Early Years Foundation Stage

Fostering the Characteristics of Effective Learning

A Group Of Young Children Playing Together On Moti-Lab

Moti-Lab is a pop up laboratory that is amazing for experiential and sensory learning right across EYFS. The magnetic gutters, wheels and switches can be used with water, balls or anything else that flows for a whole host of learning.

Being an open-ended resource, there are no right and wrong ways to approach the tasks so they can only be done by having a go and experimenting. As it is so easy to manipulate and intuitive to use children can easily perform tasks by testing, assessing, form new strategies and test them immediately. Learning is fostered through trial and error allowing for risk free learning.

There is also a vast range of specific activities, games and experiments that can be performed to augment your teaching of the EYFS Maths and Science curriculum. The very basics of scientific thinking and problem solving are easily engendered using the equipment through unstructured learning through play, semi structured child led tasks or more formal teacher led activities. This could be anything from testing different liquids down a run, making muddy mixtures, testing materials and shapes. The possibilities are endless and you will also be provided with curriculum focused activity guides and ideas to help teach more specific tasks and skills.

Practical in nature Moti-Lab fosters all the Characteristics of effective learning in EYFS.

Playing and Exploring

Children can use their natural curiosity to explore the system and engage in the open ended activities. Children take active and involving roles with their peers. Children can lead the activities and explore outcomes through trial and error.

Active Learning

Moti-Lab is really engaging – what kids don’t like to play with water and magnets? This engagement translates into focus and concentration on the activities. It allows them to figure out problems for themselves adopting different approaches to challenges and developing persistence.

The practical nature is also great for improving fine and gross motor skills.

Thinking Critically and Creatively

Problem solving is the essence of Moti-Lab and all the problems can be solved in different ways. This allows children to make predictions, plan and test them change strategy when required to find “their” best way to solve an activity.

Communication and Teamwork

Moti-Lab can be used individually or with up to 8 children at a time. With multiple users it really comes into its own. The collaborative nature of the tasks promotes great teamwork and foster communication as the children decide how they can complete the activities together. We’ve seen some amazing outcomes with children who are ‘harder to reach’ or have communicative problems whether that be language barriers or SEN. These activities are great for personal development and can be used to encourage talking, listening, turn taking and other communication.

Using Your Existing Resources

Augment your Moti-lab and increase the fun and learning by adding resources you already have. The children can introduce existing watering cans and jugs, bubbles, balls, boats and whatever else to enhance their creative play. Bring in food colouring to investigate primary and secondary colours, add sand or other messy play items to increase the sensory benefits.

Investigating materials and shape: Which Incy Wincy spider will get washed out of the spout the most easily? And why?

Teachers Enjoying Learning On A Computer

Teaching Resources and CPD

At Moti-Lab we want to engage teachers and practitioners to maximise make learning with Moti-Lab fun, accessible and effective. We will be supporting teachers through videos of experiments and activities– these can be accessed at anytime saving precious time on preparation.

We also want practitioners to become involved in the Moti-Lab concept. It’s open ended nature means that teachers are able to innovate with what they can use Moti-Lab to teach.

Practitioners are in a best position to judge what is effective and can come up with their own lesson ideas for Moti-Lab and you can be sure that we will share these freely with other Moti-Lab users.