Play Based Learning Ideas for your Mini Maker Space

Great work, you've made your children a Mini Maker Space...... but what next? Children will happily enjoy exploring their new creative hub without additional structure. However, it can be beneficial to use your Mini Maker Space for some play based learning activities. Here are a few of our favourites.

1. Number Towers

This is great for pre-schoolers as it helps them with their number recognition and counting skills. Of course, anything building brick related is also great for fine motor skill development. Just set up the Peel 'n Stick Baseplates with numbers 1-10 using LEGO bricks. Leave plenty of various coloured bricks below the Mini Maker Space, and watch your child as they attempt the activity. It works best to not coach your child into doing the activity a certain way. Just let them approach the task in their own way. As you can see, this little guy decided to build his towers horizontally so that they popped out of the maker space. What a fun idea!

Other children might look at the set up and want to build vertical towers. There is no right or wrong way to complete the task.

Once your child is finished building their towers, encourage them to make their own number game. Just getting them playing with the bricks and thinking about numbers is such a great form of play based learning. For some children who are a little resistant to learning, making it fun and hands on can be so beneficial.

2. Build something that begins with......

This is a nice letter-based challenge for pre-schoolers and elementary school aged children, as it can be as simple or complex as the child likes. All you need is your Mini Maker Space, building bricks, and a set of alphabet flashcards.

Ask the child to choose a flashcard at random and challenge them to build something beginning with that letter. This is a great challenge as it encourages creativity and imagination, whilst also working on knowledge of letters.

This activity has so much potential for collaborative learning. It is much more exciting building creations with someone else!

3. Make a Self-Portrait

This is a fun way to introduce an artistic twist on using your maker space. It will probably work best with children older than 3, but they can certainly still try it with some help. Using DUPLO or MEGA BLOKS might suit younger children better. Simply place a mirror, photograph, or device with a photo on it, next to the Mini Maker Space and provide a large selection of building bricks. Your child has to use the materials to make their best self-portrait. Try not to guide or interfere, just let your child explore the materials and learn through trial and error.

We hope that you are inspired by our Mini Maker Space play based learning suggestions. We'd love to see how you are using your baseplates to support play based learning. Don't forget to tag us, either on Facebook (Creative QT) or Instagram (@creativeqt), with your ideas! Happy building!

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Creative QT designs quality + innovative toys that declutter homes and inspire creative play. Founded by parents of five, Adam and Dana Sue Hinkle, Creative QT’s vision is to empower parents and encourage a culture of families that Make Time Together. All products are designed to enrich families’ lives through active, creative play and play based learning. Creative QT products are laboratory tested for compliance with CPSC requirements and are free of lead, cadmium and phthalates so you can play with confidence. So, go ahead … today is the day: be your kid’s hero.

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