Construction games.
A preschool child likes to play in the company of peers. Movement or thematic games are incomparably more interesting and richer, if a colleague is attending. However, sometimes a child wants to play alone, in silence, peace, focus, uninterrupted by comments and questions. They are most suitable for individual practice of all construction games. They require thought, consideration, reflection, overcoming difficulties, which resists, material disobedient to still less efficient hands. They develop spatial imagination, they force you to think creatively, solving ever new problems. To encourage the child to practice them, you need to equip them with a set of appropriate toys. They should include, above all, blocks of various shapes, allowing to erect various architectural forms. If we demonstrate, what and how to make them, build, the child will be happy to take care of the toy. At first, he will arrange completely simple and uncomplicated compositions, and only when he gets a little used to it, he will begin to improve and diversify his constructions more and more.
A very interesting toy is a magnetic puzzle. It consists of a metal black plate and small wooden elements of various shapes and colors with a piece of magnet mounted on the bottom. Thanks to this, all elements stick to the plate, they don't fall off it, even if we put it completely vertically. This fact is interesting and puzzling, because it is inconsistent with previous experience. So the toy intrigues, the child is trying to reach, why the puzzle doesn't fall apart, does not fall off the plate, and it stays that way, as if attached to it. That's it, what is on the table, it turns over at the slightest movement, falls to the floor. In addition, from these different wheels, squares, rectangles, triangles, You can arrange any compositions in the semicircles: figural, resembling human or animal figures, as well as geometric. The toy develops spatial imagination and fantasy, encourages independent thinking, develops the aesthetic sense.
Equally interesting toy, especially liked by girls, although many boys take care of her, is a mosaic puzzle, consisting of a perforated board and multi-colored plastic large pins, from which various compositions can be arranged. Patterns are included with the toy, but in the initial period, the child is not yet able to use them. Patterning is a difficult task, so try your own first, quite random and uncomplicated compositions. Only with time will he learn to recreate the pattern given on the board.
It is worth buying a puzzle for a slightly older child – nailing. This toy not only develops spatial imagination, encourages the composition of various figures and patterns, but also exercises hand dexterity. Each element of it must be nailed with a tiny nail to the chipboard.
Some educators also include drawing and painting as construction games, clay and plasticine molding. Others regard this kind of children's activity as the first manifestations of artistic creativity. The issue of classification is less important to us. It is important, however, to allow the child to undertake this type of activity.