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Toddler standing in a clear indoor play spot with eyes closed and one hand on their nose while a grown-up gives a calm body cue nearby
LiteracySensory-friendly supportFollow One StepIndoor

Eyes-Closed Body Copy.

Take away the visual clues and see how well your child can follow one simple body cue. With eyes closed, they touch a body part or make a shape, then open their eyes to check it, building listening and body awareness with no materials.

Play time
5-10+ min
Age
2-5 years
Energy
Low
Mess
Low
Effort
Low
Where
Indoor
Start here

The recipe.

Low parent effort
1 things

What you need

  • 1 open indoor floor space
5 min minimum

Setup

Then start the loop
Step 01
Clear a small standing space where your child can move their arms without reaching furniture or hard objects.
"Eyes closed."
The loop

How play unfolds.

Three-panel toddler activity showing a grown-up giving one simple cue, a child trying the position with eyes closed, and the child opening their eyes to check the result
  1. 01
    Have your child close their eyes, then give one cue such as "Touch your nose," "Hands up," or "Make a big X."
  2. 02
    Let your child move into the position with their eyes closed.
  3. 03
    Say, "Check," so your child opens their eyes and sees the result.
  4. 04
    Give a new cue and repeat.

Safety Check

  • Keep the child away from furniture, stairs, or hard floor hazards before starting.
  • Stay close enough to steady the child if they wobble or start drifting.
  • Switch to a sitting version or stop if closing the eyes turns the game into stress.
Skill spotlight
Follow One-Step Cue

Following one simple body-position cue without needing to watch first

This helps a child listen, act on one instruction, and notice where their body is without needing constant visual checking first.

  • •The activity uses one cue at a time, which makes listening practice feel manageable instead of busy.
  • •Eyes-closed turns give your child a simple way to notice where their body is without needing any equipment.
  • •A fast check after each move turns misses into easy retries instead of frustration.
Real-world transfer
  • Following one simple direction during dressing, cleanup, and movement routines
  • Noticing where the body is during songs, action games, and everyday transitions
Supporting the play

What to say in the moment

Match what you say to what you see.

Prompt ladder
Level 1 (Start)
"Touch your nose."
Level 2 (Keep going)
"Hands up."
Level 3 (Stretch)
"Make a big X."
Level 4 (Extend)
"Can you do that one again?"
If your child seems...
What you'd see
Focused
What to do
Say
"You got that one."
Add
Name one body word, like nose, arms, or up.
Extend
Repeat one successful cue, then switch to one new cue.

Make it easier

Younger end
  • -Stay with face and hand cues before using whole-body shapes.
  • -Let your child open their eyes right after each move instead of holding the position.
  • -Repeat the same cue twice before changing it.

Make it harder

Older end
  • +Ask whether the body part ended up up or down before your child opens their eyes.
  • +Use two different arm shapes across the round instead of one repeated cue.
  • +Pause one beat longer before repeating the cue so your child holds the position briefly.

If it's not working

If you see
If child ignores it
Do one quick model turn yourself, then hand the same easy cue back.
If you see
If child misuses it
Return to one simple cue like "touch your nose" and keep your child's feet in the same spot.
If you see
If child gets frustrated
Let your child keep their eyes half-open for one turn or switch to feeling one body part instead of making a bigger shape.
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Keep playing

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