Explore through play
Set up simple repeating patterns for children to copy or continue, using simple maths equipment such as Unifix.
Start with just three different colours. Try introducing a new colour each week.
Children can experiment and play with pattern, making up their own.
Older children could set pattern puzzles for each other.
Activities
Rubik’s research
What else can children find out about this toy? They could use the internet, books, write to their local museum or ask a grown up. They could think of their own questions to research, or find the answers to some of these:
- Who invented the Rubik’s cube?
- What is the world record for completing the Rubik’s cube?
- What other shapes can you buy that are the same sort of puzzle, but not a cube?
- How big is the biggest Rubik’s cube in the world?
- Why do you think Rubik’s cubes are not as popular today as they were in the past?
Toy timelines
Children could use the images in our ‘Toys and games from the past’ grid to find a toy that is older than the Rubik’s cube, and another that is newer. They could print out the grid here, cut out the toys and organise them into a timeline from oldest to newest.
Children could also use the grid to explore the kinds of toys children might have played with at different stages in their childhoods.
They could print the grid, cut out the different old toys, and group them into three categories:
- Toys for babies, toddlers and other children who are younger than me
- Toys for children who are about the same age as me
- Toys for teenagers and other children who are older than me.
They could search online or in magazines to find more images to add to their groups.
Are some toys suitable for more than one age group? How could children show this?
Links
- Click on the ‘Playing in the past’ tab to find old pictures of children playing with toys and games.
- One of the fastest Rubik’s cubers in the world shares his secrets here.