Inspiring Questions to Extend Thinking with Magna-Tiles®
One way to use playtime as a time to learn is by asking open-ended questions.
Magna-Tiles® and Magna-Qubix® are more than a fun toy at playtime. There are endless ways to use them as an educational tool at home or in the classroom. One of the ways that we recommend using playtime as a time to learn is by asking open-ended questions as your child plays.
When it comes to open-ended questions, there is no right or wrong answer. That means children can feel confident when answering them and it will get their mind thinking critically.
Here’s a few recommended questions that parents and teachers can ask when children are playing with Magna-Tiles® and Magna-Qubix®. These questions encourage language development and teach them how to paraphrase information and learn new vocabulary:
- Tell me about what you created.
- How did you decide to put those tiles together?
- What can you tell me about your structure?
- What is your favorite part?
- What problems did you have?
- How could we make it work? (This question is perfect if a child is stuck or frustrated with what they’re working on)
- What would you do different next time?
- What happens when…? (we remove this tile, add this shape, etc.)
- How do you think you could make it…? (smaller, taller, wider, etc.)
- Do you have any other ideas?
- What tiles would you need to make…?
- What can I do to help?
What open-ended questions do you ask during playtime? Tag us on social media with #magnatiles or #magnaqubix to share how you incorporate education with imaginative play – you might be featured on our page!