"I want my child to be good at math..."
Have you ever thought that?
It's said that children can understand geometry in elementary school much more easily if they are exposed to it through play in early childhood.
Building blocks are perfect for developing a sense of geometry because they involve:
- Recognizing shapes
- Comparing
- Combining
- Thinking about different orientations
- Visualizing 3D objects
This time, we will introduce geometric games you can enjoy with building blocks, categorized by age.
What is a sense of geometry?
A sense of geometry is the ability to:
- Notice the characteristics of shapes
- Visualize 3D objects in your mind
- Think about different orientations
- Consider combinations
In elementary school, children learn various shapes such as:
- Triangles
- Squares/Rectangles
- Parallelograms
- Trapezoids
- Cubes
- Rectangular prisms
- Symmetrical figures
In early childhood, rather than teaching it as "study," it's important to enjoy discoveries like:
"Oh, it's a triangle!"
"I made a square!"
"It became a different shape when I turned it!"
[0-1 years old] Let's explore different shapes
At this age, it's important to "feel the differences" rather than "memorize."
Recommended activities
Touching building blocks
They have corners.
They are long.
They are short.
They are pointy.
Explore various shapes by touching them with your hands.
Play with your child, saying things like:
"It's smooth, isn't it?"
"It's long, isn't it?"
"It's pointy, isn't it?"
Rolling building blocks
Try rolling building blocks on a table.
Enjoy the differences, saying:
"It rolled!"
"This one doesn't roll!"
[2-3 years old] Let's get familiar with shape names
This is the age when vocabulary increases.
It's okay if they don't memorize them perfectly.
The goal is simply to know that:
"There are many different kinds of shapes."
Recommended activities
"Which one is the triangle?"
Arrange building blocks and ask:
"Which one is the triangle?"
"Which one is the square?"
and have them search for them.
Same shape gathering game
Gather only triangles.
Gather only squares.
Gather only long building blocks.
Play while sorting them into groups.
[4-5 years old] Let's combine to make new shapes
This is the period when geometric sense develops significantly.
By combining building blocks, children experience:
"The fun of shapes changing."
Recommended activities
Let's make a square by combining triangles
Combine two triangular prisms.
Enjoy the discovery of:
"It became a square!"
Combining two triangular prisms can also make a large triangle.
If you combine four triangular prisms, you get a large square!
Try exploring various combinations together.
Let's make a trapezoid
Arrange building blocks to make a quadrilateral with different top and bottom lengths.
Once it's made, introduce it by saying:
"This is called a trapezoid!"
Let's make a parallelogram
Arrange building blocks slightly diagonally to create a tilted quadrilateral.
Observe it, saying:
"It looks like a square, but it's tilted!"
You can teach them the name "parallelogram," but it's perfectly fine if they don't memorize it.
[5-6 years old] Let's play games that involve thinking about shapes
Around the time children enter elementary school, games that involve looking at and thinking about shapes are recommended.
Recommended activities
Make it symmetrical
The parent arranges half of the building blocks.
The child then imitates and arranges the other side.
Play while thinking, "Will it be the same shape, like a mirror?"
Look from above
Look at the created work directly from above.
They might notice that it looks different from the side view.
This game helps develop spatial reasoning skills.
Imitate and create the same work
The parent creates a simple work.
The child creates the same shape while looking at the example.
This helps develop observation skills and the ability to visualize 3D objects in their mind.
Building block play is a warm-up for geometry
Through building block play, children can encounter various geometric shapes that appear in elementary school math, such as:
✔ Triangles
✔ Squares/Rectangles
✔ Parallelograms
✔ Trapezoids
✔ Cubes
✔ Rectangular prisms
✔ Symmetry
✔ Spatial reasoning
Instead of teaching it as "study," playing while valuing feelings like "I found it!", "I did it!", and "This is fun!" will be the first step towards loving geometry.
Summary
A sense of geometry is not something that can be acquired by being taught once.
It gradually develops through accumulating experiences in daily play, such as:
"Triangles are interesting!"
"They become different shapes when combined!"
"I was able to make the same shape!"
Tsumiki Kids building blocks, with their simple composition of cubes, rectangular prisms, and triangular prisms, can create various shapes through combination, making them perfect for developing a sense of geometry through play.
Please enjoy playing with your child and nurture the seeds of future "geometry lovers."