Problem-solving, Object inquiry skills
A toddler practices taking apart two connected magnetic toys.
[Invite a toddler to join you to play with special toys.]
I have some special toys that we can take apart. Let’s play with them!
[Place two connected magnetic toys in front of the toddler. Point to each of the parts as you describe there are two.]
This toy has two parts. Let’s see if we can take them apart.
[Describe and demonstrate how to use both hands to pull apart the two connected parts. Example: “I am holding this toy with two hands. I am going to pull with this hand. Look! The toy came apart!”]
Would you like to take apart the toy?
[Offer the toddler two connected magnetic toys.]
Use two hands to hold the toy and then pull it apart!
[Describe the toddler’s actions with the toy. Example: “You used two hands to take apart the toy. You held the toy and pulled it apart!” Emphasize the words pull and take apart.
If the toddler tries but does not pull the toys apart, demonstrate again how to hold with one hand and pull with one hand. See Extra Support tips for other ways to help.
Ask whether the toddler wants to take apart a toy again. Conclude play with the toys after several minutes or when the toddler loses interest.]
We learned how to take apart a special toy. We used both hands to take the toy apart!
If a toddler has difficulty after you offer several different forms of assistance (see Extra Support tips), offer an alternative activity, such as playing with a larger collection of magnetic toys. The toddler may enjoy putting the toys into and out of a container or simply looking at their differences. Describe the toddler’s actions.
Some toddlers may easily take apart magnetic toys and wish to rearrange them in different ways. Encourage toddlers to persist in pulling toys apart. Affirm their persistence with encouraging descriptions. Example: “Myah, you are pulling with your hands. You are getting very strong!”
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving, Object inquiry skills
Toddlers practice taking apart a chain of star builders or snap beads.
Be Prepared: Create several sets of two and three connected star builders plus one set of three or four connected star builders that can stand on its own.
Invite several toddlers to join you to take apart several of the connected stars. Toddlers will enjoy taking apart connected star builders and seeing the parts separated on the floor or low surface.
It is common for a toddler to take apart connected star builders by pulling one star to the side. Some toddlers may turn a stand-alone shape so he/she can use a sideways pull to remove a connected star builder.
Demonstrate how to remove a single star using an upward pull. Hold the star builder shape and encourage the toddler to remove a star by pulling up. You may hold up the star builder shape (off the table or floor) and suggest one toddler remove a star with a downward pull.
A toddler may tell you or gesture to communicate his/her interest in putting two stars back together. Restate the toddler’s question or request. Observe the toddler’s approach to connecting the stars. If the child has difficulty with the material, demonstrate how to hold one star builder in each hand. Point to the space between the rounded arms and encourage the toddler to push the stars together.
If a toddler tries to connect stars without success, offer assistance by holding one star. Encourage the toddler to push a second star onto the first. Provide just enough help so that a toddler can be successful.
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving, Object inquiry skills
Toddlers practice taking apart a stacking ring and putting rings in a pitcher, with a guided opportunity to put the stacking ring back together.
Invite several toddlers to join you on the floor to play with stacking ring toys and pitchers. Give each toddler one toy with all the rings stacked in place. Encourage the toddlers to take the rings off the spool of the toy and drop them into their pitchers.
Describe each toddler’s actions. Emphasize the words on, off, together and apart. Point to a spool and talk about the rings as all gone. Toddlers typically understand the concept of “all gone.” Act surprised to see the rings in the pitcher!
Putting the rings back together is a more challenging task that may be of interest to some but not all toddlers. Explain that “we can put the rings together again.” Encourage toddlers to take the rings out of their pitcher and put them on the floor. Secure a complete, taken-apart set to use as a demonstration. Hold up the largest ring and explain that it goes first. Point to each large ring on the floor. Assist each toddler in finding his/her largest ring. Example: “Dylan, here is a big blue ring for your spool.”
Move around and assist toddlers who want to put the toy back together. Point to and describe the ring next in order of size. If toddlers begin stacking the rings in random order, they will not be able to get them back on the spool. Act as a coach for toddlers, so they experience success.
The opening segment of the activity involves two separate actions. Give encouragement to each toddler for the tasks of removing the rings and placing them in the pitcher.
Close monitoring of toddlers’ actions is especially needed for the second segment of the activity, when toddlers have an opportunity to stack the rings on the spool. Some toddlers may opt for a trial-and-error approach to the task. Others may watch your demonstration. If a toddler seems frustrated in putting the toy back together, find the next ring and hand it to him/her. At this age, toddlers may not notice differences in size. Toddlers may understand the difference in size more easily if you lay the rings out in order on the floor. Individualized support is important to a toddler’s sense of success in putting the rings on the spool.
Some toddlers may leave the gathering after removing rings from the spool. It is not necessary for toddlers to finish all the steps available with a stacking ring. Taking the rings off and seeing the rings on the floor or in a container is a useful cognitive contrast to viewing the rings stacked in order by size.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: magnetic toys, such as GeoMag™ GBaby
Place magnetic toys on a low surface. Arrange toys so that they are connected in several different arrangements. Sit with toddlers and encourage them to use both hands to pull apart the magnetic toys. After toddlers have pulled apart several pieces, snap them back together in different arrangements. You may muffle the sound of the toys on the tabletop by placing a table pad or bath towel on the surface.
Materials Needed: Velcro®, blocks, flannel board
Place small dots of Velcro® on the backs of several blocks for more disconnecting fun. Place blocks with Velcro® on a flannel board lying on the floor. Encourage toddlers to pull blocks from the flannel board. Older toddlers and preschoolers may enjoy placing the blocks in different patterns on the flannel board as younger toddlers continue to practice pulling the blocks from the flannel board.
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