The Nikitin method. Nikitin cubes - a method of teaching logical thinking. The principles of the Nikitin technique

Now Boris and Elena Nikitin are known to many as classics of Russian pedagogy. They achieved such fame thanks to their methodology, which they developed based on observations of their own children. Applying their revolutionary methods of education on their children, the Nikitins achieved incredible results and proved that human possibilities are endless. Thanks to the method of the Nikitin family, your child can also turn into a harmoniously developed personality with creative and flexible thinking.

For the first time, Nikitins declared themselves in the late 50s. years. In a small village near Moscow, it became known about a young family whose children run barefoot in the snow, perform incredible acrobatic etudes and at the same time, at the age of three or four, amaze with their erudition and good breeding. For such a young age, the Nikitinsky children had remarkable knowledge in mathematics, solved logical problems, and at school they jumped over the class and studied a more complex program for their age.

Having proved the viability of their methodology, the Nikitins began to distribute it throughout the territory. Soviet Union. The period of the greatest popularity of the technique early development in Nikitinsky fell on the 60-70s.

The principles of the Nikitin technique

Nikitins talked about two main mistakes that most parents make in raising their children. Firstly - this overcare, super-organization in the upbringing of the child. Parents literally do not allow the child to breathe, as they suffocate him with their guardianship and care. Constant classes, games and exercises that a child performs only under the supervision of parents do not contribute to the development of his independence. The child needs to engage in independent activities, otherwise he simply will not develop.

The second mistake is abandonment child. This is a diametrically opposite extreme, into which a lot of people also fall. Due to lack of time or for other reasons, mom and dad practically do not communicate with the child. This, of course, does not mean that they do not take care of him, they feed him, dress him, take him to kindergarten. But without constant contact with parents, a child cannot develop in himself many of the qualities he needs. Such isolation of the child from parents can lead to emotional poverty, to a delay in mental and emotional development.

That is why, in order to avoid such extremes, Nikitin based his theory on the principles naturalness, closeness to nature and creativity. Children should be in charge of their own time and actions. The role of parents is not a manager, but an assistant in the knowledge of an amazing new world. They should help with advice if the baby cannot answer a particular question. In no case do they force the child to engage in this or that activity, they simply help the child to become interested in this activity, to be carried away by something. In constant contact, communication, joint activities, should develop Creative skills child, his independence, initiative and flexibility of thinking. This is exactly how, according to Boris Nikitin, it is necessary to prepare children for their future adult life.

So the basic principles are:

Liberty. The child should be free to be creative. Parents cannot impose special exercises, classes, lessons on their child. Just offer options, and let the child do what he wants.
sport. Children should be dressed in comfortable light sportswear, and there must be sports equipment in the house. Thus, the child himself will be drawn to sports without your participation, because sports will become a familiar part of their lives.
indifference. Parents should sincerely rejoice for the victories of the kids and worry together about the failures. All children's games and competitions should be supervised by parents, and parents should try to show their reaction to everything that happens.

The main thing that parents need to remember is that they should not interfere with the development of the child. There is no need to put pressure on children, to drive them into the framework and your own idea of \u200b\u200bright actions. Help him to learn this world without imposing patterns and labels.

As the Nikitins admitted, the purpose of their original upbringing of children was not at all their early development. They simply noticed that if certain conditions are created for the development of certain abilities, they will develop much earlier. So, for example, if the child does not yet speak, play with blocks, cards with letters and similar materials, and he will learn to speak and read much earlier than other peers.

Physical development

Nikitin, like many teachers, cared for the harmonious all-round development of the child. Therefore, they paid attention not only to the mental sphere, but also to the physical. Indeed, by and large, with the help of his body, the child also learns the world, and the healthier the body is, the easier it will be for him to do this.

Therefore, there is no need to overload the child with extra clothes that hinder movement, there is no need to “stuff” his body with heavy, high-calorie junk food. The childhood of a child should be easy in everything, so he will develop faster, because nothing will make his journey to knowledge more difficult. Be sure to know what sports are in the house and go in for sports. A child needs to get acquainted with various sports equipment from early childhood. Hardening is also very beneficial for the health of the baby, it was to him that the Nikitins paid quite a lot of attention, and thanks to this, their children never got sick.

Intellectual games according to the Nikitin method

The basic principles of all Nikitin games:

You should not explain to the child the algorithm for solving the task, do not prompt him, thereby you help the child develop. The child learns to solve problems independently, to look at the situation outside the box.
Never expect instant success from a child. He will not be able to solve all the problems correctly the first time, moreover, he may not do it the third time either. It's just that the complexity of the task is too high for the level of development of the baby.
The solution algorithm in Nikitin's manuals is always encrypted in the form of a drawing, pattern, diagram or figures assembled from a constructor, cubes. It is important that the child can touch and see this hint, then he will be able to check the correctness of the solution to the problem.
Most of all Nikitin's games are not limited to only one solution. Thanks to your imagination and the imagination of the kid, you can create a completely new game based on the old one. The creation of new games also has a beneficial effect on the development of the creative abilities of the baby.

The most famous domestic methodology for the development of children is Nikitin's technique. Everyone who is engaged in children's upbringing must have heard about it. She is known not only in Russia and the CIS, but also in countries such as Germany and Japan, where she had her followers (at the time the book was written by the authors).

Nikitins are a married couple, B.P. Nikitin and his wife E.A. Nikitina, who raised 7 children. Teachers by profession. They began to develop their methodology at the end of the 50s in one of the villages of the Moscow region. The first "test subjects" were their own children, on whom everything was tested. Gradually, fame began to come and followers appeared, of which there were quite a few. The responsibility and thoroughness with which the Nikitins approached the creation of their methodology ensured its popularity.

As for the reaction of the scientific community to this technique during the Soviet era, some controversial points were not recognized, and some went into the education system. In addition to the endless stream of ordinary citizens, academics also visited their house to see for themselves the entire developmental system in action and how it affects children. Lectures by Elena Nikitina in maternity hospitals, in which she talked about the importance of the contact of the child with the mother immediately after birth - “skin to skin”, were discoveries for the personnel of that time, including doctors.

Physical exercise and hardening

The first thing that is emphasized in the methodology is exercises aimed at hardening and physical development. This is the basis of the methodology, and only then classes on the development of character, intellect, creativity, etc.

“Light clothing and a sports environment in the house: sports equipment entered the everyday life from early childhood, became for them, as it were, a habitat along with furniture and other household items.

The Nikitins pay great attention to sports: hardening right from birth and daily exercises are indispensable conditions for the methodology. The house should have a sports corner made of horizontal bars, rings and other special equipment so that physical activity becomes a natural habitat for children. Any outdoor games and activities (running, jumping, etc.) in the air are encouraged.

Does a child need exercise? Undoubtedly, motor development is the basis for a child at a young age.

The main thing is to keep the child safe. Nikitins gradually taught children to predict danger on their own, so their children could climb a 3-meter ladder at the age of 1.5-2 years without the help of their parents. Or it is correct to fall when learning to walk (do not secure the child behind his back so that he does not fall back, with the back of his head). This does not mean that they left the children to chance - they closely monitored the child and controlled the situation at dangerous moments in his education. In their books you will find methods for avoiding danger. But would every parent allow a child to do potentially dangerous activities? When one mistake can cost your health, for example, climbing trees. These are controversial points of education and one of the reasons why the methodology was criticized. By the way, their children (according to the authors) never had fractures and injuries due to a fall.

The second reason for criticism was the hardening system, which not every parent is also ready for. Their children went to +18 in one jersey, and the heels were blue, which was a common thing in their house. In winter, they ran through the snow practically naked. Children were accustomed to the cold gradually and smoothly, so their children practically did not get sick, and such coolness was good for them (they turned to the cold to cure their first child of skin problems). It is hardly possible to repeat such an experience of accustoming to the cold in modern cities. If at home you make the temperature so cool +18 and the child walks in a T-shirt, then in kindergarten or at a party it will be +25 and he will be unbearably hot, he is also waiting at school.

Independence

The Nikitins approached the development of independence in children with seriousness and tried to form it from the very first years of life.

“We tried not to do for the baby what he himself can do, not to think and not decide for him, if he himself can think of and decide. In general, in any activities of children, we try to encourage creativity, not to impose our opinions, and even more so decisions, we are not in a hurry to necessarily prevent a mistake or immediately point out it. We were just interested with children, and we never remained indifferent to what and how they do, what they do. It was not control, not tracking, not guardianship, not lessons with verification, but a completely sincere interest in the life of the children, in their various vigorous activities.

But the same seriousness of the approach (like any dogma in development methods) also gave sad results:

“When our first child was one and a half years old, we taught him independence in this way: if he got into a difficult situation (fell or could not get something), we “did not pay attention to it”, did not help him, despite all his tears and cries - let him learn to get out of difficulties. And they succeeded: the kid himself got out of the difficulty. But, without suspecting it ourselves, we taught the kid ... not to reckon with the rest. And not only this.

When the second son grew up, we did the same with him. And then one day the younger cries from bruising and fright, and his three-year-old brother does not even look in his direction - exactly like we adults do. There was just indifference, indifference to his brother's tears. This took me by surprise. It was then that I looked at myself, at our "educational measure" from the outside and realized why it sometimes irritates others. Sometimes, for a simple oversight, we “raise” a child for a long time, saying: “I don’t need you like that!” He seeks our understanding and help, but receives - for a simple oversight - the most cruel punishment: his mother refused him. He protested as best he could, and I ... did not even try to understand him, I went in my actions from some hardened rules, and not from the child and his condition.

Independence in their family manifested itself in everything, from helping with household chores and self-care for themselves (at the very first ability to do this), to independent knowledge of the world and development.

Children independently studied household items and their responsibilities for providing for themselves, for example, at the age of two they could already fold an adult cot. Helped prepare dinner and do household chores. Nikitins lived in the countryside, so in addition to cleaning, they also had to carry water, chop wood, finish building a house, etc. Therefore, they had their own workshop, where children could freely use adult items:

“In our workshop room, you can cut, glue, sculpt, saw, hammer in nails, chop, prick, drill, sharpen.”

Independently exploring the world came down to the fact that the child could do almost anything, except for very dangerous things. If he could easily get burned, he was allowed to. If you wanted to taste the earth, it was also not forbidden. Nikitins followed the position that the child should experience danger and peace in a conditionally safe environment. Then he can learn more about it and better prepare for them, which will secure his life in the future.

Since there were many children in the family, part of the development and upbringing of the younger children was taken over by the older ones. After all, as you know, the eldest child in a family, even of two children, often takes on the role of a source of development for his younger brother or sister. Although such duties do not always contribute to the development of an older child.

“We could leave them at home alone (with a 6-7-year-old senior) for three or four hours and knew that nothing would happen. We could safely send a seven-year-old to Moscow (train, metro) or an eleven-year-old to Gorky (he took his own ticket, went without any guardianship of a conductor or any of the adults).

Importance of an enriched environment

“We did not set ourselves the goal of teaching children everything as early as possible, we tried to create conditions for the development of their abilities - according to their capabilities and desires. Observing children, we noticed that they develop those aspects of the intellect for which we had conditions ahead of development itself. Suppose the child was just beginning to speak, and he already had, among other things and toys, cubes with letters, a split alphabet, plastic, wire letters and numbers. Together with a great variety of concepts and words entering the child's brain at this time, four dozen icons called A, B, C ... 1, 2, 3, 4 ... etc. were memorized without any difficulty to one and a half to two years. And all because we didn’t make a secret out of it, didn’t say that “it’s early for you”, we just called the letters to the baby, as other objects were called: table, chair, window, lamp, etc. And we were happy when he remembered, recognizing them in any text.

The most important discovery on this path was for us that under these conditions, children began a lot of things earlier than they were prescribed by all standards: by the age of three they began to read, at four they understood the plan and drawing, at five they solved the simplest equations, with interested in traveling on a world map, etc. The conditions for development must be ahead of it, prepared in advance. That's why we need - it doesn't matter whether it's in the house or in the children's institution - a much richer environment. We tried to meet any intentions of the children to do something, to express themselves in any kind of creativity. To do this, they hung on the wall a map of the hemispheres, tables of hundreds and thousands, printed and capital letters, measuring instruments and, of course, many books. These first impressions can involuntarily arouse interest in a certain area of knowledge and even develop certain abilities of the child.

What was included in the enriched environment of the Nikitins:

Sports equipment and horizontal bars, Skripalev ladder.
Freedom of movement around the house at the first ability to move.
Freedom of action with objects and knowledge of the world - the rejection of various phrases such as "Do not touch", "Do not climb", "You will get dirty", etc.
Opportunity to play with household items (kitchenware, writing utensils, etc.) and real tools (scissors, hammer, nails, awl, etc.)
Acquaintance with letters and numbers from 2-3 years of age.
Various educational games.

The attitude of parents to the development of children. There are two positions here: 1) the child needs to explain everything, to tell; 2) it is necessary to tell and show the baby only what he himself cannot reach. This is how independence is formed. It is the second option that gives creative personalities, and the first develops only performing abilities.

We tried to meet any intentions of the children to do something, to express themselves in any kind of creativity. We noticed that the kid loves to write with chalk - they made a board out of a piece of linoleum; noticed that he was interested in a map in the Children's Encyclopedia - they hung a large map of the hemispheres on the wall. So hundreds and thousands of tables appeared on our walls, printed and written letters on a poster, on cubes, measuring instruments, large wooden bricks, designers, all kinds of games and, of course, books, a lot of books - from fairy tales and baby books to encyclopedias and popular science literature. This is what we call a rich environment. A rich field of activity opens up for the child in it.

Steps of creativity

Some parents, referring to the Nikitin method, see it only partially. They do not delve into the philosophy of education, and only use the exercises they have developed from the book "Steps of Creativity".

The basis of the Nikitins' educational toys is "Fold the pattern", "Unicube", "Dice for everyone" and others. They are presented in the form of puzzles for pattern recognition and completion. And they are aimed at developing spatial thinking, memory, attention, imagination, analysis and comparison skills.

These games have a number of features:

Tasks are given to the baby in various forms: in the form of a model, a flat drawing, an isometric drawing, a drawing, written or oral instructions, thus introducing him to different ways of transmitting information.
The tasks are arranged in ascending order of difficulty from easiest to hardest. From two to three years old to adult level.
The gradual increase in complexity allows the child to go forward independently, i.e. develop your creativity while traditional education the decision is given by adults. However, to start and master the game, the child will need an adult.
It is impossible to explain to the child the method and order of solving problems and it is impossible to prompt either by word, or gesture, or look. So the child learns to find a solution on his own.
You can not demand that the child solve the problem on the first try. He may not have matured yet, and you have to wait a day, a week, a month or even more.
The solution of the problem appears before the child in the form of a drawing, pattern or structure made of cubes, bricks, designer parts, i.e. visible and tangible things. This allows the child to check the accuracy of the task.

Some of the Nikitin games resemble F. Frebel's blocks (creator of the world's first kindergarten). The classic Froebel block sets make up a cube and should be folded into a cubic wooden box, just like the Nikitins.

Outcome

The methodology is a system of education, and not just a set of exercises.
Sometimes it is humanistic and the child is a person with his own feelings. Sometimes she can be cruel, for the sake of the future good (later the Nikitins realized this and softened their methods).
An independent person is created from a child. It also encourages curiosity. The child independently explores the world, and does not just learn what an adult says or shows.
Health and physical activity occupy an important place.
There is practically no artistic side of development in the methodology.

In many respects they have something in common with the Nikitins' methodology, smoothing out all the controversial sides for which it is criticized.

To what extent does the Nikitin method meet modern development child, as part of Skills for the 21st Century?

There is one wonderful Japanese proverb that Nikitin followed. It sounds like this: “Tell me, and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Let me do it myself and I'll understand."

Who are the Nikitins and how did they advise raising children? You will learn about the principles of education, the principles of using educational games, and the games themselves according to the Nikitin method from the article “The Nikitin Method and educational games”.

Boris Pavlovich Nikitin (1916-1999) and Elena Alekseevna Nikitina (1930-) raised seven children according to their own, non-traditional education system (from which the entire Bolshevo village near Moscow, where the Nikitin family lived, was shocked). For the first time they began to talk about them in the late 50s of the 20th century. Boris and Elena are considered to be Russian innovative teachers, their methods of education are still used today. It was the Nikitins who in the 1960s and 1970s laid the foundations of parental pedagogy, they were the first to start talking about the need for early development.

How should a child be raised?

Nikitins focused on the importance of maintaining as long as possible physical contact between mother and child. For the full development of the child, the closeness of the mother is as important as various developmental exercises. They are recommended to attach the baby to the breast immediately after birth, and not to take it away (as was done in the USSR and is sometimes practiced now).

Nikitins condemned the strict day regimen for a preschooler. After all, a clear schedule and compulsory classes can both tire a child and cause him to dislike classes. They believed that it was necessary to create an environment that would stimulate his desire to learn and explore. Playpens and carriages are a prison for a child, Nikitins believed.

There are often two extremes to parenting:

Over-organized or over-caring care, continuous activities and games and lack of time for independent development.
Abandonment or the fulfillment by parents of a minimum (feed and put to bed), which can lead to mental retardation.

However, there is a third way in raising a child. The child is the master of his actions and routines. A parent is an assistant who will help you sort out a complex problem, while not forcing or obliging you to do anything.

Principles of education Nikitins

Freedom of creativity. No need special classes and training, the child does as much as he wants.
Sports environment in the house + light clothing. Sports equipment should be present at home from early childhood. Children should be tempered from infancy.
Parental involvement in a child's life. It is necessary to create conditions for the development of the child, taking into account the wishes of the child himself, and not focusing on his own interests. Never do for a child what he can do for himself.
favorable conditions. Creation of advanced conditions for development. For example, as soon as the child began to speak, the alphabet and abacus appeared in the toys.
The principle of NOWERS - the irreversible fading of opportunities effective development abilities. It means that there is a certain time and conditions for the development of specific abilities, if they are not developed in time, they will be lost.

Educational games according to the Nikitin method

Principles to be used during educational games:

There is no specific program, the child himself can choose the field of activity that is closer to him.
Games should not be freely available, you need to keep the interest of the child.
It is impossible to explain or suggest solutions to the problem. The child must independently come up with the correct answer.
You cannot ask for a solution. Not every task may be within the power of a child at a given period of his life.
The solution to the task is a thing that can be touched and seen (drawing, pattern, structure).
Opportunity to practice creative activity, creating new ones on the basis of existing educational games.
Move from simple to complex.
Participation of adults in games with children. You must show interest, then your child will play with pleasure with you.

The educational games of the Nikitins are aimed at developing the logical and figurative thinking. They are presented in the form of puzzles aimed at recognizing and completing images.

The game is a set of tasks that can be solved with the help of cubes, parts from the designer, bricks ... The tasks are given in such a way as to acquaint the child with the existence of various ways of transmitting information. It should also be noted that the tasks are arranged from simple to complex and have a wide range of use (from 2-3 years to adulthood).

These games can be customized to suit your level of interest and performance. Different games develop different qualities that together help the child become smart and inventive.

Intellectual games for the development of logical and figurative thinking

Frames and inserts(from 10-12 months) - consists of 16 frames with inserts in the form of various geometric shapes. First, you can show and name the child 3-4 inserts (triangle, square, oval). You can give them to the child for research. Further increases the number of figures. After familiarizing yourself with all the figures, you can complicate the task. For example, outline the shapes along the outlines of the frames, and then the shapes themselves; draw figures on the account (2 ovals, 3 squares) and others.

fold the pattern (from 1.5 years) - consists of 16 wooden cubes (rib size 3 cm), where each face has its own color. Cubes must be in the box. First, look at the cubes together with the child, name the color of the sides of the cubes, fold a one-color path, and then make it colorful. It is important to finish the lesson before the baby gets tired of it. Promotes the development of spatial imagination, attention, the ability to analyze and combine.

Fractions (from 3-5 years old) - a set of 3 plywood with an album sheet. On each of which there are 4 circles of the same size, but of a different color. The first circle is whole, the second is cut into two parts, the third is cut into three, and so on. At first, you should play only with the first sheet, the simplest. You can repeat the colors, count the pieces of the circle, try to make a multi-colored circle.

Unicube (from 1.5-3 years old) - consists of 27 wooden cubes. Introduce the child into the world of three-dimensional space. The game teaches to be attentive and accurate. In total there are 60 games for ages from 1.5-3 years old to an adult (which some games are beyond the power of).

Fold the square (0t 2 years) - consists of 3 difficulty levels, each with 12 multi-colored squares. The squares are located on plywood and inserted into the windows. For children of two years old, you can take 4 of the simplest squares and show how a square is obtained from several parts. The game contributes to the development of color perception, the formation of logical thinking, the assimilation of the concepts of part and whole.

Like any early development technique, whether it is a technique, or, there are advantages and disadvantages. We will consider the pros and cons of the Nikitin methodology in the table.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Nikitin technique

Play with your children, communicate with them, develop and get to know them!

Did you know about the Nikitin method? Do you use their designs in your games with children?

The early development methodology developed by Boris and Lena Nikitin in the 70s of the last century for their own children was in demand in the USSR, known in the West and even in Japan. What were the advantages of this system that led to its popularity? Let's recall the basic principles of the Nikitin methodology.

Boris Nikitin, an engineer by education, took up pedagogy even before meeting his future wife Lena. Disagreeing with the methods of educating young people adopted in the Soviet country, Nikitin even tried to create in the mid-50s, but the authorities did not support this idea. Nikitin managed to develop and implement the idea of a new approach to pedagogy in his family: he and Lena had seven children. The couple wrote many books about their own experience and the possibilities of PPP - the early development of the child, in which they outlined in detail the basics of their system.

Freedom Above All

The main idea of the Nikitins is the freedom of the natural development of the child. “Forcing is bad, patronizing is even worse, and then what is needed? To rejoice, just to rejoice when the baby succeeds is, according to our observations, the main incentive for successful activities with the child, ”Nikitin wrote in one of his books. When their children took their first steps, no one insured the kids: this is how the child learned. When the younger children climbed up the gymnastic wall and were afraid to fall, their parents did not remove them from there, but came closer to catch them if something happened. The child knew he will be able get off on his own and won’t break anything, because dad will catch him in time.

In the classical system of raising children, they try to protect them from hot kettles and sharp scissors, telling why these things are dangerous. The Nikitins, on the other hand, believed that if a child was convinced from his own experience that a boiling kettle could burn him, he would be aware of this danger without any words. “Don't bother”, “Don't touch” - their children practically did not hear these requests.

Education begins before birth

Nikitins believed that the course of pregnancy, and the process of childbirth, and the first days of a baby's life should take place with minimal intervention. They opposed anesthesia during childbirth, vaccinations, swaddling, and for attaching a newborn to the mother's breast in the first minutes of life, for breastfeeding until the first tooth erupted, for joint sleep.

Education is development

The goal of Nikitin's upbringing was seen in. They believed that it was necessary to start doing this as early as possible: if a child is not taught anything before the age of three, then his abilities will fade away, and life will be boring. Boris Nikitin even formulated the pedagogical law of NUVERS - the irreversible extinction of the possibilities for the effective development of abilities. To prevent this from happening, you need to create the most favorable conditions for the child, observe him, but do not interfere and in no case decide for him what he will do. Parents should praise the kid for successes, not scold him for failures, orient him to the highest result.

At the same time, Nikitins emphasized: they are not raising geeks, their methodology is not suitable for this. They just want their children to grow up harmoniously developed and self-sufficient people.

Work and physical education - the path to health

The Nikitins believed that a child would be healthy only when it was developed. Therefore, their children hardened, walked barefoot in the snow, with early years were doing physical activity. In free access they had gymnastic bars, rings, rope. Parents, according to the methodology, when contacting doctors should take the words of doctors simply as information, and not as dogma.

Work also strengthens the body, like physical education. The Nikitin children, together with their parents, worked in home workshops and made toys for themselves, from an early age they were involved in cleaning and other housework, including in the garden.

The game is priceless

It is supposed to develop intelligence with the help of games that the Nikitins themselves developed. The legacy of the Nikitins - various didactic materials: "Fold the Pattern" and "Unicube" cubes, "Fold the Square", "Fractions", "Bricks" games. The main principle of these games is the gradual comprehension of the rules. The child watches how others play, immerses himself in the atmosphere of the game and deduces its rules himself. So he learns to think analytically and make decisions. Involvement of children in the game should be voluntary and gradual. If interest in the game is lost, it should be postponed.

Like any pedagogical system, the Nikitins' technique both in its time and now has not only adherents, but also critics. How do experts feel about this system? Child psychologist Natalia Kalinichenko shares her opinion.

The pedagogical system of the Nikitins is a contradictory, controversial and, at the same time, unjustifiably forgotten method of early development. She is unique primarily because she was born in natural conditions - in a real family. The second undoubted advantage of this system is that it really is a system. Nikitin consider the relationship of all spheres of child development: physical, mental, labor. The complexity of this system is confirmed by the developed didactic base, which is still popular.
The Nikitin children practically did not have any injuries from sports and work, when they themselves, at the age of three, made toys for themselves with the help of saws and a hammer. According to statistics, they got sick 10 times less often than children from other families. This can be trusted: the Nikitins were closely watched by doctors, teachers, and other specialists. Now science has proven that physical development contributes to active cognitive activity. When we move, our blood circulates faster, being saturated with oxygen, the brain works faster. The Nikitins demonstrated this in their own experience: their children read from the age of three, at four and a half they solved equations with one variable. They went to school earlier than others and finished it also ahead of their peers, because they had high level intellectual development.
And now for the cons. The Nikitins were very involved parents who took Active participation in the lives of children. This option is not suitable for modern parents with their employment: it is simply unrealistic.
There was also a problem of socialization in this family. Children grew up in the house, communicating only with each other. They perfectly formed family ties, but did not know how to interact with people from the outside. At school, they showed brilliant academic success, but they were simply not interested in making friends with classmates. Their emotional sphere was also underdeveloped. At the age of two, the child reaches the peak of emotionality, when he learns to understand his feelings and read other people's. The Nikitin children at that time were doing something completely different: research, work, reading.
When raising children according to this system, unlike the modern one, no attention is paid to the gender aspect: there are no specific skills that girls and boys are taught.
If you want to apply this system, it is important to study all its aspects, look documentaries about the Nikitin family, of which there were many, to read their books: “Are we right?”, “We, our children and grandchildren”, “ Mind games". You need to get the most complete picture of the technique in order to understand whether it suits you.

Elena and Boris Nikitin became known in our country as teachers, parents and authors who invented the original method of raising children. In addition, they are adherents of the idea that creativity is formed from early childhood. Nikitins are happy parents of seven children and grandparents of twenty-four grandchildren.

The essence of the technique

The Nikitins' methodology is based on the belief that every child already has colossal abilities for any activity from childhood, and the main thing is to have time to realize them. Otherwise, the ability will fade. According to the authors, the abilities and skills are better developed in kids who have been training almost from birth.

Boris Nikitin is the founder of the idea that it is the responsibility of each parent to create the right developmental environment and "advanced" conditions for children. That is, the space in which they are constantly located (house or apartment) should be filled with manuals and games that promote the development of creativity and intelligence, as well as equipment for physical exercises.

In addition, you need to devote a lot of time to activities with your child. The Nikitin methodology establishes that special attention should be paid to ensuring that the aids for teaching the baby are a little more difficult today than its capabilities.

Key Ideas

In order to better understand this technique, some of its main ideas should be considered.

There is no need to do any special exercises, workouts or lessons. Each of the children does exactly as much as he wants. At the same time, gymnastic classes should be combined with other activities.
Each of the parents, whether it be mom or dad, should not be indifferent to the skills and abilities of the baby. Adults should participate in competitions, children's games and in their lives.
It is necessary to feed a newborn baby on demand, even if he wants to eat at night. You don't need to create any mode specifically. The same applies to children over the age of one year. Elena and Boris adhered to the rule not to force-feed the babies.
The Nikitins' technique also confirms the need for regular hardening procedures, as well as air baths. Children should not be in an absolutely sterile environment.
It is necessary to teach the basics of hygiene to babies from their very birth. For this child, you need to stand over the basin, including at night.
You should give the baby special gymnastic exercises so that he is well developed physically. As Nikitin's methodology emphasizes, it is advisable for children to install a sports complex in an apartment or house so that they can train in their free time.
Children need to be given complete freedom in order to be given the opportunity to fully know the world around them. This method will help the baby to take an active position in life.
Each parent should introduce the child to the world of dangerous objects (for example, matches, scissors). The baby is allowed (under the supervision of one of the adults) to touch the hot pot or lightly prick his finger with a needle. According to Boris Nikitin, this way of education will teach children to be careful, and in the future they will carefully handle dangerous objects.
If a large threat is encountered (for example, a car, a wide open window, or a train), exaggerated fear and apprehension should be portrayed. The kid should take this behavior of the parents as a model.
Nikitin's methodology for children says that something cannot be categorically forbidden to a child. It is better to say that this new book cannot be torn, but this old read newspaper can be.
For the first time, giving the baby a fork, spoon or pencil in his hand, you should immediately fix the correct position of the object. Otherwise, the child will have to be retrained.

Game "Unicube"

Nikitin used "Unicube" as the games supporting the described technique. He was liked by many followers of the named technique. This game includes 27 dice. Each of their faces is painted yellow, red and blue colors. With the help of them, the child learns what it is. And thanks to this game, in the future he will be able to better master such complex sciences as drawing and mathematics.

As additional materials 60 types of tasks are attached to Unicubus, each of which has a certain level of difficulty.

The simplest is designed for children aged 2 to 3 years. As the Nikitins say, the early development methodology is designed for somewhat overestimated requirements for the child, giving him the opportunity to grow and develop. Many parents support them in this, but some experts believe that it is not worth giving Unicube to small children, since it makes no sense to develop spatial thinking at the age of 2 or 3 years. Experts advise younger students to play Unicube.

B. Nikitin's technique is based on the fact that parents should not force the baby to study if he does not want to do it - you should not force the child. This means that you need to start dealing with tasks from the game, which should take place in free form. The constructed model can be depicted on paper with the baby.

How to play Unicube

To begin with, adults should familiarize themselves with the rules of the game. The authors of "Unicube" advise parents to try to collect the faces of the same shades on their own. Should be a cube. The kid, of course, may need the help of mom or dad, but in the future he will be happy to play on his own.

If the child does not succeed in any model, then the adult should not help. It would be better if the kid puts off the game for a while, and then starts it with renewed vigor until he figure it out himself. According to the technique, any child will like it.

Nikitin in his book "Intellectual Games" give recommendations to start practicing with "Unicube" from the moment when the baby is 3 years old. Children can determine for themselves what their level of ability is when choosing tasks.

But, as mentioned earlier, some experts and teachers insist that this game is more suitable for preschoolers. "Unicube", in their opinion, will be an excellent tool for parents who are preparing children for admission to the first grade. Thanks to such activities, the baby will become more attentive and assiduous.

Game "Fold the square"

The next game, which is included in the Nikitins' educational system, is recommended for the development of logical thinking. According to the authors, it is suitable for kids in the age range from 3 to 7 years. "Fold a square" looks like a set of various geometric shapes from which you need to collect squares. Each of their details is painted in the same color.

The game has three levels of difficulty. In the first, the square is made up of two parts, in the second - of three. With each new level, the number of details increases.

The Nikitins' developmental methodology suggests that it is recommended that very young children be given no more than three items to collect. As for the older kids, they can deal with a square of five parts. And children who are preparing for school can take on tasks that are more difficult - from seven details.

How successfully the task will be completed depends primarily on the interest of the baby in the game and the level of his preparation. According to parents, it is best to start playing Fold the Square with ordinary tasks. This approach will awaken the child's interest in classes. In addition, each correctly completed task must be reinforced with praise. Nikitins convince that such a method will consolidate a positive attitude towards the game.

Principles of the game "Fold the square"

Each of constituent parts mixed by an adult, after which the baby sorts everything according to the desired colors. To do this, he selects a bunch of details of the same shade and gradually adds small squares. This should be done slowly, and each part should turn into a large square as a result. The game should be made progressively more difficult. The first three squares are made up of three parts, and the next ones are made up of four, etc.

With the help of such a game, according to the parents who acquired it, the baby can easily develop ingenuity and a sense of color. A child learns logic by thinking about what set of geometric shapes can be made into squares. You should gradually complicate the tasks using the “icebreaker method”. That is, you need to stop doing a difficult task for a while, so that it will be easier to cope with it in the future. This approach allows children to solve tasks on their own, without the participation of mom and dad.

Game "Fold the Pattern"

The next game, according to the Nikitins, can be played by children from 2 years old. Although, according to parents, it is also interesting for older preschoolers to create patterns according to the pattern.

The game is presented in the form of 16 cubes completely the same size, each of the faces of which is painted in a single color - blue, white, yellow and red - colors. The rest have a diagonal division. In addition, they have contrasting shades (yellow-blue and red-white).

In addition to the box with the game, an understandable instruction is attached, which presents the patterns of the Nikitin technique of varying complexity.

With the help of such educational entertainment, one can develop spatial and artistic and design abilities, as well as imagination and attention. The named game was to the liking of the parents of the kids, moreover, they found that they could create such cubes on their own. For this purpose, any cubes made of cardboard, wood or plastic are suitable. Their faces can be painted or pasted over with colored paper.

Basic rules of the game "Fold the Pattern"

Each of the tasks in the named developmental entertainment has its own level of difficulty, so the baby can choose the one that suits him best.

Each pattern can be invented independently or folded according to the existing sample. While observing the elders who create designs, the kid will begin to imitate them with pleasure, and then make his own drawings. Young children can first make a life-size pattern on paper, and then create their own images from geometric shapes.

Nikitins are advised to master the so-called icebreaker method, which was already mentioned earlier. This means that each of the classes should begin with a short pause, while going back a few steps in learning. After the baby is already able to repeat the task with which he is familiar, mom or dad offers him a new one.

By the way, having adopted Nikitin's "icebreaker method", the methodology and technology of work social educator get good help. After all, any difficulty in the life of a child can be solved in the same way. If the problem cannot be overcome immediately, it is better to leave its solution and deal with it after a while, with renewed vigor.

How to get a child interested in playing?

The question of how to interest the child in the game worries many parents. To do this, you should not deviate from some principles:

Education should bring joy to both the baby and his parents. This is the basis of the Nikitins' teaching methodology. After all, every achievement of a child is also an achievement of his mom and dad. Victory has an inspiring effect on children, and this is the key to his success in the future.
The kid should be interested in the game, but in no case be forced. Each task must be completed independently by the child. Parents should be more patient and not prompt the right decision. The kid must think and look for mistakes on his own. Gradually rising, he will begin to cope with tasks of increasing complexity. This technique of the Nikitins helps the child develop the ability to be creative.
Before assigning tasks to children, adults need to try to complete them themselves. In addition, parents should write down the time in which they can find the answer to a particular task. Not only the child, but also mom and dad must learn to do it very quickly.
You should start with tasks that are within the power of the baby, or with the simplest parts. A prerequisite is the success obtained at the very beginning of the game training.
There are cases, according to reviews, when the baby cannot cope with the task. This means that adults overestimated the level of development of their child. You should take a short break for a few days, and then start with easier tasks. The best solution would be if the baby can choose the required level on their own. In no case should you rush him, otherwise the child will lose interest in learning.
The order of the game according to the Nikitin method is determined simply. It is best to start with the game "Fold the Pattern". Parents can join in such creativity with their children.
Each of the baby's hobbies goes in waves. This means that if he begins to lose interest in learning, you should not be reminded of the game for several months. After this time, the child can be reminded of it, and he will again happily begin to complete the tasks.
After the baby learns to fold models and patterns according to ready-made instructions, you can move on to new ones. To do this, experienced parents are advised to get a notebook and draw there (you can entrust this important task to the child) figures to complete.
You can arrange small competitions. Children in this case solve tasks on an equal basis with adult participants. At the same time, one should not be afraid that the authority of the parents will suffer. The Nikitins' developmental methodology suggests that kids will enjoy competing with mom or dad.

controversial points

The described method still causes a lot of controversy. As emphasized by her opponents, Elena and Boris Nikitin placed the main emphasis on the development of intelligence, work skills and physical abilities children, but did not pay attention to the moral, humanitarian and aesthetic side of education. With the help of these activities, they say, there is an intense effect on the left side of the brain, and the right side is practically not affected.

That is, if the baby has a tendency to humanities, studying according to the system of Elena and Boris Nikitin, parents may miss the age that is sensitive to the development of such abilities.

Another important question regarding physical hardening. Despite the fact that the technique of the Nikitin family highly recommends this, when carrying out such procedures, one should not overdo it. You need to take care of your child's health. There are children who respond well to temperatures of +18°C, but there is also a category that does not tolerate such conditions. In this case, conditions should be relaxed.

But in general, if you choose from the Nikitin methodology only what suits the child, as her followers emphasize, you can develop his abilities without much effort.