Giant Pegboard Teaching Tips
Build Basic Preschool Concepts with a Classic Toy
The Giant Pegboard helps your toddler or preschooler improve gross motor and fine motor co-ordination. Use it to teach colors, counting, number concepts and matching.
The Giant Pegboard from Discovery Toys is a classic toy that doesn't sing or dance, say silly phrases, or tumble around while the child just sits and watches. It doesn't need batteries, and it doesn't play for the child.
The Giant Pegboard invites the child to look, touch, build, explore and learn. It is packed with instant appeal for 18-month-old toddlers and full of learning opportunities and fun for preschool, kindergarten and early primary school children. Teach valuable concepts and skills to children who are blind or visually impaired, or provide repeated exploration and learning fun for children who are developmentally delayed.
This pegboard has been around for a long time, so if you already have one, go dig it out of the closet or toy chest and get ready for some great learning fun!
Open the box and there it is - a 10-inch square plastic board with 25 chunky round pegs in bright basic colors. Each peg has a hole in its top, and the pegs sit in evenly-spaced holes in the board, forming a 5-by-5 grid similar to a Bingo board.
Introduce the Pegboard
Open the box and sit it on the floor in front of your toddler. Draw his attention by beginning to take pegs out of the board, one at a time. Invite him to take out pegs, too. Stir the pegs to make noise and provide auditory stimulation. Replace some pegs and encourage him to do the same. Make more noise by stirring or rubbing the pegs against the grainy surface of the board.
Build Gross Motor Skills
Build large muscle development by letting the child toss the pegs about the room. Make a game of "clean up" and help him put pegs back in the board. Use this time to encourage your child to take turns and follow directions. Be sure to talk about what is going on so you stimulate language growth.
Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are essential for success in school. Stack two pegs and invite your child to make a stack. Knock it over and make another one. Make a stack of three pegs; he will love toppling tall stacks because they make lots of noise on the board. He'll be having fun while learning to use his fingers to grip and position objects.
Teach Number Concepts
Use the pegboard to teach number concepts by asking your child to make a tower of four pegs, a line of three pegs etc. Have him count pegs as he adds them to his stacks and rows on the board.
Teach Colors
The pegboard is great for teaching colors. Begin by asking your child to add a blue peg peg on top of his stack, find all the yellow pegs etc. Reinforce number skills by having him count the red pegs or make a stack of 2 green pegs.
Match Colors and Numbers
Place 2 yellow pegs on the board and ask your child to do the same. Play "Follow the Leader" or a "Simon Says" game, and be sure to let your child be the leader sometimes.
Make a game of each activity. Give your game a name. Play the "Stacking Game" or "Color Toss Game" or "Color Match Game" over and over. Give your child lots of praise, and he will ask to repeat games he likes. He will learn lots of important skills and concepts along the way.
Keep your Giant Pegboard handy. You'll want to use it to teach preschool, kindergarten and primary concepts like addition, patterning, spatial relationships and even basic multiplication and geometry.
