The ways we played with tickit Wooden Domestic Animal Blocks
The latest addition to the tickit wooden picture blocks range is our tickit Domestic Animal Blocks. This set of 15 smooth wooden blocks are printed on both sides with real photographic images of common domestic animals.
Instantly appealing and relatable to children as they recognise these animals from their lived experiences, these blocks are incredible learning tools, disguised as beautiful wooden toys! Here are some of the ways in which we’ve seen them played with, by the experts themselves.
Storytelling
The most intuitive way children find to interact with these tactile wooden blocks is to begin to tell a story through play. They are chunky and robust, lending themselves perfectly to this activity. They can be stood up with ease which avoids frustration and makes storytelling fluid and fun. The realistic imagery provides rich visual prompts and through this creative play you can hear language skills develop in front of your very eyes…or ears
Animal classification game
With adult help, these blocks make a fantastic tool for further discussing and classifying different animals Examples of ways these have been grouped are:
- Farm animals
- Pets found in the home
- Animals with fur
- Size of the animals
This activity helps develop critical thinking and observation skills while teaching children about animal characteristics in a fun and interactive manner.
Stacking and balance challenges
With their smooth, chunky design and lightweight nature they are perfect for constructing animal towers.
These activities improve fine motor skills and spatial reasoning.
Art
These chunky blocks stand easily and feature real photographic images, making them a fantastic reference tool to use for drawing and art projects.
Educational conversations
With the help of adults and reference books these blocks can bring these areas of learning alive. Areas of discussion we have seen are:
- Animal habitats
- Pet care responsibilities
- Where our food comes from
- Environmental conservation
- Animal behaviours and characteristics
Real life observation:
Featuring real-life photographic images, these blocks are instantly relatable to young children, making them ideal for direct comparison with the real-life counterpart.
In conclusion the tickit Wooden Domestic Animal Blocks are a fantastic learning tool for promoting vocabulary skill, fine-motor skill and a greater understanding of scientific concepts all through the art of play.