The Laptop Tray provides an individual work space for children engaged in working alone or in individual work as part of a small group. It is particularly suitable when using kinetic sand and other messy activities. The Laptop Tray also allows children to transport and display their creations. Suitable for ages: 3+
Key learning this resource may support:
Physical development: Use of the tray with materials such as small blocks may support development of fine motor skills. Exploration of sand or other messy play resources encourages a range of sensory experiences for children.
Social and emotional development: The tray can offer children an individual space to work in, promoting a sense of control and decision – making about their engagement with the material being used.
Suggested starting points for engagement:
- Consider using the tray to support an individual child to engage with a developmentally appropriate material or piece of equipment that they have expressed an interest in, such as paint, gloop, play dough, sand, natural materials, rice, small blocks etc. Follow the child’s lead and actively encourage and extend communication about the experience. Use your knowledge and understanding of individual children to promote open ended experiences which can support particular children within the daily routine.
- Trays can be used to provide a range of different sensory experiences to children by using each tray to provide a particular material. For example, to encourage children to explore different senses, each tray might have a different type of food that feels, smells, tastes, differently.
