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Moving learning for toddlers
Guest blog by Jodie Becker (designer and creator In a Flash card)
Moving learning for toddlers: how and why
Bass trips into the kitchen with a hand full of cards, “play triangle, mommy?” he asks sweetly. Anouk is proud that she herself was responsible for teaching ‘triangle’ to Bas. Together they distribute the cards around the living room and the game can begin. Bas makes eye contact and looks at his mother in anticipation, Anouk’s heart immediately warms up. Bas smiles and beams after the first assignment: ‘taa-tuu taa-tuu, drive the ambulance to the square!’. For three weeks now, he has been asking for the tickets instead of his well-known request to play with the cars.
What is moving learning?
Simply moving towards an object with the aim of becoming acquainted with a new learning concept, such as numbers, vocabulary or shapes. While moving learning plays a major role in primary education, it is still on the rise for toddlers. The benefits are virtually infinite, and we’ve listed our three favorites:
Strong inculcation of learning concepts
Moving learning unites the three learning styles auditory – visual – tactile. These three learning styles together form the basis of everything children learn at home, at daycare and at school. Every child has a unique balance and relationship with these learning styles. One child likes to listen to extensive instructions (auditory), another benefits from hands-on instruction (tactile) and yet another understands the most by observing (visual). Moving learning brings these three learning styles to life. Bas hears his mother say ‘triangle’ and sees how she points to the right picture. He looks at the triangle and runs happily towards it. Along the way, he has time to observe, record and store the triangle in his memory. He proudly picks up the card and brings it to his mother. Together they chat about what they see and Bas crosses the triangle with his finger.
Connection
Although we talk about moving learning and playful learning, our toddlers do not experience it that way. As soon as parents start the game, they quickly notice a difference in their child. The game is a pause of instructions and expectations. It starts with simple assignments and quickly blossoms into a unique experience between parent and child, rich in eye contact and connection. The two worlds come together for a while and the rest temporarily disappears. This also gives us as parents a moment to make the connection with our toddler.
Stimulus and stress processing
It is rightly an increasingly well-known theme of today: overstimulation. Both large and small people struggle with the effects of overstimulation. This manifests itself in countless ways and children discharge themselves at every turn. Awareness and naming of signals such as moodiness, hyperactivity, sadness and fatigue in toddlers is a learned art. But how do we help our toddlers discharge in a way that feels good for them (and us)? We are often tempted to reach for a screen, but experts agree: with a screen we park the stimuli that need to be processed for the time being.
Movement, laughter and physical contact with a trusted person ensure safe and pleasant discharge so that our toddlers do not have to reach for the best-known solution complete with tears, temper and a good dose of drama.
Moving learning is a lesser-known play option for toddlers where a child moves themselves through space to further explore important learning concepts during active play. It is also an exercise that ensures contact and attachment between parent and child. By looking at each other, listening, reacting to each other and laughing together, you develop a stronger bond.
We believe that moving learning offers many benefits for the life of every parent and therefore always design new themes to continue to surprise and inspire.
The In A Flashcards playfully respond to the concept of moving learning in toddlers.
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