Nick's Brief

Balance Blocks is a self-contained toy, it is designed to look like an acorn to allow students to understand its orientation and practice cleaning up. The blocks are made of wood, plastic, and natural materials to allow for exploration. After an observation at a local Montessori school, Wildflower, collaboration seemed to be an important step in early childhood development and is an integral part of the Montessori method. According to a study done by AAC&U, collaboration is a skill 80% of job employers look for in the workspace. The skill of collaboration is important and should be taught from a young age. 

Balance Blocks is a toy that is designed to give an introduction to collaboration for kids aged two to five. Balance Black will provide kids an easier, more entertaining way of collaborating with others. Teachers also benefit from the simplicity of the toy as a tool for educating about collaboration. This ties back to the Montessori philosophy of using nature in learning. In the toy is a container that also functions as a base with a round bottom. Inside are blocks that are basic shapes. The kids take turns stacking on base, with the goal of getting as high as they can. By allowing the children to take turns, the collaboration starts off as simple but gets more complex as their skills improve. 

Hunter

Balance Blocks enables children to learn collaboration with their peers and educators. Collaboration is an important component of early childhood development and the Montessori method. By learning this skill early, children will be better prepared for elementary Montessori education and for future employment as cited in respected journals such as AAC&U.

This toy will allow children aged two to five to be paired up to learn foundational collaboration skills. Children will take turns stacking pieces of different shapes, sizes and materials on an unstable surface, then begin to strategize on how to connect the pieces together with pegs. It is particularly designed to fit the Montessori philosophy; for instance: incorporating self-contained storage to teach about clean-up, a variety of materials to explore textures, weight and balance, and a progression of difficulty to be a sustainable toy that’s fun for children of many ages.