Teamwork in Tiny Hands
- Your Friends at Superspace
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 15
How Preschoolers Build Big Social Skills Through Collaborative Play and Smart Structure Activities
Preschool classrooms buzz with energy—children learning to share, speak up, and play together. Yet even with all that excitement, many teachers find it hard to channel that energy into real teamwork. Kids sometimes act independently or stick with friends they already know. It can feel like a struggle to build real communication and collaboration within the group.
Teachers often want kids to work as a team—to help each other, solve problems together, and speak up with ideas. That’s no small task. Early childhood experts say kids learn best when they explore hands-on and talk with peers. But in a busy classroom, with mixed abilities and big personalities, guiding those interactions can feel overwhelming. What tools can help teachers support teamwork and communication in a playful, open-ended way?
Researchers have studied games and building toys to see how they affect how kids work together.
Two recent studies are especially helpful:
StreetScape: Gamified Tactile Interactions for Collaborative Learning and Play (Khalaila et al., 2025) looked at a giant tactile puzzle system—floor-size pieces that kids assembled into a map. Children worked in pairs, covering their eyes or using sight, and took turns putting pieces in place. Researchers watched how they talked, shared ideas, and built the design. The results? Kids showed stronger communication, including giving instructions, asking for help, and explaining their thinking. They also developed more confidence in their abilities through solving the puzzle together.
Impact of Gamified Learning Using Smart Building Blocks on Early Childhood Development (Hsu, 2024) used magnetic blocks with simple interactive features. Groups of children worked through structured activities, while teachers observed and used tests before and after. The study measured motor skills, how long kids stayed engaged, and how often they worked together to solve challenges. Results showed that kids using these “smart” blocks stayed focused longer, supported each other in solving problems, and improved both coordination and social skills.
Both studies show a clear pattern: tactile, hands-on building systems invite more talk, shared ideas, and helpful cooperation.
Let’s look at what makes Superspace so special:
Life-sized, lightweight panels let children build entire forts, playhouses, or group creations. It’s physical, open-ended, and perfect for a group of preschoolers.
Tactile eco-felt with bamboo edges are easy to hold and feel warm and natural. That sensory quality is crucial—kids stay engaged longer when materials feel inviting.
Smooth rounded corners with magnets snap together safely and easily. That means fewer fights over weird shapes or tricky connectors.
Windows and doors in panels make roles clear—one child can lead by placing a door, another can hold a window. That encourages kids to take different jobs and support each other.
Modular shapes—triangles, squares, trapezoids, rectangles—encourage planning, communication, and problem-solving. Kids must talk: “It needs to be taller,” or “Let’s make it wider.”
These features mirror the successful elements in the studies. Children are not just stacking—they’re deciding together, planning structure, and coordinating actions:
Like the StreetScape tactile puzzles, Superspace encourages pairs or small groups to assemble large structures. Teachers can observe—and step in—to guide language: “Tell your team what panel you need next,” or “Ask someone to pass you a square.”
Echoing the smart blocks study, Superspace’s magnetic connectors give clear feedback (“click!”), supporting longer engagement and teamwork. Kids feel the reward of building together.
Superspace supports sensorimotor development—lifting, aligning, and attaching panels. Pair that with planning and social talk, and you're hitting both cognitive and physical goals together.
In a bustling preschool classroom, Superspace can help teachers manage group play that’s rich in collaboration, inclusive, and self-driven. Teams spread out across the carpet, planning and communicating to complete a fun challenge. Children build the structure, and the teamwork is just as important as the final product.
Try these 3 activities using Superspace in preschool
“Build a Community” Challenge
Divide kids into small groups of 3–4. Each group builds a different “room”—a house, post office, store.
After 10 minutes, re-mix the groups so they visit each others’ rooms. Children describe what they built using phrases like “Our room has a door here,” or “Let me show you our window.”
This encourages peer teaching, listening, and using classroom vocabulary.
**“Pass-the-Panel Relay”
Line children up with panels. They must pass a panel from the end of the line to the leader, using only verbal directions (“Give the panel through the circle!”)
The leader must assemble the pieces into a shape or structure based only on group instructions.
This challenges listening, giving clear directions, and giving feedback (“You’re too fast!”)
“Mystery Build” with Teacher Clues
The teacher hides panels around the room. Teams must search and bring back correct shapes as the teacher gives clues (“Find the shape that’s a triangle with a cut‑out window.”)
This supports shape recognition, text clues, and group discussion to solve: “Is this one a trapezoid or rectangle?”
After the build, groups present their structure, using complete sentences and group turn-taking.
These research examples and classroom strategies show how tactile, shared building materials help kids speak up, take turns, support each other, and problem-solve—skills essential for a confident, caring learning community. Superspace gives you the tool, and your preschoolers bring the curiosity and ideas. Together, they build structures—and each other.
References
Khalaila, R., et al. (2025). StreetScape: Gamified tactile interactions for collaborative learning and play. arXiv.
Hsu, Y. (2024). Impact of gamified learning using smart building blocks on early childhood development. Sensors & Materials.
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