Before the instructions for the PERFECT line were created, we tested the blocks in person for two long weeks. The entire Mammutico team was involved in creative fun, and then did a step-by-step photo session of erecting the building, which was included in the manual.
During these fourteen days, a lot of interesting ideas were implemented. The choice of building was therefore extremely difficult, but in the end a guide was created with thirty instructions of varying degrees of sophistication. However, this was not the last stage of creating the manual. We decided that since it is a product for children, we should test it with their help.
We invited two facilities to participate in the manual testing project. One of them was the Caritas Sociotherapy Center at Okopowa Street. We have included opinions and a report from this stage in a separate article.
The first group to receive our instructions and start playing with PERFECT blocks were five- and six-year-olds from the private kindergarten "Jedynka" in Pruszków. The test project lasted a month, during holiday workshops with blocks, organized by the teachers of "Jedynka".
Each caregiver received their own copy of the manual with space for notes. At our request, the classes were mainly based on the construction of structures presented in the manual. We wanted to know how kids cope with larger buildings, what would be a problem for them and whether the stages of construction were clearly depicted. The level of individual instructions was also assessed, because some of them, despite their complexity, do not present very detailed stages of adding bricks (as, for example, LEGO shows). Some of them are even depicted as a single drawing, which requires the constructive effort of one's spatial imagination and enormous concentration.
In addition to the program of activities with instructions, children also had time to play freely with large blocks. The observations from this part of the workshop were also a learning and inspiration for us.
The first and main information we received from the teachers of the "Jedynka" kindergarten was that the children really liked the blocks. In addition, we found out that:
- in order to use all the possibilities of the blocks (connections, twists, bends), they had to be shown at the beginning. Smaller children could not focus on the introduction and presentation on the first page of the textbook, often skipping it altogether,
- so much time was needed to erect larger buildings that sometimes it took more than one session. During this time, the less patient kids began to get bored and moved on to individual play,
- the children could choose the buildings to build on their own. They liked the most spectacular constructions such as a ball, an igloo or a train. The Palace of Culture was also interesting, because everyone knew the building and wanted to participate in its reconstruction,
- buildings that were to be used for later fun, e.g. a car or a scooter, were also very popular. After building them, the children wanted to use the elements for ordinary play, so there was not much time left for the next constructions (which should be taken into account when planning activities),
- instructions with less detailed construction steps were too difficult for kindergarten children if they did not receive proper guidance from the teacher,
- free play was very attractive for children, although none of their constructions were as advanced as those in the instructions. Children constructed skeletons of various objects without using the option of bending, twisting or connecting with small rectangular fillers.
Perfect blocks are workshop sets. Before children start using all the interesting solutions offered by the shape and flexible material, they must have time to familiarize themselves with the product. If the workshop is one-time, it is necessary to conduct a short presentation at the beginning of the workshop.
Repeating classes will allow participants to focus on the activities of erecting buildings without time pressure. The ideal solution would be to be able to leave the building unfinished for the next meeting.
Using the instructions greatly affects the development of spatial imagination while providing the right dose of movement.
The blocks with instructions are perfect for the oldest preschool groups and primary school day rooms. Construction with instructions is addictive and can 100% fill the free time spent by older children in the common room. The desire to build is intensified by the size of the structure, which is a very attractive element of fun. The whole thing combines into a creative fun full of challenges and the right dose of exercise, i.e. everything that is necessary to spend free time in an interesting and useful way.
Thanks to:
Niepubliczne Przedszkole "Jedynka" Centrum Edukacji Lokalnej w Pruszkowie
