For decades, early years settings worldwide have embraced learning through play as the foundation of children’s development. Within this tradition, tickit® has become a respected resource partner, offering high-quality materials designed to ignite curiosity, support holistic development and enhance professional practice.
A Play Philosophy Rooted in Exploration
Developed in the late 1990s by an in-house team working alongside educational advisors, tickit® was created to produce learning tools that genuinely reflect how children explore and learn. Owned by Commotion Ltd and rooted in the UK, the brand has evolved alongside growing understanding of play-based pedagogy. Today, tickit® resources are used extensively in nurseries, early years classrooms and primary settings globally.
As Alice Sharp, Early Years Educational Consultant, explains:
“tickit® products bring a sense of wonder, precision, and possibility into play. Their materials are open-ended, beautiful to handle, and invite exploration across every area of learning, from light, colour, and pattern to shape, texture, and movement. Each piece feels designed with deep understanding of how children think, investigate, and create.”
This emphasis on open-ended exploration allows children to experiment, revisit ideas and construct meaning independently, while practitioners extend learning through skilful interaction.
What Makes tickit® Distinctive?
Designed for Curiosity
At its core, tickit® champions curiosity-driven play. Whether through sensory materials, loose parts, or light and colour exploration, resources are designed to capture attention and encourage experimentation. Rather than prescribing outcomes, they support child-led learning and adult-supported enquiry.
Quality, Safety and Longevity
Durability, adaptability and educational integrity are central to product development. Items are rigorously tested to international toy safety standards, with clear minimum age guidance provided. Ranges include sensory tools, wooden toys, light panels, sand timers, mirrors and translucent colour resources - each chosen to facilitate deep engagement across developmental domains.
Enabling Environments in Practice
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) highlights the importance of an enabling environment in supporting learning and development. Thoughtfully selected resources play a crucial role in achieving this.
tickit® products are typically characterised by:
- Durable, high-quality construction
- Visually engaging yet versatile designs
- Adaptability across age ranges
- Longevity within continuous provision
These characteristics allow settings to invest in resources that grow with children and remain relevant over time.
Supporting Key Early Years Goals
tickit® resources naturally intersect with EYFS priorities and other learning frameworks.
Communication & Language: Open-ended storytelling prompts, mirrored play and collaborative construction encourage discussion, questioning and narrative development, providing rich contexts for vocabulary growth.
Physical Development: Manipulatives, threading materials, balls, construction and water play sets all help strengthen fine motor control and dexterity, gross motor skills and coordination.
Mathematics: Translucent shapes, sorting sets, sand timers and pattern resources support sequencing, comparing, counting, spatial reasoning and early understanding of time concepts.
Expressive Arts & Design: Light panels, colour exploration materials and open-ended resources with no single “right” use will provide strong foundations for imaginative play, experimentation and creative decision-making.
Crucially, open-ended materials allow practitioners to observe closely, reflect intentionally and extend children’s interests, thereby supporting personalised planning and meaningful adult-child interactions.
Supporting SEND and Inclusive Practice
Multi-sensory engagement is a notable strength of the tickit® range. Tactile blocks, light panels and visually stimulating resources provide multiple access points for learners with diverse needs. Such flexibility supports inclusive practice, enabling children to explore and demonstrate understanding in ways that are meaningful to them.
Sustainability and Responsible Play
Environmental responsibility is increasingly embedded within early years practice. tickit® has strengthened its focus on sustainability, with wooden products increasingly sourced from FSC®-certified forests. Emphasising durability and long-lasting play value not only supports sustainable purchasing decisions but also models environmental stewardship within everyday provision. The brand’s FSC policy can be read here.
By incorporating responsibly made materials into learning spaces, practitioners can make eco-conscious conversations visible and tangible for children.
Practical Insights for Practitioners
Experienced educators know that resources should do more than fill shelves - they should provoke thinking.
tickit® tools can act as:
- Invitations to explore: Loose parts and sensory trays that spark investigation
- Language bridges: Mirrors and storytelling sets that encourage dialogue
- Collaborative connectors: Shared explorations using timers or light tables to promote problem-solving and social interaction
The How2Montessori Blog notes:
“You can build the perfect learning environment with mainly home sourced material. But if there is one brand worth spending money on, it's tickit Education. Simply because… they really got it right!”
A Companion in Early Childhood Practice
In early childhood education, resources are never “just resources.” They are provocations and starting points for powerful learning moments. tickit® is widely recognised for developing materials that prioritise curiosity, open-ended exploration and developmental depth over prescriptive outcomes.
For professionals enriching enabling environments, tickit® provides tools that sit comfortably within play-based pedagogy while supporting statutory frameworks such as the EYFS.
In a sector grounded in reflective practice and child-led discovery, tickit® continues to complement professional expertise, helping practitioners create environments where curiosity flourishes and learning unfolds naturally.
tickit® toys are available from all good educational suppliers and www.tickit.co.uk. Contact
