The Power of Posting Activities: Coin Box and Shape Sorter Toy for Child Development

Playing with toys is an essential aspect of early childhood development. It is through play that children develop their cognitive, physical, and social skills. Posting activities, such as coin box and shape sorter toy are a common and beloved activity for young children. Whether it's putting coins into a piggy bank or letters into a mailbox, these activities provide children with a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment. However, posting activities are much more than just a fun way to pass the time - they also play a critical role in a child's physical and cognitive development.

How Posting Activities Help?

Foster's practice:

Posting activities have a built-in repetition that keeps children engaged for long stretches of time. This creates the habit of practice early on. The child drops the ball, and it comes out and requires the child to fetch it, only for them to repeat the action.

Nurture Cause & Effect Understanding:

Some posting activities require the child to figure out the solution, further strengthening the concept of cause & effect. Children understand that only when they do a certain action will the next action happen E.g., The coin of the coin box if dropped in the drawer won't come out on its own. It requires the child to pull the drawer out. This requires ownership and execution of the action by the child. This is an executive function that is crucial for their long-term growth.

Support Object Permanence:

Posting activities are an excellent way to support the development of object permanence in young children. By placing objects through slots or holes, children learn that the objects still exist even though they are out of sight. Children with a strong sense of object permanence can remember an object's location even when it is out of sight. This ability is critical for a child's overall cognitive development as it helps them understand the world around them. When a child plays with a toy that requires posting, they must remember where the object went and where it is now. This helps them understand that the object still exists even when it is not visible. It also fosters memory development

Sense of control and accomplishment:

By successfully placing an object through a slot or hole, children feel a sense of satisfaction and pride in their achievement. Posting activities can be simple or complex depending on the toy's design. Some toys require specific shapes or sizes of objects to fit through the opening, while others have multiple openings that require different objects. Children need to use problem-solving skills to figure out which object fits through which opening. This activity enhances their critical thinking, logical reasoning, and spatial awareness skills. Toys like coin box, shape sorter toy, a ring slide can help children develop their problem-solving skills as they slide rings through the opening waiting for it to appear on the other side.

Cognitive Flexibility:

Posting activities also help children develop cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to switch between different tasks or mental processes. When children engage in posting activities, they must shift their attention between the object they are manipulating and the slot or hole they are trying to fit it through. This helps them develop their cognitive flexibility, which is an essential skill for academic and social success.

Develop their sense of spatial awareness:

As they manipulate objects and place them through slots or holes, they begin to understand the relationship between the object and the space it occupies. This posting activity improves hand-eye coordination, which is essential for daily tasks such as writing, drawing, and catching a ball. Hand-eye coordination is also crucial for developing visual perception, spatial awareness, and motor planning.

Fine Motor Skills:

Fine motor skills are essential for children to develop. These skills are necessary for daily activities such as eating, dressing, and writing. Fine motor skills involve the use of small muscles in the hands, fingers, and wrists. Posting activities help develop fine motor skills as they require children to manipulate small objects and coordinate their movements. When children repeatedly practice posting, they strengthen their hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, and wrist movements. These skills are essential for later activities such as drawing and writing.

Montessori Toys that Support Coin Box and Shape Sorter Toy Activities:

 There are many types of Montessori coin box toys available, each with unique features that support different skills. We recommend introducing them gradually so your child can layer them upon the skills learnt. Here are some examples:

Object Permanence box (6+ months):

A simple ball drop box where the child needs to put the ball through a hole only to see it appear in nanoseconds. This is a good toy to have when your child can sit with support or independently, as it helps to reinforce the object permanence concept and provides an early introduction and avenue to develop the necessary skills for other posting activities.

Coin Box (12+ months):

A coin box is a simple yet effective toy that helps children develop their object permanence and fine motor skills. The coin box has a slot where the child can insert coins. The coins are then stored inside the box until the child opens it. The child must remember where they put the coins and how to retrieve them. This helps develop their object permanence skills. Moreover, inserting the coins into the slot requires fine motor skills, which helps develop hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, and wrist movements.

Mailbox/ Shape Sorter Toy – (15+ months):

A shape sorter toy is another great toy that supports posting activities. The mailbox or shape sorter toy has a slot where the child can insert 3D concrete shapes. The shapes are then stored inside the mailbox until the child pulls out the drawer. The child must remember how to retrieve them and employ the muscles to pull the drawer which is now heavy with wooden shapes inside it. A good exercise and quite a challenge for little hands.

Ring Slide – (18+ months):

A ring slide is a toy that requires the child to slide rings via a concealed bridge onto a pole. This makes it a fun and challenging activity. Sliding the rings onto the pole requires hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, and wrist movements. The child also must apply logical reasoning to keep inserting the rings until one pops out.

Posting activities are a great way to keep children engaged for long stretches of time and provide opportunities to play-based learning with minimal parental involvement. By incorporating Montessori toys like coin box and shape sorter toys into playtime, parents can encourage their child's holistic development while fostering a love for learning and exploration.