Toy Theatre is the topic of our blog post today. Toy Theatre is a platform that offers a wide variety of educational games tailored specifically for K-3 students. Going through the materials there I was indeed pleasantly surprised by the depth and variety of games it offers for young learners and all for free. So, let’s dive into what makes Toy Theater a worthwhile resource for the classroom, shall we?
Toy Theatre Games
Whether you’re teaching math, language arts, art, or music, this platform has got you covered. And it’s not just a few cookie-cutter games; each subject area has a rich collection of activities. For instance, in math, you can introduce students to everything from basic counting and numeral recognition to more advanced topics like division. That’s gold for differentiating instruction, especially if you’re dealing with a mixed-ability classroom.
More specifically, Toy Theatre offers educational games in the following categories:
Math games
Toy Theater offers a diverse selection of interactive math games, covering counting, numeral recognition, division, telling time, and various mathematical concepts for elementary-aged students. These engaging math games are designed to make learning math enjoyable and effective.
Some examples of featured math games include:Bingo, Bowling, Apple island, Broken Calculator, Math Flash Cards, Shake and Spill, Magic Multiply, Matching, Mission Addition, Rain Drops, Subtraction Sumo, Area Climber, Patter, Frogwise, Math Test, and manymore
Language arts games
Toy Theater provides a range of interactive language arts games that cater to elementary-aged students. These games focus on enhancing spelling, letter recognition, and reading skills through engaging online activities. It offers a fun and educational platform for language arts development.
Some examples of featured Language Arts games include: Story Sequencer, Word Bird, Magic Spell, Word Search, Alphabet Bridge, Word Mine, Hidden Picture Party, Word Scramble Tools, Phonics Seesaw, Word Family Flashcards, Road Signs, Waffle, and many more.
Art games
Toy Theater offers creative and educational art activities for elementary-aged students. These activities foster creativity and learning simultaneously by teaching students to play simple songs on a keyboard and exploring symmetry through art games. It’s a platform that encourages artistic expression alongside academic growth.
Some examples of featured Art games include: Spiral, Mirror, Twirl, Robot, Sticker, Pixel Art, Polygon, Doodle Handwriting, Doodle Pad, Ancient Greece, Doodle Zoo Alphabet, Doodle Halloween, Doodle Cat, and many more.
Music Games
Toy Theater provides a platform for elementary-aged students to engage in interactive music games. These games introduce students to playing simple songs on a keyboard, promoting musical exploration and learning. It’s an enjoyable way to combine music appreciation with educational activities. Some examples of featured Music games include: beat Box, Music Box, Composer, Piano C Major, Piano, and Xylophone,
Puzzle games
Toy Theater offers a collection of engaging puzzle games suitable for young learners. These games are not only fun but also educational, making them perfect for early finishers or indoor recess. They provide an enjoyable way for students to learn while they play, stimulating their problem-solving skills and critical thinking.
Early finishers in your classroom? Indoor recess because of bad weather? This section offers entertaining yet educational options to keep the little minds engaged. Some examples of featured Puzzle games include: Maze, Visual Memory, Sudoku, Nonogram, Slider, Liquid Sort, Sliding Squares, Find, Escape, Animal Slider, and more.
Handy Tools for Teachers
The inclusion of ‘Teacher Tools’ is another thoughtful touch. Timers, spinners, and math skill evaluation tools can be lifesavers during lessons. And if you’ve ever scrambled last minute to find a timer or a random number generator (we’ve all been there), you’d know how beneficial it is to have these tools just a click away.
Examples of teachers tools provided by Toy Theatre include: Math Flash Cards, Geoboard, Marble Jar, Fraction Strips, Area Perimeter Explorer, Classroom Timer, Interactive Clock, Times Table, Spinner, Protractor, Coin Flip, Number Line, Magnets, and many more.
Accessibility
Another massive plus is its accessibility. Available on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices, it can be incorporated into practically any tech setup. You can even put it up on smartboards for whole-class activities. This is particularly crucial for schools that may not have a 1:1 student-to-device ratio.
Room for Improvement?
While the platform is generally top-notch, I’d love to see it expand its offering to cater to older elementary students as well. It’s too good a resource to be limited to just K-3.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve read through my posts before, you know I rarely give glowing reviews without due reason. But Toy Theater just resonates with me. It’s user-friendly, diverse, free, and holds immense educational value. Research has consistently shown the benefits of interactive learning in the educational journey, and Toy Theater does a brilliant job of bringing this to the table.
