so much learning from a simple, homemade geoboard!
In early childhood education, geoboards are used for a variety of reasons:
- to practice and promote fine motor skills
- to explore shapes
- to create letters and numbers
- to explore symmetry
- to build prior knowledge of geometric concepts (such as area and perimeter)
The above list isn’t exhaustive, and I bet you could come up with 5 more uses for a geoboard before you’re done reading this post! As with many educational items, it may seem simple, but it packs a punch with kiddos. Even better, it’s fun.
When I taught kindergarten, my classroom had a set of plastic geoboards. They were about 6 inches square, which was perfect for one or two children. Now that I’m teaching preschool, I wanted to incorporate geoboards in my class without having to spend any money. That’s when I remembered Hands On: As We Grow’s Push Pin Geoboard post. I’d pinned it a while back so I wouldn’t forget the link. (If you’ve never checked out Hands On: As We Grow, be sure to go do so! Jamie has a marvelous site filled with so many resources!) Her post is what inspired me to poke around my classroom for a few simple items.
So, this morning, I grabbed a cork board that wasn’t otherwise occupied, some push pins, and some rubber bands. It took me less than 10 minutes to put the board together before class started. Then I just set it out on a table, along with a pile of rubber bands, and sat back to watch the show. As the students trickled in, almost all of them spent some time exploring the geoboard. I’m sure there will be requests for it tomorrow!
I liked using the cork board, as it allowed a group of children to play at the same time. There was also more room to create larger shapes, designs and patterns. The students didn’t end up moving the push pins around to redesign the geoboard today. However, in the future I may lay out a box of push pins and let them go at it that way. Obviously, Mary Poppins or myself will be there to supervise!
When I was reviewing my Pinterest boards to locate the picture that inspired this activity, I came across a few other great posts. I’m thinking of making something like the giant geoboard with Engineer, but I think he’d love any of them! Check them out:
- Little Red Farm’s Handmade Wooden Dowel Toy
- Filth Wizardry’s Giant Homemade Geoboard
- Share and Remember’s Geoboard Fun
Shared at Rainy Day Mum’s Tuesday Tots, True Aim’s Mom’s Library, The Educators’ Spin On It
Veens says
January 16, 2013 at 12:53 amThis is something I think Aarya would love this. I have to make a tot-style version of this soon 🙂 Thanks for posting.
I saw your post linked at Tuesday Tots ( I have posted there too )
grok78 says
January 16, 2013 at 1:56 pmThanks for stopping by! The children really loved it, and Engineer saw the pictures and is already planning how to make his own version. 🙂
erin says
January 20, 2013 at 8:57 pmMy kids love playing with our geoboard too! Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library!
grok78 says
January 20, 2013 at 9:03 pmThanks for stopping by! 🙂 Yes, Engineer is still planning out what he wants his to look like. I’m a little scared…. 🙂
jtulip says
January 21, 2013 at 12:02 amI loved playing with those when I was a kid! Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library.
grok78 says
January 21, 2013 at 7:45 amI always love seeing what’s shared at Mom’s Library. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
nlieuopreschool says
January 21, 2013 at 4:08 pmThanks for sharing on Tuesday Tots last week! I will be featuring your post on In Lieu of Preschool this week: http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/2013/01/resources-for-home-school.html (link will be live 1/22). Please feel free to stop by and grab a featured button! Off to pin your post. Thanks again for sharing on Tuesday Tots. 🙂
grok78 says
January 21, 2013 at 4:15 pmYay! Thanks so much for featuring it. I’m so excited! 😉
Ann @ My Nearest and Dearest says
May 20, 2013 at 8:57 pmI’ve wanted to make a geoboard for awhile now but haven’t gotten around to it. This one is so easy though that I have no excuse not to make it! Thanks for sharing!
MaryC says
May 20, 2013 at 10:40 pmAnn, they are so much fun for the kiddos! Engineer and I are going to make a larger version for him in the next couple of weeks. I must admit, the geoboard is fun for me too (just don’t tell the kids that)! Let me know how it goes if you do make one. 🙂