From birth, a baby is already ready to perceive the world and remember information. The main source of this is parents. If they begin to pay attention to the child, reading to him, talking to him, playing games, then soon the children will begin to imitate mom and dad.

Child development using Nikitin cubes

A unique method by Boris Nikitin was developed for children and their parents. Their entire wonderful family invented Nikitin’s Cubes, which help their seven children and many other children develop. This innovative discovery amazed the whole world. The technique turned out to be effective.

Benefits of educational games

1. Memory is trained, which will help in adult life child.

2. The baby will learn to react quickly and think, which will allow him to make the right decisions.

3. Persistence develops, and the child will learn to gradually move towards the goal.

4. Knowledge of the surrounding world will expand, imagination and a sense of symmetry will develop.

5. The child is prepared in advance for school with the help of games where he needs to read and count.

6. Nikitin's cubes not only have a good effect on the development and motor skills of children, but also help strengthen the relationship between them and their parents.

Diversity and methods of teaching children

Sets made of wood “Fold the pattern” (16 pcs.) are intended for the game. These multi-colored Nikitin cubes give the child the opportunity to fantasize and make patterns. A notebook is included with the game so he can record his discoveries.

A set of “Unicube” with different colored edges (47 drawings) was also invented. Children will be happy to build original structures in the form of geometric shapes. This will develop You can also play Nikitin’s cubes “Fold the square”. The child learns to add figures, which will help in the field of geometry and algebra. Also on sale were the “Architect”, “Fractions”, and “Seguin Box” cubes.

How to get children interested in games

Of course, all logic games will be fun if patient parents help their child develop a keen interest in this activity. It is necessary that the baby be at least a little diligent and patient, like mom and dad. A child will be able to get carried away when he sees interest in this type of entertainment in the eyes of his parents. Every good father and mother wants their child to become smart, imaginative, and have a love of learning. You can be sure that Nikitin's cubes contribute to the diversified development of children. And, subsequently, not a single person will regret paying attention to children, since the reward for this will be pride in them. After all, society loves educated people, interesting people. This is exactly what the methodology under consideration will contribute to. Moreover, these games stimulate creative and intellectual thinking. And the little man will learn to create unique ideas in adulthood and become insightful. With the help of games, you can instill confidence in your child, since children are often critical of their abilities.

Memo for parents

It is important not to rush parents to help solve puzzles; let the child think independently and learn to be entrepreneurial and active. The training system presents tasks in in various forms: drawings, drawings, diagrams. It must be remembered that the games have many levels for of different ages children. You shouldn’t push your child or scold him if he can’t do it as quickly as an older child or a parent. Experience comes with time. To prevent development from being hampered, one should not make enormous demands on the child.

How to play Nikitin's cubes?

There are 8 unpainted bricks and a notebook with samples. The child needs to build the structure that is proposed in the sample. For everything to work out successfully, he needs to take his time, carefully examine the drawings, imagine the figures in his mind and complete the task. Over time, when progress is noticeable, you can entrust him with more difficult tasks. You can play a game that will develop spatial thinking, that is, the child will be able to distinguish between flat and spatial forms, analyze and create images in solving certain problems. The game “Cubes for Everyone” develops these skills. Parents use cubes to create a riddle tale, and children, listening and observing carefully, answer the question. You can come up with anything: different animals, birds, pyramids, houses. The parents’ imagination also plays a role here. Now we know the answer to the question of how to play Nikitin's cubes. But what to do if you can’t buy them in the store? Even this can be resolved if mom and dad have patience and perseverance. We invite you to build these wonderful cubes yourself.

DIY Nikitin cubes

You need to be inspired by the idea of ​​the Nikitin family and make or buy ordinary cubes. If you have something drawn on them, it is advisable to first soak them briefly in water to separate the paper and glue. Size - approximately 4 by 4 cm. Then you need to prepare cardboard: red, white, blue and yellow (24 squares each). You need to paste them over the cubes: white in front, blue on the right, red on the left, yellow on the back, blue and yellow on top, red and white on the bottom. To prevent all this from coming off, we suggest wrapping the cubes with tape. All! You can start having some useful entertainment.

Nikitin's educational cubes will help parents develop their children's thinking, memory, and attention. These intellectual games encourage kids to think and develop, which will bring good results in work, family, and life.

Many, of course, have a question: where to buy Nikitin cubes? They can be purchased in regular stores and on the Internet. In some retail outlets They even offer free shipping. The cost of the logic game in question ranges from 200 to 1000 rubles - depending on the complexity of the products and the material from which the set is made. Nikitin's wooden toys will captivate not only young children, but also parents and grandparents. Many parents themselves will be delighted with the fun with blocks, amused by the ingenuity of their kids.

Among the many methods of early child development, it is easy to get confused. All of them perfectly allow you to fully discover the inner hidden reserves of a little researcher. Counting, reading, memorizing letters and geographical names, this is very good and useful. But psychologists are still confident that it is the development of intelligence in a small child that will allow him in the future to receive excellent knowledge in all subjects.

It includes logic cubes and was developed back in the 80s, although it did not become widespread immediately. Now this method, simple at first glance, has gained great popularity.

You don’t have to buy Nikitin’s original educational cubes and pay a lot of money, because you can make them yourself. This method will require a minimal investment and only one evening of free time. So let's get started!

DIY Nikitin cubes: master class

Another method that will take even less time is to cover the edges with an adhesive-based film. It is sold in hardware and construction stores. You only need a small amount of material, and if you have it on hand, that's great, although anyone can buy it.

Don't forget about the patterns that your child will use to learn how to assemble a pattern. You can also draw them yourself using white cardboard.

How to solve Nikitin's cube?

Everything is very simple! Or are you using ones already invented by the author?

Game description

We bought these cubes in a store a long time ago. We adults tried to complete the tasks, but... it didn’t work out that way. With great difficulty, we managed to master only one thing - folding a cube from all 7 figures. And these cubes were forgotten for many years. The children grew up, we came up with different games and soon discovered that children were far superior to us adults in the ability to solve such problems. The older kids found these forgotten cubes, quickly solved all the problems and began to come up with new ones. The kids immediately joined them. I had to urgently make several more of the same sets of large and small cubes, and the hobby gripped the whole family. The kids preferred to build simpler models from 2-3 figures, the older ones preferred more complex ones, from 4-5 or even all 7.

To put together an interesting model, you had to tinker with the cubes for a long time and persistently. Therefore, everyone rejoiced at each successful model, and in order not to forget it, they sketched it. A difficulty arose: how to distinguish each figure in a complex model? Where, what and how is the figure placed?

I had to paint all 7 figures in different colors. Six were the main ones, and the seventh figure was left white so that when drawing on paper, it would not need to be painted. Now everyone, even the smallest ones, could sketch their model and paint all the figures in it with the appropriate color. The model was thus preserved.

The models turned out to be different - both of strict geometric shapes in the form of a cube or parallelepiped, and could resemble houses, cars, figures of animals and people, or simply represent interesting symmetrical structures. So the idea arose to do new game. After a few months, several hundred drawings of new models had accumulated, of which we selected 70.

The game teaches you to think in spatial images (three-dimensional figures), the ability to combine them, and is much more complex than games with ordinary cubes. Apparently, this is why schoolchildren are so partial to her.

How to make a game

To make the game you need 27 identical cubes. 7 figures of different shapes are glued together from them: the first figure is from 3, and the rest from 4 cubes each (Fig. 45).

Rice. 45

When gluing, pay attention to the accuracy of the edges. After the glue has dried, sand the planes so that the figures fit snugly against each other when folded, and slightly round the edges with sandpaper (0.5 - 1 mm). Color figure 1 in green color, 2 – blue, 3 – yellow, 4 – black, 5 – red, 6 – white and 7 – brown.

To store the figures, make a cardboard box with a lid measuring 3x5x2 cubes, i.e. if the edge of the cubes is 30 mm, then the box is 95x155 mm and 60 mm deep. Such a box can fit not 27, but 30 cubes, so it will be easier to stack the figures after the game, since there will also be empty space for 3 cubes.

Carefully review the tasks for the game (Fig. 46).

Rice. 46

Rice. 47

Rice. 48

Rice. 49

Rice. 50

Rice. 51

If your child cannot yet read, does not know numbers, and will not be able to focus on a certain drawing, then in this case it is better to draw individual tasks on sheets of thick paper and then these tasks can be grouped into their own series, for example, KV-1, KV-2. For convenience, each series produced can be folded into a separate envelope or paper bag and the name of the game and the name of the series can be written on it.

The KV-1 series is the simplest, it is needed for the first acquaintance with the game and in order to teach kids to recognize figures by shape and color, and later by numbers. The task numbers from 1 to 7 coincide with the numbering of the figures, only they are placed differently than in Fig. 45. This is done so that parents can make sure that the baby recognizes the figurine and understands how to place it on the table.

It is expected that, looking at the task, the child will build models from the figures - copies of the ones drawn. At first, of course, the simplest ones, and then, as you grow up and become smarter, more and more complex, until even the KV-7 series is overcome. And the baby will only need drawings and assignments. If he cannot cope with some task, he will put it aside and take on another, a third, or put off the game altogether for a while.

How to play

The rules of the game “KB” are similar to the rules of the game “Unicub”. Having placed the task drawing in front of him, the child builds from the figures exactly the same model as the one drawn. Having built one, he moves on to the next, more complex one, etc.

In fact, the child here has to solve two problems at the same time: firstly, choose from 7 figures only 2-3 (or more, if the model is complex) that are necessary to build the model; secondly, give these figures the position they occupy in the model, that is, connect them and place them in the model.

The first part, therefore, is a mental analysis of the drawing-task - into what figures it can be divided, and the second is a synthesis, first mental, and then objective. By forcing the child to continuously engage in such analytical-synthetic activity, and even at the “ceiling” of his capabilities, that is, to strain himself to the limit, the game quickly develops in him what is usually called intelligence and which in reality is, perhaps, the most main feature every creative mind.

But building models based on task drawings is a relatively simple preparatory part, laying the foundation for the main, creative work. It begins from the moment when the child begins to invent and put together new models that are not in the book. This is something parents can and should really admire; this should be supported and encouraged in every possible way. Figures for the game have almost inexhaustible possibilities for various combinations and allow you to create a huge number of different models or different versions of the same model. For example, there are several dozen ways to fit all 7 figures into a cube according to task 61.

The child can be asked to first make models from only 2 figures, for example from the 1st and 2nd, 1st and 3rd, from the 1st and 4th, etc. And then set aside the 1st figure and apply all other figures to the 2nd one in turn. Some of these models may seem beautiful, interesting, or reminiscent of something to you or your child; for example, model 39 resembles a sofa, 47 resembles a robot, 64 resembles a giraffe, etc. Such interesting models, of course, need to be preserved and, therefore, sketched.

To do this, you need to give your child a box of colored pencils of 6 pieces and a special notebook in a square, on which you or the child will write: “For new Vanya models...” It would be good if it contains several pages for models of the KV-2 series (from 2 figures), the following - for models of the KV-3 series, etc. for each series. By sketching new interesting models and marking the date, you can observe how the baby is developing. When he begins to fill out the section for the KV-7 series, then we can consider that his development is quite high.

To develop a child’s interest in the game, you must try to follow the rules of the game that are mentioned at the beginning of the book and come up with new ones. For example, in this game, which is difficult for adults, a child can get carried away with coming up with new models and then creating tasks for adults.

Let the kid draw it himself new model, and then will only make its outline. Adults do not need to be embarrassed; let them, as seriously as a child, take the box with the game, put a “new task” in front of them and try to fold the model. And let the child play the role of an elder, teaching and controlling. It’s okay if he puts a watch or stopwatch in front of him and measures who is faster, dad or mom, completed his own task.

Pedagogical methodology family is known in many countries and is relevant to this day, despite 50 years of work experience. Boris Pavlovich and Elena Alekseevna, thanks to their theories, were able to awaken a real revolution in pedagogy in Soviet times. They became the first scientists to talk about the need for children to develop earlier. This married couple, using the example of African women, began to tell the whole world that children should be inseparable from their mothers until at least one and a half years old. This physical contact is very important for the child. It was the Nikitins who insisted on immediately putting children to the mother’s breast after birth, etc.

The Nikitins were also avid opponents of a strict regime for preschool children, since this, in their opinion, only caused the children to dislike classes. They believed that the child should be provided with an atmosphere in which the child will be inspired and carry out his research activities. The Nikitins tested their method on their own children, of whom there were seven.

Educational games for teachers are based on miracle cubes that contain the principle “from simple to complex,” since it was this that was supposed to be the impetus for the development of the child.

Such games can develop not only memory and attention, but also imagination and spatial concepts in children. They will learn to quickly and easily find patterns and will easily learn to systematize and combine any material. Absolutely every game with blocks will provide the child with the opportunity to think about its possible expansion and adding something new. The child will be able to see for himself the reserve of his capabilities, thanks to the variability of games and the use game moments. Cubes contribute to the self-improvement of children.

Rules that must be followed during the game.

The Nikitins believe that in order for any game to be learned successfully, parents must adhere to certain rules:

1. Always rejoice at any child’s success, but do not overdo it.

2. Do not force children to play, wait for the moment when the child wants to play. Parents must create all the necessary conditions for this.

3. Never make offensive remarks to your child, so as not to cause him to have no confidence in himself and his strengths.

4. Never do tasks for your child or give him hints. He shouldn't do tasks just to see how you rate him.

Time given for games.

To determine the time for games, it is necessary to proceed from the baby’s success and the growth of his abilities (from 5 minutes to half an hour on average). Introduce a new game for him gradually. The maximum number of games in one day is 23.

Nikitin cubes, how to make it yourself.

Cubes It's not difficult to do it yourself. To do this, either use old ones, removing all stickers or inscriptions, or make them yourself from cardboard (diagram). The desired size of the cubes is 3x3x3 cm, in the amount of 16 pieces. Each face has its own color, the front is white, the back is yellow, the right is blue, the left is red, the top is yellow-blue, the bottom is red and white (the colors are separated diagonally). It is better to paint the edges with oil or nitro paints, which will ensure a long service life and appearance. You can cover the edges with colored self-adhesive paper. The cubes will need a box with a lid, measuring 12.5x12.5x3 cm. The cubes should fit into it freely. You will also need patterns of series of various levels of complexity; the best option is to present them in the form of a book - an accordion (you can print out the patterns presented below).

For example, series A. For the patterns you will need four cubes; it is good to use for children aged one to one and a half years. What is important here is a smooth transition in the complexity of tasks, from one-color to two-color edges.

In addition to this type of game cubes, you will also need 27 cups, which can be combined into seven completely different elements. Each piece is made up of several cubes and painted in its own color. As a result, the child learns to independently select the figures that are necessary for the model and give them the desired position.

You can either buy or make 27 cubes with multi-colored edges (red, yellow, of blue color). From these, the baby will need to assemble either a one-color cube or according to the sample. As a result, attention, perseverance and thinking develop.

Game "Fold the pattern"

To play you will need sixteen identical cubes, the edges of which must be painted in different colors (4 colors). To fold patterns at first, you will need pattern assignments. Using them, the baby will have to make exactly the same pattern as in the picture. Then the task becomes more complicated and the child will need to make a drawing of the pattern that the cubes form. And then the child learns to come up with his own patterns from cubes, ranging from 9 to 16 cubes.

Examples of patterns for the game “Fold the Pattern” (pictures are clickable, click to enlarge).

Game "Unicube"

To do this, you will need the dice for this game, which were discussed above. This game is intended for children aged two to fifteen years. There are 50 tasks for this game, we will announce some of them.

1. From the cubes you need to build a red train, the roof, walls of the cars and the electric locomotive should be red. For the image, a drawing of the train is given, which should eventually turn out. The length of the train may be longer than shown in the picture. Here the child will need to look for cubes that have two red faces. For a three-year-old baby, it is very difficult to ensure that several planes are the same color.

2. The cubes are stacked in a column, which has two visible sides and the top should be blue. The height will also depend on the wishes of the child.

3. Making a yellow square box. The kid must guess what kind of cubes he will need so that all four side faces are yellow.

4. We are building a two-color tower so that one visible edge is red, the other is yellow, and the top is completely blue.

5. We are installing three running tracks at the stadium; for this you will need nine cubes of different colors. In this case, the side edges should be the color of the track to which they are adjacent.

The game-based process of teaching a child has long established itself among developers of educational materials. Exciting tasks develop a child’s logic, concentration, perseverance, and create a thirst for knowledge. In this article we will take a closer look at one of the popular educational children's games - Nikitin's cubes.

Raising a child “the Nikitin way”

The Nikitins’ large family became known in the 50s of the last century. Their neighbors were surprised that at the age of 3 the children were already familiar with the principles of arithmetic and were hardened in the winter along with adults. Boris and Elena Nikitin laid down the basic principles of pedagogy and explained how to form a child into a harmonious, knowledge-seeking personality. What do their principles of education include?

• Independence of development - you cannot constantly take care of a child, force him to do the activities you have chosen, or strive to subjugate all his time.
• Freedom of creativity - there is no need to strain your child with lessons, training, or force him to do things “under pressure.” Let the child work as much as he wants and can.
• Sports atmosphere - sports equipment should be readily available in the house, and a designated place for sports activities. It becomes a natural environment for children, like a sofa or an outdoor playground. They grow up physically strong and healthy.
• Parental participation - one cannot remain indifferent to the child’s success; it is necessary to gently push him to acquire knowledge and praise him, but stick to the golden mean, keeping the first point in mind.

Based on these simple principles, Nikitin's teachers invented educational games - sets of cubes that are suitable for almost all children before school age, with a discount on their physical and mental development.

the game develops logical thinking

Features of the dice game

The essence of the methodology of these intellectual games is the absence of imposing rules. The child gradually becomes involved in the atmosphere of activity with the help of older brothers and sisters or parents. Then their participation is minimized, and the child studies independently. The kid begins to complete tasks, over time they become more complicated, but he himself must find ways to solve them; hints are unacceptable. If there is no progress, you need to return to easier options. If this method does not help, you need to take a temporary break from the game. This technique develops in the child independence in decision-making, forces him to think logically and look for answers to questions without the help of outsiders. Nikitin's cube games have fundamental principles.

• Giving hints is prohibited. Gestures, meaningful looks and words are taboo. This is the only way the baby will learn to act independently.
• The child should be given as much time as needed to solve the problem. It is forbidden to demand to solve faster or skip the current one.
• The finished kit allows for variations. Based on the initial set, the elders themselves can come up with new tasks for the baby.
• Praise your child. Let him feel the taste of victory even when performing basic tasks.
• Don't let your child get too full of the game. If you see that he is too carried away, it is better to allocate limited time for activities so that interest does not wane.
• Do not make offensive remarks, do not insult your child with phrases: “How stupid you are!”, “It’s elementary!”
• Try the task yourself before increasing the difficulty level for your child.
• Take forced breaks and return to simple options if you notice that the child is not coping. Interest covers the kids in “waves.” If you take a long break, “casually” show the game to guests or invite them to play with a friend.
• In a large family, each child should have his own set.
• Keep a “success diary.” Note the time taken to complete the task, the number of successes and failures, and keep records of the exercises you personally completed.
• The game should be in an accessible but not obvious place. Let the child remember it, but do not mix it with other toys and do not lose it.
• The atmosphere of the game is relaxed and easy. If your child craves physical activity, do not interfere with it.
• The ready-made set contains a limited selection of tasks. If the child has mastered everything, keep an album in which you will sketch the diagrams you have come up with yourself and give them to the child to complete.
• Diversify the game with your own rules. This could be a competition for the speed of folding a pattern or another competitive way of solving problems that will add a touch of freshness to the gaming atmosphere.

The child must think and complete tasks on his own; you should not help him

At what age can you use cubes?

Parents often ask: “At what age should I start classes?” It is impossible to give an exact answer to the question. Some are ready to master the set at 1.5 years old, while others fail to complete the tasks at the age of 3 years. It all depends on general development the child, the atmosphere of upbringing, the characteristics of his health and the ability of specific parents to interest the child in a hobby. Theoretically, you can start working with your child using the cube method starting from six months. If he doesn't get carried away, put the game aside temporarily and try again later. For the little ones, involvement occurs through interesting story, fairy tales. Fantasize together, come up with “names” for the drawings. From the beginning of classes the difficulty increases. Up to school age, the child is interested in taking developmental tests.

Description of the main types of cubes

Fold the pattern

The simplest game set of 16 identical cubes. The size is small - 3 cm. Their edges are painted in different colors. Their shape is triangle or square. If desired, you can make the set yourself by reading the relevant literature and having minimal creative skills. Suitable for small children from 1.5 years old, as it can immediately interest them with its bright colors. The second name is Nikitin's puzzles. Initially, the child is given the task of laying out a specific pattern from the cubes, then, on the contrary, drawing a picture in which the parts are combined. The inflating stage is to come up with your own version of the ornament and draw it, simultaneously explaining what you want to sketch. Start with 2-4 cubes, gradually increasing the number.

This game captivates almost all children without exception. Imagination and fine motor skills develop, and the frontal lobes responsible for creative thinking are activated. The child masters the skills of analyzing and systematizing material, learns to distinguish relative categories, and learns colors. An additional album for notes and drawings is purchased with the game.

fold the pattern

Fold a square

It is based on a puzzle in which you need to put together a square from several pieces of different colors. It was not served even to some adults, so Nikitin modified it into a simpler one. You can play from 2 years old. On A4 plywood there are 12 cubes inserted into the windows. There are 3 difficulty categories. The initial one is to make 4 simple squares. To do this, the child needs to be shown how one figure is made from several halves. Then he begins to complete tasks on his own. The difficulty level increases gradually. Tasks contribute to the development of logic, the ability to break down the main goal into small ones that contribute to its achievement.

Unicube

The game introduces the baby to three-dimensional space. In the process, he learns to assemble complex three-dimensional figures. The initial level is the simplest geometric ones (parallelepiped, trapezoid), more complex ones are animals, houses. The set contains 27 hexagonal cubes with multi-colored cuts. You can offer to play starting from 1.5 years. A child can be easily taught the classification of color and its perception. For example, propose to build a blue road with a yellow sidewalk and organize competitions in the speedy collection of monochromatic figures. The most difficult tasks are beyond the reach of some adults. This is one of best workouts spatial thinking and self-control, which will prepare the child for future mastery of geometry at school.

Cubes for everyone

The set contains 27 identical cubes connected to each other different ways in 7 figures. One figure consists of 3, the rest of 4 each. They are different in shape and painted in different colors. The manual offers tasks according to which the figures need to be connected into various models, similar to geometric figures, houses, cars, animals. You are encouraged to come up with your own connections. Young children like to build figures from 2-3 parts, older children - from more. By constantly engaging in such activities, the child activates the thought process. Constructing figures according to the proposed drawing is a simple task, but coming up with your own model is more creative. It lays the foundation for creative thinking and develops imagination. Let your child use his imagination. Let him tell you what this or that model looks like. Write down and sketch interesting and funny associations.

Fractions

The recommended age for starting the game is 3 years. To complete complex tasks, you need knowledge of simple arithmetic. The set includes 3 plywood pieces. Each one has 4 different colored circles. The first is a whole circle, the second is 2 equal halves, the third is 3 parts, the last is divided into 12 parts. By combining them, the child repeats colors, learns the basics of counting, compares shares, and combines. With the help of games, children are taught new words - “quarter”, “half” (depending on the drawings on the board). Older children can be taught mathematically correct names - “one-half”, “three-quarters”. By placing a larger portion of the cubes on top of a smaller one, the child learns to compare the shares. By experimentally laying out parts, the child establishes the “more-less” connection. All concepts learned must be recorded in a journal.

Bricks

Through play, children learn the basics of drawing and develop spatial thinking. The set contains 8 bars made of wood or plastic. There are 30 tasks in the album. Based on the drawings, the child builds models from cubes. Elementary ones are suitable for children aged 4 years, the most complex ones can be solved by school-age children. The game has three options: fold the figure according to the drawing, transfer the drawing of the figure onto paper and build your own version by drawing its drawing. The set will prepare your child for the school subjects geometry and drawing. It is a kind of “gymnastics for the mind”; it makes even adults try to solve problems.

How to choose a set for your child?

You should not rely on the advice of friends and relatives in this matter. Each child is a unique individual. Take a closer look at what interests him more. If he has already become “addicted” to a certain game, do not force another type on him until he himself shows interest. The main thing is to take into account the child’s age (the complexity of the tasks is proportional to the number of years) and his psychological and physical development. Try taking your child to the store and show him the sets. If he is interested in a specific one, it is better to buy it. Allow the child to complete a basic task, praise him so that he feels pride and desire to complete more complex quests.

In the article we introduced you to an important educational game - Nikitin's cubes. If you want your child to develop faster than his peers, to grow up with a thirst for knowledge and independence, to make discoveries every day, buy these sets for him or make them yourself. Follow the pedagogical recommendations during games and you will be proud of your child!