Familiar or New?

Supports this milestone

• recognizes differences between familiar and unfamiliar people, objects, actions, or events. — Head Start ELOF

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Materials

• A basket
• 4 to 5 objects the child uses every day (their own cup, a favorite book)
• 1 to 2 objects the child has never seen before
• Optional photos of familiar family members and one unfamiliar face

Steps

• Sit with the child and pull out objects one at a time.
• Name each familiar object warmly, such as "Here is your cup. You know this one."
• When the new object appears, pause and watch the child's reaction.
• Wonder aloud together, such as "This one is new. What could it be?"
• Let the child explore the new object as long as they like.

Variations

• Use family photos and add one photo of a friendly but unfamiliar person.
• Hide a new object in a familiar spot and see if the child notices the change.

Differentiation

• For younger toddlers, use just one new object among two familiar ones.
• For older toddlers, ask them to tell you which things are "yours" and which are new.

Accessibility

• Offer objects with distinct textures or sounds so familiarity does not depend on sight alone.

Safety

• Ensure all objects, especially new ones, are too large to swallow and have no sharp parts.

Practices these skills

• Distinguishes Familiar from Unfamiliar

Evidence

• Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) — U.S. Office of Head Start · 2015 · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services