In The Nest ...
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| Tessellation Tiles |
we love to move,
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| Unit Blocks |
stack,
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| Unit Blocks |
and fit things together.
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| Connectagons |
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| Unifix Cubes |
There are many levels of geometric thinking. Research suggests that to move through these levels, children must be exposed to many experiences and participate in numerous activities. Progress is often very slow. Activities and materials like the ones you see here contribute to this variety of experiences.
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| Pattern Blocks |
In a 1986 study, Pierre Van Hiele and Dina van Hiele-Geldolf present levels of geometric thinking. They state that many preschool children stay within level "zero." In The Nest, however, we see that three-, four-, and five-year-olds are quite capable of in-depth work in level two!
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| Counting Rods |
Level 0: Children learn to recognize geometric figures such as squares and circles by their holistic physical appearance.
For example, when children liken the shapes of blocks to objects around the room -- a rectangle block looks like a table, a circular block looks like a clock. Children at this level do not think about the attributes or properties of shapes, like how many lines or angles a shape has.
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| Pattern Blocks |
Level 1: Children begin to learn isolated characteristics or attributes of the forms.
In tessellation tiles, children see that though both a square and a diamond-shaped rhombus have four sides, the angles of the corners change the shape.
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| Tessellation Tiles |
Level 2: Children establish relationships between the attributes of forms.
In unit blocks, children learn that two unit blocks make a double, four unit blocks make a quad, and that half of a unit block can make a short rod, a triangle, or a square. They learn similarities and differences between the shapes as well.
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| Unit Blocks |
As we walk and drive around, shapes are everywhere we go. Especially in the city! These are always good times to ask your child what shapes they see and prompt your child to notice how the shapes are fitting together. When you are out, make sure you sometimes take along pen and paper and draw what you see. When you get home, find time to build what you saw. In this way, you can help teach your child that we are all ...
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| Connectagons |
mathematicians!
