The term " heuristic " comes from the Greek word "heurisko," which means "to discover" or "to find ." Heuristic play for children is an educational approach that focuses on exploration, discovery, and fun. It is about giving children the opportunity to explore the world around them using natural materials and everyday objects by stimulating their senses and encouraging them to learn through direct experience and experimentation . In other words, it is play that stimulates the ability to think critically, solve puzzles, and find innovative solutions.

Heuristic play was theorized by educational psychologist Elinor Goldschmied , who also created the famous Treasure Basket . According to the author, heuristic play represents the natural evolution of the basket because it responds to the new needs of discovery and development of older children, that is, from 12 months onwards.

If in the treasure basket the child asks himself “What is this?”, in the heuristic game the child is asked to do a greater analysis to understand “What can I do with this?” by relating the different materials.

To prepare the heuristic game, you must first collect commonly used objects and materials . For each type, it is recommended to have at least 10 types of the same material , but in different shapes and colors, and to place them inside cloth bags with the type of content drawn on the outside. In fact, this will allow the child to immediately understand what is contained inside it. When you manage to create 15 to 20 bags, you can propose the heuristic game to the child.

It is equally important to choose a suitable place free from distractions and other toys . For example, by placing the play mat in the middle of a room. At this point, you can arrange the bags all over the play area and let the child explore independently.