Tiggly Shapes with iPad game is a new product that will be in Apple Stores very soon. I recently came across the product while doing research. Tiggy Shapes are geared toward toddlers 18 months old to three years old. They combine the much needed real-life tactile learning experiences with technological learning. The premise of the product is having real tactile shapes that toddlers can play with on the iPad within a game. The toddler sees a shape outline in the game, and then presses the correct shape against the iPad screen. The game tells the toddler if the shape they press against the screen is correct or not. If it is incorrect, the game will make a noise that means incorrect. If the shape is correct, the game will show the shape and turn it into a physical object.
Tiggly showing shapes and game being tested by Jack
When I saw this product, I had to share it because it has great educational appeal. Tiggly Shapes seem to not only be good for toddlers, but also great for lower elementary special needs and ESL students. I think the product would be excellent for older special needs students who have learning objectives that the product fits. I also think the product would be fantastic for ESL students in grades Kinder and first grade where it can be used to create rich language learning experiences.
Phyl Georgiou’s Safari Demo
Ideas for these diverse populations include:
- Determining shape differentiations and describing basic differences
- Recognizing and describing shapes within objects: a square in a bird, stars and circles in a turkey, etc.
- Making connections between shapes and objects in the real world
- Learning to describe more complex shape attributes within objects
- Using descriptive adjectives to describe visual and physical features
- Learning color words to describe and make associations
- Understanding and learning terms for positive reinforcement and outcomes
- Incorporating math literacy of how many/much, tallying numbers, and charting outcomes
- Use it as a center game in an immersion classroom to practice learning set learning objectives
Tiggly Shapes is an excellent product that educators in preschools and those with ESL and special needs students should consider. I was thoroughly impressed when I saw the product. It combines the much needed real-life tactile learning experiences with technological learning. What do you think? Do you have any learning or center ideas I haven’t thought of?