Fabretto uses three types of materials to compliment acquiring and applying knowledge
through play methodology.
Play has a lot to do with the direct contact and manipulation of materials. Hands-on activities
stimulate learning and creativity because tactile learning increases retention. This means that
through play and curiosity, students can begin to understand their world in a more significant
way. Hands-on activities (play) allow students to understand and discriminate between
textures, sizes, colors, and shapes. In addition, they cause students to be more alert, allow
them to develop creativity and imagination, and facilitate learning how to work as part of a
group.
Types of tactile learning materials in order from most to least used, are:
1. Recycled materials-made by the teachers and the students’ families (made from
cardboard, bottle caps, etc)
Benefits: Common items are easy to find and collect, are cost-effective, and involve
family members to collect material and help make games
2. Wood materials- Bought from a woodworking shop in Masaya, Nicaragua.
Benefits: Durable, simple to replicate designs (community members could be taught to
make most items)
3. Housewares - Collected or donated from students’ houses (brooms, mops, kitchen
utensils, etc). These are used specifically for practical life lessons.
Benefits: Real items that students will encounter in their daily lives, teaches dexterity
The following list is intended to give an idea of the quantity of just one type of material required
for these types of hands-on lessons. This is a list of the first purchase of wood materials for
math and language & communication lessons, with quantities intended to provision 45 Fabretto
preschool classrooms of 30-40 children each during the initial project phase. Although there
are five areas of learning (math, language and communication, sensory learning, practical life,
and culture) it should be noted that about 80% of sensory learning materials, which are not
included here, are also made of wood. These particular materials were chosen to be made out
of wood as they would be specifically hard to make out of cardboard, or are materials that are
expected to incur more wear and tear, making it more practical to buy more durable versions.
All colors are either blue or pink in order to not distract the young students with too many
shape and color combinations. By picking two colors and consistently using just these to
differentiate between shapes, numbers, and
letters, students can learn to count and
differentiate between categories without
becoming overwhelmed or distracted.
Education coordinator at the Fabretto
center
in Somotoand
withCommunication
a wooden
A.
Language
game used for sensory learning.
1. Shapes
 22 blue circles set in a pink square
 23 blue ovals set in a pink square
 23 blue ellipses set in a pink square
 21 blue clovers set in a pink square
 20 blue pentagons set in a pink square
 22 blue triangles set in a pink square
 25 blue rectangles set in a pink square
 23 blue squares set in a pink square
 22 blue trapezoids set in a pink square
 23 blue triangular ovals set in a pink square
2. 44 blue boards on which to practice with 5 shapes (above) at a time
3. 45 blue boards on which to practice with upper-case vowels
4. 128 blue boards on which to practice with lower-case vowels
5. 315 pink boards on which to practice with upper-case consonants
6. 211 pink boards on which to practice with lower-case consonants
7. 22 boxes to store consonants
8. 22 boxes to store vowels
9. Pencil-holder box, with color-coded inserts
 22 light blue, pink, green, and red box inserts
 22 multi-color, orange, brown and white box inserts
 22 blue, yellow, grey and black box inserts.
10. 44 sets of mobile alphabets in wooden boxes
11. 22 barns for “grammar farms” for practicing sentence structure
B. Math
1. 29 sets of 10 counting blocks, each with red and blues stripes according to the
number they represent
2. 29 wooden boxes with 10 sections and 45 wooden wooden sticks to put into each
section according to number
3. Decimal system material:
 1305 cubes that represent 1000
 1305 squares that represent 100
 Sticks that represent 10
4. 58 boxes with sections to count up to 100
5. 29 square boards with a blue border with wooden pieces to help count or multiply
on the board
6. 29 abacuses
7. 29 boxes with numeric blocks marked with red and blue stripes
8. 29 counting sticks separated by size and color
9. 29 division boards
10. 29 multiplication boards
The following table reports on the success of the first phase of implementation of
acquiring and applying learning methodology in Fabretto preschools in 2013.
Much of this success can be attributed to the proper provision of classrooms and
teacher trainings with appropriate materials, such as those listed above.
Fabretto preschool key metrics, 2013:
Indicators and Activities
Projection
Final 2013
% Achievment
Assistence
Initial Enrollment
% retention
Completed a Grade
% of preschool students that
recognize words and
understand their meanings
85%
1,985
90%
100%
80%
82%
1,896
89%
100%
0
96.03%
95.52%
99.23%
100.00%
0.00%
Number of refurbished or
constructed classrooms
7
4
57.14%
Number of rooms with
adequate equipment and
proper learning environment
37
45
121.62%
Number of teachers trained
45
27
60.00%
Number of teachers suitable to
teach preschool
41
46
112.20%