Core Skills Analysis
Creative and Physical Development
- Developed fine and gross motor skills by handling and manipulating cardboard boxes, cutting or arranging pieces carefully to build a stable den.
- Enhanced spatial awareness through figuring out how different box shapes and sizes can fit together to create an enclosed space.
- Stimulated imaginative play, encouraging innovative thinking and role-play scenarios inside the dens.
- Practiced problem-solving as they adjusted the boxes for stability and shape to make the den comfortable and functional.
Communication and Social Skills
- Potentially improved communication by negotiating roles and decisions with peers or adults when working collaboratively on building the den.
- Enhanced vocabulary by naming parts of the den or describing the structure, and expressing ideas about the construction process.
- Developed patience and turn-taking if the activity was done with others, fostering social cooperation.
- Experienced empowerment and confidence from completing a physical creation that they initiated and built.
Tips
Encourage your child to extend their den-building by incorporating storytelling or role-play, perhaps imagining the den as a castle, spaceship, or secret hideout. Introduce basic measurement concepts by using rulers or tape measures to check dimensions of the boxes and den space. Share a simple plan or drawing beforehand and compare it with the final structure to build early design thinking skills. You might also explore decorating the den with paint or textiles to include artistic expression and sensory exploration.
Book Recommendations
- Not a Box by Antoinette Portis: A delightful picture book that celebrates creativity and imagination, encouraging children to see everyday boxes as more than just containers.
- Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty: A fun story about a young boy passionate about building and architecture, inspiring children to create and problem-solve.
- The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton: A classic tale that explores the concept of shelter and home, sparking curiosity about structures and environments.
Learning Standards
- Physical Development (UK Early Years Foundation Stage - PD): Handling tools and materials safely and with control.
- Communication and Language (EYFS): Expressing ideas and feelings through talk and play.
- Understanding the World (EYFS): Exploring and discovering the properties of materials.
- Expressive Arts and Design (EYFS): Using imagination to represent ideas and experiences.
Try This Next
- Create a worksheet with simple questions about shapes and sizes of boxes used, encouraging matching shapes to their function in the den.
- Have the child draw a blueprint of their den before building and then illustrate the final product, comparing the two drawings.