Malleability of spatial skills: bridging developmental psychology and toy design for joyful STEAM development

Abstract

Previous research has established that advances in spatial cognition predict STEAM success, and construction toys provide ample opportunities to foster spatial cognition. Despite various construction toy designs in the market, mostly brick-shaped building blocks are used in spatial cognition research. This group of toys is known to enhance mental rotation; however, mental rotation is not the only way to comprehend the environment three-dimensionally. More specifically, mental folding and perspective taking training have not received enough attention as they can also be enhanced with the construction toys, which are framed based on the 2×2 classification of spatial skills (intrinsic-static, intrinsic-dynamic, extrinsic-static, extrinsic-dynamic). To address these gaps, we compile evidence from both developmental psychology and toy design fields to show the central role played by mental folding and perspective taking skills as well as the importance of the variety in toy designs. The review was conducted systematically by searching peer reviewed design and psychology journals and conference proceedings. We suggest that, over and above their physical properties, construction toys offer affordances to elicit spatial language, gesture, and narrative among child-caregiver dyads. These interactions are essential for the development of spatial skills in both children and their caregivers. As developmental psychology and toy design fields are two domains that can contribute to the purpose of developing construction toys to boost spatial skills, we put forward six recommendations to bridge the current gaps between these fields. Consequently, new toy designs and empirical evidence regarding malleability of different spatial skills can contribute to the informal STEAM development.

The Pedagogical Significance of STEAM Toys for Preschoolers

“…By integrating STEAM concepts into play, these toys offer preschoolers engaging opportunities to explore and interact with early science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics concepts in a fun and hands-on manner. In this context, the diverse array of toys promoting STEAM education, focusing on their role in facilitating early science exploration, technological literacy, engineering principles, artistic expression, and mathematical reasoning (Ileri et al, 2023;Rachma et al, 2022;Rafael et al, 2020).…”

“…Yet, understanding the pedagogical significance of STEAM toys goes beyond mere entertainment value. These toys play a crucial role in cultivating soft skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, which are fundamental for navigating the complexities of the modern world (Ileri et al, 2023;Mehmet & Erdal, 2023).…”