The 4 Elements To The Curiosity Programme

Please note, these are elements and not stages. All the elements should be used every day, across the child’s day and interchangeably right from the very beginning.

• 1. Getting Connected

  It is recommended that adults complete this element of the Curiosity Programme for at least 3 minutes, 3 times per day. Little and often works best!

  Steps to Connect

  • Taken from the principles of Intensive Interaction. Copy and imitate the child respectfully, with admiration and with a little bit of exaggerated playfulness!
  • If it matters to them, it matters to us. We want to make the child feels valued and so copying them precisely can help to make them feel special, particularly if we are trying hard to get their actions completely correct.
  • Disconnect appropriately, using the following steps.

  Steps to Disconnect

  1. Start going a lot slower – movements and speech
  2. ‘Happy sigh’
  3. Lower tone of voice
  4. Become still
  5. Break eye contact
  6. Stand up and move on.

  It is important to move away, otherwise, the child may feel you are still available for play.

• 2. Signature Songs

  Communication is happening all of the time, so we want to do this throughout the day rather than making extra or superficial time.

  • Start adding noises into everyday life, across the day and at times when you are ‘getting connected’ with a child.
  • Pay attention to any patterns in the child's vocalisations and sounds during play. This may also be a pattern of taps or flicks which they engage with. For example, if a child taps 3x, adults should echo back the same rhythm.
  • Once a rhythm is established, try synchronising with the child.
  • Notice and value a child’s vocalisations – they can be communicative.
  • Keep it fun (e.g. blowing raspberries) and become expert ‘noise makers’!
  • Think about sounds which are part of everyday life, for example, sounds that jumping in a puddle makes, or washing hands.
  • Think about the sounds something makes, rather than the word. For example, when blowing and popping bubbles, instead of saying 'pop', try making the popping sound with your lips. 
  • Create songs! Signature songs should be unique and individual for the child; make them up in the moment and make familiar routines, chores and tasks fun and repetitive with songs.

• 3. Creating Curiosity

  This element of the programme is about play, exploring, having fun and finding things interesting rather than targets, assessment and measuring outcomes.

  It is about exploring a fascinating world with no pressure!

  Getting Ready

  Have a bag, hat or other similar object with 3 different containers in it. These are shown to the child in the same session or at different times of the day.

  Introduce the containers using these steps:

  • Adult looks inside the bag
  • Choose one container
  • Adult opens it and looks at what is inside
  • Then offer the container to the child.

  What is inside the containers is really important. Think about items that can be dropped, sprinkled etc.

  During The Session

  We are looking for 4 things during this interaction, 3 from the child and 1 from the adult.

  From the child:

  • Be curious – pay attention to it
  • Explore the items – look at it, listen to it, feel it
  • Experience it – use it and repeat it again and again.

  From the adult:

  • To offer a moment of imagination (e.g. oooh magical hailstones!)

  Using The Approach

  The Curiosity Programme recommends that the person implementing this approach does 3 containers a day for 20 days.

  You could use:

  • 3 different containers with different items
  • 3 different containers with the same items
  • 3 same containers with different items
  • 3 same containers with the same items.

  Then move onto bags and then boxes/tins and alternate between them.

• 4. Playing Together

  The final element of the Curiosity Programme is Playing Together. The following is recommended:

  • Play for at least 3 minutes every day. Play may look different – might be more repetitive and circular in the children we work with.
  • Children generally play again and again until their curiosity is quenched – children with Autism might get ‘stuck’ at this stage.
  • We don’t want them to miss out on even more experiences and opportunities which they might enjoy.
  • Early, simple games – easiest for children as we can build and develop on these.

  Think about sensory experience games. They should be repetitive, building on their previous experiences.

  Examples

  • Gone game
  • Piling/building and knocking down
  • Scribbling (exactly how the child is doing it)
  • Emptying and filling
  • Chasing and catching.

  Add these to everything else in the Curiosity Programme. We want to add breadth and depth of experiences for a child.