LEARNING GAMES

Learning games for nursery and primary school

Learning works best when it does not feel like learning. In this collection you will find games and cards that children play without a screen and mostly on their own. They come from two brands with different approaches.

Lochkasten and Lemo: learning with self-checking

Most of the range comes from Kölner Lernspielverlag. With the Lochkasten, your child puts a wooden peg next to the right answer, and only then can the card be pulled out. With the Lemo wooden frame, they link matching pictures using rubber bands. The card sets can be bought individually and are labelled by age or school year, from Tiere erkennen from 2 years to addition up to 100 for year 2. The idea that the material itself shows whether a solution is right is also a core principle of Montessori education. Read more in our guide Montessori toys explained.

Rüsselfuchs: cards for everyday life and conversation

The card sets from Rüsselfuchs are more compact and more open. ABC + Zahlen and Das kleine Einmaleins practise the basics. Starke Gedanken, Starker Charakter and Starke Taten bring affirmations, character strengths and ideas for the environment into family life, while Suchen + Finden sends children off exploring.

Which game is right?

From 2 years the Lochkasten with a starter set for the right age is a good choice, and from 3 years Lemo joins in. At nursery age Schattenrätsel, Zählen bis 20 and Knobelspass are great fun, and the Rüsselfuchs cards quickly become a breakfast-table ritual. For schoolchildren there are Lochkasten sets for year 1 and year 2, and you will find more for starting school in Back to School.