What would you think if I told you that a single teaching tool could help you teach math, fine motor, social-emotional, cognitive, and language concepts to young children—a tool that could be used in both directed or independent play? Each month we offer just that in our Lillio Learning curriculum kits!
Lillio Learning for Preschool Classrooms is a curriculum designed for children ages 3 to 5, ages during which children are interested in cooperative activities where they are challenged to think and learn actively. The Learning Center Materials provided in the monthly preschool kits offer endless possibilities to interact with children and challenge them across learning domains. For example, some of our Learning Center Materials, like the Volcano Sequence Cards included with our Dino World theme, help children practice ordering events, learn ordinal numbers, and use theme-related vocabulary in context. Other Learning Center Materials, like the Farmers Market Sign in our Happy Harvest theme, help children learn simple economics, such as the cost of goods using small numbers, explore concepts such as farm-to-table, and practice learning in pretend play scenarios.
Lillio Learning for Infant & Toddler Classrooms is a curriculum designed for children ages 0 to 3 and includes a similar component called Early Learning Materials. This component allows young children to engage in learning across the domains, with a special emphasis on building expressive and receptive language skills. Examples of content introduced in Early Learning Materials includes an opportunity to explore emotions by moving interchangeable pieces to create expressions with our Silly Faces Early Learning Materials in our Silly Play theme, as well as an opportunity to learn about materials that can be recycled with our Trash or Recycling Early Learning Materials in our Nature Rocks! theme.
The Early Learning and Learning Center Materials vary throughout the curriculum year. They are both thoughtfully and creatively designed with the objective of being used to explore different learning areas, skills, and concepts.
Benefits of Using Learning Materials in Your Setting
Through the use of Early Learning and Learning Center Materials, children have the opportunity to learn as they bond with adults or caregivers, engage in small conversations by asking or answering questions, and following directions. While observing the pictures and engaging with the accompanying pieces, children are able to appreciate different cultural elements.
Cues for Including Learning Materials in Your Daily Routine
- Once introduced, offer the Learning Materials in different learning centers/exploration stations for children to engage with independently or in small groups during free play.
- Use the Learning Materials as simple transition tools. Children can take turns interacting with the pieces as you provide simple directions before moving to the next activity or lining up.
- When appropriate, attach the different pieces to blocks for children to engage with as they build. This provides the opportunity for children to try out using new vocabulary and for you to use new vocabulary in the context of play.