Tuesday 29 April 2014

Tots on a Tuesday {Duplo Activities}

I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the activities that I do with my pre-schoolers, with you. Some of these may be things you do already, but maybe they are things you haven't thought about, and may be of use.  In the hope that the second thing is true of at least some, I will share!

I have quite a few different suggestions for playing with Duplo, so here goes!

The first, and most obvious thing, is building - which, of course, is what they are designed for.  Children can have a lot of fun simply building towers, or buildings. However, with the introduction of various sets, and themes, there are even more building possibilities.

Copying Duplo designs

One thing that I have found, just recently, is a fab  idea for getting a child to follow a picture instruction.  You build a Duplo creation, take a photo, print (and laminate if you want it to survive more than 60 5 seconds), then give it to the child.  Alternatively, do what we do, and have the images on your iPad, and open them up when you need it! They can then re-create what is in the picture, by looking at it and copying it! You can even get your child involved in some early photography, by getting them to make their own creations, and go through the same process. I will share some of the pictures we have taken, but you really need to do your own, as it will correspond with whatever bricks you actually have.










Sorting

This is one of the most obvious things you can do with Lego, which is also educational. Nowadays, the possibilities are even more endless that the "Old days"! Not only do you have the primary colours, and the obvious secondary, but you have more shades of them all, too. Not to mention white, black and brown thrown in for good measure. Then, you have all the different shapes, including weird and wonderful ones!

 Firstly you could get them to just sort by colour. Then, you could also divide the colours up into shapes.  You could sort just by shape, too.

Counting

There is a lovely set available, which actually has the numbers 1-10 printed on the side, along with a train. We have that set, which makes counting more visual, but you could do it with any Duplo bricks.

You could also print numbers, and stick them with sticky tape to the side of some bricks, as it would come back off really easily.

I incorporated colour AND counting, and got them to do the right number and colour to match my number bricks.



Abi and Elijah working together.


Elijah, with his work of art! We didn't have enough of the colours for 9 and 10, so we made them multi-coloured!

You can also find printables, online, to use for sorting and counting.  I came across this one on The Measured Mom, which is ideal for my two little boys.  You print off the numbers, one to twenty, and then the truck. You put the number in which you want them to count up to, then they put the bricks in the dump truck! It's great fun, and they can build them up in the back of the truck.  I am sure there are more "girlie" options available, but this suits us for just now.





Maths Manipulatives

You can always use your Duplo bricks for doing basic sums - adding, taking away, or solving for the unknown. It's just a way to do your work, but making it fun at the same time.


Patterns

There are many ways you can do patterns, but the most obvious ones are these.

1. Copying a pattern

For this, I make a pattern and they have just to make the same pattern underneath.  You can also do it by making activity cards, with the pattern already shown for them, or with the iPad, like I do. As you can see, you can change the direction of the bricks, to make it simpler or more complicated.




2  Completing a pattern

For this one, you have a pattern begun, and then they carry on, repeating it in a long line.

3.Tower patterns

 This is when they join all the bricks together, to make a pattern.  Then it can be repeated, building an ever bigger tower. This one is lots of fun, because then it can be knocked down - always a bonus for small person!

There you have it - some ideas about how to make Duplo an educational, but still so much fun, activity.  This is the joy of learning at home - it doesn't have to be dull and boring for learning to happen.

If you have any blog posts about Duplo activities you can share, please either link up, or comment below with links you have found. You can grab the button for "Tots on a Tuesday" below.





TheJoyfulKeeper
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2 comments :

  1. I don't think that I have any separate posts about this but I have often used Duplo to help the little ones join in with other subjects: we have made Duplo pyramids, ziggurats, body organs and so on. It is my "go to" maths manipulative.

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  2. hello sir, I am quite happy to give the information already god, thanks

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