Early Awareness and Engagement
Responds to tactile input through touch (e.g., notices different textures placed on hands).
Tolerates touching or being touched by a variety of textures (e.g., soft, rough, sticky).
Explores objects using hands or other parts of the body for brief periods.
Reaches out towards new or unfamiliar tactile items when offered by an adult.
Accepts participation in short sensory/tactile activities with adult support.
Developing Active Exploration
Actively seeks out or initiates tactile experiences (e.g., sand, water, playdough).
Manipulates a variety of materials using fingers, whole hands, or tools (e.g., squeezing, patting, poking).
Demonstrates preferences for specific textures or materials.
Uses descriptive language (or nonverbal signals) to communicate like/dislike of textures.
Maintains attention to a tactile activity for increasing durations (e.g., 2–5 minutes, then 5–10 minutes).
Purposeful Tactile Investigation
Sorts or classifies materials based on tactile properties (e.g., rough vs. smooth, wet vs. dry).
Uses touch deliberately to investigate new materials (e.g., identifying objects in a feely bag).
Integrates tactile information into play or learning (e.g., building, molding, or designing).
Shows tolerance for mixed or layered textures (e.g., messy play, cooking tasks).
Describes tactile sensations in more specific terms (e.g., “bumpy,” “grainy,” “squishy”).
Functional and Applied Use
Uses tactile exploration to support other skills (e.g., developing fine motor skills, recognizing letters or shapes by touch).
Demonstrates self-regulation strategies involving tactile input (e.g., squeezing a stress ball to focus).
Participates in multi-sensory tasks combining tactile and other sensory input (e.g., sound, sight).
Engages in collaborative tactile activities with peers (e.g., group art projects, garden tasks).
Generalizes tactile exploration skills across settings (e.g., tactile play at home, class projects, outdoor learning).