Words & stories
Treasure in the rice
- Builds: Naming and position words
- 10 min
- Ages 2–4
- Calm
- A little tidy-up
From the house
- A tub of dry rice, oats or pasta
- 4–5 small toys
- A spoon or cup
How to play
- Hide the toys deep in the tub while they cover their eyes.
- They dig with their hands or a spoon to find them.
- Name each treasure as they find it.
- Their turn to hide, your turn to find.
Fit it to your child
- Easier: Hide just two toys near the top, and name each one as it appears.
- Harder: Describe a treasure before they dig, “Find the one that’s round and red”, and they find that one.
Words to use
- hide
- find
- dig
- under
- where
Why it helps
Naming each treasure and where it was hiding adds object names and position words like under, deep and next to.
Grown-up eyes: Pick toys too big to swallow, and keep the rice in the tub. Sit with them: rice fits in noses and ears.