Explore and Play: Mystery Bag

Materials

• bag or pillow case filled with leaves, twigs, branches, pine needles, pinecones, chestnuts, acorns, a piece of bark, etc., that you’ve collected  

Key Science Concepts

• There are many different types of plants and seeds.  
• Plants have different parts: roots, stems, leaves, and fruit. 

Vocabulary

Encourage children to use words about plants, such as trees, leaves, stems, twigs, roots, bark, flowers, grass, and seeds.

Directions

1. Tell children your bag is filled with things from plants and trees.
2. Say, To play the game, reach into the bag, pick one item, and describe what you are feeling. Then, try to guess what it is. After you’ve guessed, pull it out and see if you guessed right!
3. Give each child one or two turns.  Ask, How did you know what it was?

Safety Tip

Be sure none of the objects in the bag are sharp. (The gentle prick of pine needles is fine.)