Early learning development includes:
• Fine motor development -picking items up and putting them in place helps them learn the important skill of intentional grasp and release, as well as how to control and position their fingers.
• Visual and spatial perception – works on depth perception, hand-eye coordination, and understanding where your body is in space. As you put each piece on top of the other, you have to visually gauge where to place each piece both in relation to yourself and in relation to the other pieces.
• Gross motor – Starting at about the age of 6 months and up, babies are gaining the postural stability to be able to sit up by themselves. They’re also working on coordinating their movements. Sitting up while stacking allows babies to get used to stabilizing their core as they move about and use their hands. This early multi-tasking activity also gives them the opportunity to let their body “catch itself” and make adjustments to maintain balance.
• Crossing the midline – Crossing midline is the ability for the right hand to cross over the centre of the body to function in the left hemisphere, and vice versa. This is an important skill for handwriting, cutting with scissors, reading, eating, and anything that requires the hand to move from left to right or right to left.
• Language concept – toddlers learn a comparison of size, sequencing the cups and turn-taking.
