Posts filed under: children
The Artists of Art City
Posted by Steve Lynett on March 16, 2012 | Posted under 3D puzzles, art, children, creativity, dexterity, geometry, imagination, kids, paper puzzles, polypuzzle, PolyPuzzle
A short demonstration by the head wizard and then, success!!
This past week, PolyPuzzle was given the opportunity to spend an afternoon with the children of Art City, St. James Town. Inventor and Head Wizard, James Ziegler and I were invited to demonstrate the product to some 30 children, age’s five to 12.
We had a number of finished projects on display to show the kids what was possible, ranging from very simple to quite sophisticated.
Each child was given two sheets of PolyPuzzle pieces to use in whatever way then wished. But, as you might expect, the majority wanted to launch right into the tough stuff.
After some discussion, we were able to convince the group to try simple projects first. Armed with 32 squares and triangles, in two different colours, they began punching out pieces and putting them together. The adult volunteers at Art City were able to show the kids how pieces connected, but once they had mastered the ‘hook and press’ technique, there was no stopping them.
Armed with stick-on ‘wiggly’ eyes and magic markers, the kids brought some of the most amazing creatures to life. And, as kids do, the impromptu ‘show and tell’ went on the entire session. To say the kids of Art City are delightful is an understatement – and it’s a toss-up as to who had the biggest smiles – them or us.
At the conclusion of the visit, each child went home with pieces and instructions enough to make a PolyPuzzle bug.
Commenting on the visit, the head wizard had this to say: “Kids don’t have many inhibitions, especially at play. Their imaginations are completely free. And with PolyPuzzle, they can’t make a mistake. If they see their creation as art – they’re right!”
A special thanks to Gillian and her volunteers for giving us a gift we’ll always remember.
5 Top Reasons to Love PolyPuzzle
Posted by Steve Lynett on December 21, 2011 | Posted under 3D puzzles, age, art, children, creativity, dexterity, discovery, geometry, imagination, kids, NASA, paper puzzles, polypuzzle
Reason One: Discover your inner creativity
The spirit of creativity is within all of us. Just watch a child at playing with a cardboard box. A small box can become a pilot’s helmet, or a safe place for prized objects. A large box can become a cave or an automobile or a secret hiding place. It’s not the box that’s creative: it’s the child with the help of a boundless imagination. There are no barriers and any object the child can find quickly takes on a life of its own. As we age, we sometimes suppress our creativity. PolyPuzzle was designed to unleash this creativity, allowing a collection of puzzle pieces to become whatever we want them to be. Yes, it takes a little practice and a bit of patience. But as the pieces go together, the creativity is sure to emerge.
Reason Two: Develop the hands of a surgeon
One of the great things about PolyPuzzle is that it helps develop fine motor skills – the use of your hands and fingers to perform precise tasks. You’re using the small muscles of the body when you pick up a pencil or a button. It’s the opposite of using a hammer, although being able to use a hammer can come in very handy at times. Strength, fine motor control and dexterity are all at work when working with PolyPuzzle. Occupational therapists know the value of this kind of activity and encourage it. So, if you ever need stitches or – heaven forbid – an operation, be sure to ask the surgeon if he or she has ever worked with PolyPuzzle. It should be on your list of selection criteria.
Reason Three: Learn to love geometry
Many of the objects possible with PolyPuzzle fall into the area of mathematics we call geometry. Our world would be pretty flat without the vast array of shapes that come into play with globes, triangles and just about any three-dimensional shape. Teachers find it helpful to teach geometry using PolyPuzzle. Not only are the geometric shapes, or models, that emerge from flat, PolyPuzzle pieces fun to make, they are far more effective than any two-dimensional photograph or drawing.
Reason Four: You’re never too old
People often look at PolyPuzzle and see it as a game or a toy for kids. Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth. Two of our most enthusiastic puzzlers are retired. One is a mathematician and the other is an accomplished architect. Geologists model with PolyPuzzle to reproduce crystalline shapes. And anyone can appreciate the appeal of a PolyPuzzle owl, Toucan or Penguin although, we have no information that tells us what zookeepers think.
Reason Five: NASA thinks it’s fun
One of the most exciting missions currently underway at NASA is the Kepler Mission. Named for the 17th Century astronomer Johannes Kepler, the mission’s primary objective is to look for and locate habitable planets. One of the neatest PolyPuzzle kits just happens to be the Kepler Star. And, yes, we showed it to the folks at NASA. Alan Gould, Co-I for the NASA Kepler Mission at the University of California and Edna DeVore, CO-I for the NASA Kepler Mission at the SETI Institute both thought it was pretty cool. No one can say PolyPuzzle doesn’t have star power! http://kepler.nasa.gov/
