Learning Through Play

“Play is the highest form of research” (Albert Einstein) and it is complex in many of its aspects. It is important to remember that playing should be fun. It is a form of activity that doesn’t have an end product, no time pressure, therefore there is no fear of failure. When a child plays, it is his/hers natural communication with the world, its surroundings and life’s events. Every child is an active learner in a social environment, therefore it is important to provide children with opportunities to explore, learn in a fun in an interactive and child lead way.

Playing with a natural wooden toy can provide endless means for children and adults to get involved, dive in the imaginative world and grasp an experience that will bring about new skills and knowledge.

Here are a few examples, of how Flockmen can aid an overall development of your child:

Physical Development

Movement is the child’s first language and it is through the medium of movement that he/she starts to explore the world and starts to gain control over his/her body (Blythe 2012).*

Gross and fine motor skills are all part of physical development and are vital for balance, stability, and ability to control large and small muscles in the body. When playing with Flockmen children are challenged to perform tasks that require a good hand & eye coordination, a good grip, still and firm hand as well as a soundly controlled overall body movement. These skills will later manifest themselves in other important tasks like writing, cutting with scissors, painting etc.

Cognitive (intellectual) development

The development of children’s thinking, reasoning and problem solving happens from simple to complex, from concrete to abstract. It involves the way children think, perceive and understand the physical and social world.

By introducing Flockmen into your child’s playtime, you will notice how it brings about opportunities where children express their imaginative side and how they think beyond what’s common and ordinary. The simple shape and a clear finish allows it become anything and can be used to bring about the extraordinary play, with new rules and a freshly created scene every time. Children can also acquire counting, numeracy skills by playing with Flockmen, giving them a head start to an important skill for their lives.

Social/Emotional Development

Social - emotional development reflects on how children build relationship and learn to interact with groups, while learning how to relate to others and begin to express their own feelings. It can be difficult to explain emotion and sometimes hard to relate to others in an appropriate way. Playing can used as a medium for children to teach them how to react, express and translate their own emotions as well as their peers’.

Flockmen can be used in individual play as well as in pair and group settings providing great opportunities for social skill practice. Children practice taking turns. be patient, share ideas, find their position in the group and lead. By knowing how to work and play well alongside peers, establishes good social skills from a young age. Playing with Flockmen also enhances children’s problem solving skills and their ability to reason in any given situation.

Language & Literacy

During the preschool years language development becomes the principal tool for establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and other children.

When playing with Flockmen children and adults will naturally use a lot of language that will serve as a base guideline for language development. For example, by using Flockmen as a building block, children can learn prepositions and their use in the real environments ( e.g. between, in front, next to, without etc.). Children’s vocabulary can grow fast with potential to equip children with a very important ability to express themselves, communicate their needs & feelings, and intentions to influence others.

All discoveries are fruit of man’s imagination (M. Montessori,The Child, Society and the World, p. 48)*, therefore Flockmen stimulates and exposes all of it’s users to creative thinking. Join us on our journey of play with no boundries, lots of fun and integrated learning. You too can benefit from everything that Flockmen has to offer.

*S.G. Blythe, 2012, What are the foundations of school readiness? Available online
*Maria Montessori, The Child, Society and the World, 1998.