Stacking ring tower
1–2 yearsSuccess MindsetMaterials: Ring stacker toy
Give your child a ring stacker toy and let them explore putting rings on the post. They may not get the order right, and that's perfect. Describe what they're doing: 'You're putting the red one on' or 'You're trying to fit that ring.' Avoid correcting the order. Instead, praise the effort and process. After they've played, you can show a different way, saying 'I'm going to try putting the big one first.'
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How to Do This Activity
Give your child a ring stacker toy and let them explore putting rings on the post. They may not get the order right, and that's perfect. Describe what they're doing: 'You're putting the red one on' or 'You're trying to fit that ring.' Avoid correcting the order. Instead, praise the effort and process. After they've played, you can show a different way, saying 'I'm going to try putting the big one first.'
Why It Works
Praising process over outcomes is fundamental to developing growth mindset. Children of parents with higher growth mindset show greater persistence and teachers rate them as more capable learners (Song, Barger, & Bub, 2022). When you focus on your child's efforts with the rings rather than whether they stack them correctly, you teach them that the learning process matters more than immediate perfection.
Tips for Parents
Let go of perfection. The goal is practice and effort, not getting it 'right.'
Praise persistence and problem-solving: 'You figured out how to get it on the post.'
Make it playful. If you model, keep it light and exploratory, not instructional.
Materials Needed
Ring stacker toy
Learning Methods
Hands-On ExplorationImitation and ModelingMontessori Practical Life Activities
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