Chinese Stroke Toys

Abstract

Herein I provide different methods for learning Chinese characters. Traditionally, children have learned Chinese characters through the repeated reading and copying of words from generic word-cards. This process is tedious and therefore often fails to retain the learner's attention. My method of learning Chinese characters, by contrast, is fun and engaging, combining both motor and cognitive skills. I have designed a cube with each side having one stroke, which children can grasp and play with. According to national standards, there are a total of 30 Chinese strokes. I have divided these into five cubes of six strokes each, as follows: Basic Strokes, Developed Strokes (A), Developed Strokes (B), Advanced Strokes (A), and Advanced Strokes (B). Parents (or other caregivers) and teachers are encouraged to interact with and observe children play with cubes. In addition, they can use my magnetic strokes to create their own Chinese characters.

Claims

1. Five cubes, with each of its six sides bearing one of the 30 Chinese strokes, as follows: (1) Basic Strokes: hng, sh, di{hacek over (a)}n, pi, n, t; (2) Developed Strokes (A): hng gu, sh gu, hng pi, hng zh, sh zh, sh t; (3) hng zh gu, hng zh t, pi zh, sh wn, sh wn gu, pi di{hacek over (a)}n; (4) xi gu, w gu, wn gu, hng xi gu, hng zh wn gu, sh zh zh gu; (5): hng pi wn gu, hng pi wn gu, hng zh zh zh gu, hng zh wn, hng zh zh zh pi, sh zh pi and sh zh zh. For infants, cubes are made of soft materials, such as cloth; while for kids, age two and up, we use non-poison plastics, wood, and paper or other materials.

2. Magnetic Chinese strokes, of different sizes for different age groups, such that children can create their own Chinese characters; which they can proudly display on a magnetic board or the family refrigerator, thereby increasing their interest in learning Chinese characters.

3.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 The standard Chinese strokes: the smallest unit of Chinese characters;

[0009] FIG. 2 Diagram of a cube with each side being 2 inches for the age of over two, using foam, or wood, plastic or other material;

[0010] FIG. 3 Diagram of a cube with each site being 1.5 inches for the age of 0-2,

using foam inside and cloth outside;

[0011] FIG. 4 The first cube of six Basic Chinese Strokes: hng, sh, di{hacek over (a)}n, pi, n, and t, with one stroke on each side;

[0012] FIG. 5 The second cube of six Developed Chinese Strokes (A): hng gu, sh gu, hng pi, hng zh, sh zh, and sh t, with one stroke on each side;

[0013] FIG. 6 The third cube of six Developed Chinese Strokes (B) with one stroke on each side: hng zh gu, hng zh t, pi zh, sh wn, sh wn gu and pi di{hacek over (a)}n;

[0014] FIG. 7 The fourth cube of six Expanded Chinese Strokes (A) with one stroke on each side: xi gu, w gu, wn gu, hng xi gu, hng zh wn gu and sh zh zh gu;

[0015] FIG. 8 The fifth cube of six Expanded Chinese Strokes (B) with one stroke on each side: hng pi wn gu, hng zh zh zh gu, hng zh wn, hng zh zh zh pi, sh zh pi and sh zh zh;

[0016] FIG. 9 Magnetic pieces of Chinese Strokes, for use by children two years and up, to form their own words.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Embodiment 1

[0017] Referring to FIG. 4 the first cube of six basic Chinese Strokes which are the fundamental components of Chinese characters based on Chinese handwriting style, mommy (or a caregiver or a teacher) holds baby's finger moving in the direction of each stroke on the cube. In this way, mom (or a caregiver or a teacher) practices 1-10 minutes for three months. The length of time or period depends on the child's interest, as each child is unique.

[0018] Mommy (or a caregiver or a teacher or even the child if he can) rolls or throws up the cube then let the child moves along the direction of each stroke on the cube. In this way, mommy with her baby practices 5-10 minutes for three months. The length of time or period depends on the child's interest, as each child is individual.

Embodiment 2

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, these strokes are developed from the first six Basic Chinese strokes. Using the same method as stated in EMBODIMENT 1. The length of time or period varies with baby's attention.

Embodiment 3

[0020] With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, these strokes are expanded from the first Basic Chinese Strokes and the Developed Chinese Strokes which are a little complicated and use the same method as stated in EMBODIMENT 1, the length of time or period can be adjusted longer in line with baby's enthusiasm.

Embodiment 4

[0021] With magnetic pieces, mommy and baby can play on the door of a refrigerator or a magnetic board. Taking hng and sh on the first cube of six basic Chinese strokes as examples, they can form many words with magnetic pieces of hng and sh, such as one, two, three, ten, work, up, king, soldier, soil and dry. Chinese characters are in sequences; however, before a child is three, stroke pieces are just for playing to stimulate the connections between brain and fingers, as well as to trigger baby's capability of creation. The child may place a word in the wrong order of strokes, but mommy or a caregiver can guide the baby to constitute a word in sequence according to the books associated with Chinese Stroke Toys.