* Provide three tubes of toothpaste with different colours and flavours, three saucers, and paper in various colours.
* Draw attention to the colour, shape and size of the tubes.
* Invite each child to manipulate the tubes. Ask them to explain what they are doing with what part of their hands.
* Ask what they think the toothpaste will look like.
* Encourage them to squeeze a little of each paste on to the saucers (provide help as necessary).
* Suggest that they create a little smelly toothpaste picture and invite them to talk about their 'drawings'.
Clap and tap
* Sit in a comfortable area and sing some nursery rhymes with hand actions.
For example: Here are my fingers (wiggle all your fingers)/Here are my toes (tap each foot)/Tickle my cheeks (dance the fingertips on each of the child's cheeks)/And tweak my nose (pincer grip gently the end of the child's nose).
* Another rhyme to try is: Clap my hands, one, two, three/Tap my fingers on each knee/ Clap up high, then down low/Claps hands quickly, then clap slow.
* Introduce clapping, tapping and wiggling fingers actions into rhymes that you sing regularly with the children.
Hoops and rings
* Gather together a range of rings, such as plastic rings from stacking towers, fabric and textured rings, bracelets, curtain rings, jewellery rings, and small and large hair scrunchies.
* Wrap them all in a large piece of bright textured material.
* Allow the babies and toddlers to explore the material and the rings inside, while you talk about what they are doing.
* Introduce items such as a stuffed sock, kitchen roll, mug rack and length of piping, and encourage the children to hang the rings on them, while you comment.
Hand prints
* With the children, mix up four pastes using water and hot chocolate, strawberry milkshake powder, vanilla milkshake powder and coffee.
* Let each child use a sponge or their hands to smear the paste over their palm, fingers, and fist, covering them completely.
* Demonstrate printing your whole hand - back, palm and side, fingers and fingertips - on sheets of coloured paper and let the children do the same.
* If they want do to another set, use a different shade of paste, and cut out the end results to play with and reassemble.
Alice Sharp is director of training company Experiential Play in Glasgow