Piaget-project with beads for the Preschooler child

The Piaget-project with beads is included here with the intention that it will reveal an interesting fact of the preschool age child's psychology. As we understand the children better we get an idea about our expectation from them.

Did you ever wonder why your 3 year old son throws a fight when you cut his sandwich in halves and gave him both or your daughter starts to cry when the cookie breaks in two pieces even though she is given both? You can easily resolve this with your first grader or even may be your five year old child will be able to understand but not your preschooler little one.

Well this following activity may help you understand it.

Have twenty identical beads. Line them up in two lines. Count them with your child touching them as you count them together. Now ask her to close her eyes or turn around. This time arrange the second line such that there is a bigger gap between each bead. Ask her to open her eyes and question “which one has more beads, or are they same?”

Many preschoolers will respond that the line with the stretched out beads have more.

According to Swiss educator and psychologist Jean Piaget, the child is in the pre operative level of cognitive development and does not see things the way we do. So reasoning will not work at this phase, Even if you count many times with her she might see things differently. Her maturity will come in few months. We just have to wait and enjoy this special time of her childhood.

An older kid or a more mature child who understands the concept of one to one correspondence in counting will find them equal.

Here is another Piaget-project to understand the pre-operative, preschooler child:

Have a see through glass jug or mug of seed beads. Keep a tall bud vase and a shallow bowl, all in a small tray. Invite the child. Very gently pour the seed beads from the jug into the tall glass vase. Pause.

Now pour the seed beads from the vase to the jug again. If there is any spill pick them up with your three finger grasp . Pause.

Pour the seed beads from the jug to the shallow bowl. Ask -Which one had more, the vase or the bowl-or were they same?

There is no need to lecture her that they were same. She'll get it within few months. She may enjoy the pouring activity.Invite her to do so if she wants to. Dramatize on the slow pouring when you do it.

Give positive feed back when she slows down for being gentle.

This activity will refine her eye hand coordination, concentration skill and small motor muscle development which are all pre-requisites for writing and holding the pencil properly later on or may be beading too.

If you want more games and activities like this try Sorting and Classifying

or for patterning projects

or for Montessori activities

or after the Piaget-project, please return to the Home page for more options.