A University of Winchester academic is the expert consultant on a new TV show which aims to help pre-school children acquire problem-solving skills in a fun way.
Emma Goto, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, has been working with the makers of Wonderblocks which has just arrived on the BBC’s CBeebies channel.
The colourful animation follows the adventures of excitable Go and methodical Stop whose exploits include helping Cow find her moo or assisting Secret Agent Chicken to crack the hen house code.
Each episode showcases core skills like problem-solving, planning, pattern recognition and sequencing.
Emma, whose specialism is computing, said: “These thinking skills that help children solve problems are not only applicable to the real world but also to the digital world and will help them when they learn coding.”
Children in the UK begin to learn computing skills at Key Stage 1 at age five but Emma said that it important to lay a foundation before that for what educationalists call ‘computational thinking’.
“The development of these thinking skills can be acquired through play,” she explained. “Just as the blocks in the show work together to solve problems, children need able to tinker with problems and find their own answers. This helps to build resilience and persistence.”
Wonderblocks - a co-production between the BC, Blue Zoo Animation Studio and Alphablocks Ltd – has been three years in the making.
It follows on from the success of Alphablocks, Numberblocks and Colourblocks.
Emma Goto flanked by the director of Wonderblocks Simon Taylor and of the show's creators, Tom Box
Emma said: “I thought Numberblocks was a wonderful programme and it’s been an absolute delight to be asked to work on this new project about something that I am so interested in.
“I have been amazed at how much work goes into making each five-minute episode and learning about how TV programmes are made has been a brilliant experience.”
Kate Morton, Senior Head of Commissioning 0-6, BBC Children’s and Education, said: “At CBeebies we are passionate about making learning an exciting adventure for young audiences. Wonderblocks embodies this perfectly by combining the magic of storytelling with essential skills, giving little ones the tools they need as they learn to think critically and creatively.
Oli Hyatt, Managing Director of Alphablocks Ltd, told the BBC: "We are thrilled to see Blocks shows inspiring and educating children around the world. Our mission has always been to make learning fun and accessible, and seeing the positive effects of our show on young minds is incredibly rewarding."
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