Developmental Learning

Building Skills in Play

ZiggleZoo offers play-based learning for speech & language, sensory & motor, social & creative, and regulation & health skills. Learn more about each developmental area and how ZiggleZoo supports children's growth.

Speech & Language

  • Early speech sound production of animal noises & sound effects
  • Early syllable structures:
    • 1 syllable: dog, cat, fish, frog, mouse, horse, snake, sloth, bird, seal, bee, pig, bear, chick
    • 2 syllables: bunny, starfish, lion, monkey, penguin, cheetah, lizard, spider, giraffe, owl
    • 3-4 syllables: flamingo, gorilla, elephant, alligator, octopus, kangaroo
  • Vocabulary of concepts (animals, body parts, colors, counting), actions (run, jump, wiggle), & opposites (move in contrasting sets of fast/slow, big/small, quiet/loud)
  • Sorting by color and animal habitats
    • Farm: horse, pig, chick
    • Zoo: monkey, gorilla, lion, flamingo, penguin, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, sloth, kangaroo
    • Water: frog, starfish, lizard, octopus, seal, alligator, fish
    • House Pets: dog, cat, bird
    • Forest: mouse, bunny, owl, bear
    • Garden: bee, spider, snake
  • Early sentences: dog shake, green frog, fast cheetah
  • Definitions & descriptions using categories with salient features

Sensory & Motor Skills

  • Balance: Complete actions using the whole body before acting out movements using first one side and then the other. Hold positions to improve balance.
  • Coordination & movement sequencing: Complete movements in a variety of 2-5+ animal sequences (cat/bear/horse; frog/giraffe/bunny) to develop complex motor planning.
  • Physical awareness and control through the use of targeted movements and/or whole-body movements
  • Sensory processing:
    • Visual system - bright colors and clear images keep learners engaged
    • Auditory system - pairing movements with animal noises, language models, and/or verbal directions improves sound detection and interpretation
    • Vestibular system - processes motion, head position, and spatial orientation to maintain balance and posture
    • Proprioceptive system - sense body position, movement, and acceleration in space
    • Interoception: awareness of internal sensations like heart rate, hunger, and breath
  • Muscle strengthening through repeated movements and sequences over time

Social Skills & Creativity

  • Social awareness, self-awareness, and confidence through intentional movement
  • Imitation of spoken language (sounds, labels, actions, sentences) and movements (gross motor, fine motor, & motor planning)
  • Opportunities for introducing, teaching, and practicing turn-taking routines
  • Social referencing while visually and/or verbally checking in with others while playing
  • Role play & pretend sequences: Pretend to be different animals encountering each other and deciding how to interact (Will the bear chase the frog or make a new friend?)
  • Social enjoyment & collaboration with peers and/or adults
  • Individualize each child’s tolerance for losing games by choosing Ways to Play that focus on cooperative play, competitive play, or both!
  • Social flexibility with multiple activities and Ways to Play! Make up your own games or rules, too!
  • Playdate fun! Use ZiggleZoo to break the ice and utilize time when playing with friends.

Regulation & Health

  • Indoor active entertainment at home, school, or travel
  • Short movement breaks improve attention & focus
  • Longer play provides physical exercise and/or social fun
  • Regulate (Rev Up & Calm Down symbols on cards):
    Rev Up and Calm Down symbols used on ZiggleZoo cards.
    • Proactively set children up for regulation by building 5-10 minutes of ZiggleZoo into daily lifestyle routines. Consider ZiggleZoo in the morning to get the day started right and/or after school to reset for a successful evening.
    • While holding static poses (squat, balance, curl, etc.), take 5-6 slow, deep breaths to focus on body awareness, reduce overwhelm (anger, excitement, anxiety), and build emotional resiliency.