Manipulative play is play with things that children can move, screw, click together, order or make patterns with. Children learn to control their actions and gain confidence in manipulating objects to suit their needs.
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The scope of manipulative play resources is vast – just think of anything that allows children to make patterns, order or control, such as duplo, mobilo, beads, thread, leaves, pinecones, milk bottle tops and sticks for pattern making. Setting up trays or picture frames on a table provides defined spaces for their creations and their finished works of art are something children are very proud of. Magnetic tiles, nuts and bolts and small plastic jars with lids are also great options.
Manipulative play encourages children to learn to make decisions, learn about sequencing, comparisons, patterns, colour and texture. It supports the development of concentration and perseverance. Children learn to analyse and solve problems as well as develop fine motor skills and coordination.
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The scope of manipulative play resources is vast – just think of anything that allows children to make patterns, order or control, such as duplo, mobilo, beads, thread, leaves, pinecones, milk bottle tops and sticks for pattern making. Magnetic tiles, nuts and bolts and small plastic jars with lids are also great options.
Teachers often set up trays or picture frames on a table to provide defined spaces for creations. The finished works of art are something children are very proud of.
Manipulative play encourages children to learn to make decisions, learn about sequencing, comparisons, patterns, colour and texture. It supports the development of concentration and perseverance. Children learn to analyse and solve problems as well as develop fine motor skills and coordination.
From infancy children learn to handle simple objects. Our centres provide increasingly challenging age-appropriate materials for children to work with as they gain coordination and muscle tone and are able to master more complex items.
Manipulative play helps children learn important thinking skills like analysing and problem solving, things they’ll continue to develop through their life.
Concentration and perseverance are great attributes manipulative play helps to develop. Children also practise their decision-making skills by deciding how they play with the resources provided. Creativity is also part of manipulative play as children create pattern and objects with the materials provided.
Manipulative equipment can help children to learn about size, shape, weight, length, height. Teachers introduce this language as children work with the resources.
Manipulative play helps children learn about sequence, comparison, order, patterns, colours, textures, cause and effect.
We have a manipulative resources in various materials so children learn about the different properties and adapt how they work with them. Manipulative materials you may see in our centres include wool, materials, wood, metal, plastic, stone to name a few!
The development of fine motor skills is essential for children to learn to write and perform many common tasks children need as they grow.
Manipulative Play | Mahi ā-ringa
Continuing the learning at home
Seriation and stacking toys like measuring cups or a set of stacking mixing bowls encourage children to figure out how to arrange them to create order.
Toddlers love posting pegs and small balls down tubes and watching them fall out the other side. You can use a paper towel cardboard tube and attach this to a chair leg and put a container at the bottom to catch the toys.
Making a collection of natural outside resources like stones, shells, pinecones and wood can provide many hours of engaged play.
A box of off-cut material of differing textures and colours provide many opportunities for children to be creative in their decision making and creating.
Make a collection of large threading beads or cotton reels to thread onto thick string. This helps children develop their coordination and fine motor skills. Make the beads and string smaller and thinner as the children get older.
Have a box of wooden or colourful pegs for children to join together or make patterns with.
Screw together materials like nuts and bolts or have a selection of small plastic jars with screw on lids for children to test themselves with.
Babies, toddlers and young children love to play with kitchen items such as the contents of a kitchen draw – large spoons, wooden spoon, bowls, cups, spatulas etc. At first it is exploration of the objects and then this can move to making patterns with the tools and/ collections and then the play may change to dramatic play where they pretend to cook.
