance for certain stimuli and situations. To welcome everyone, we must listen and consider the limits of each child without forcing or shaming.

The Academic Learning Opportunities

  • MATH: Develop directionality and spatial awareness (up, down, left, right, around).
  • SOCIAL: Explore the senses, be confronted with new challenges, become aware of reactions, and respect others.

Extensions

Organize a sensorial trip inside your school. Blindfold children and take them for a walk where they can explore other senses – for example, feeling the different textures, smells, and sounds. Depending on the age of the children, they can go in pairs where one directs the blindfolded one.

Book Recommendation

Purchase book here.

A simple reader that teaches about the sense of vision and how the eyes let us see.

Purchase book here.

This is a book created to teach about the sense of sight. Includes questions for engaging children.