Block play is definitely a hands-on kindergarten readiness learning and fun activity. In this video below, you can see some of the ways that a child is learning in just a few seconds of play. Besides figuring out how blocks fit together and take apart, here are a few other skills that kids learn:
- lifting, pushing, pulling, weighing, carrying, balancing, manipulating, stacking, problem-solving
- organizing, planning, fine and gross-motor coordination, perseverance, achievement
- visualizing, shapes, counting, spatial orientation, cooperating, imagining and pretending
There are even more brain connections that kids make when playing with blocks as well as science concepts such as balance and gravity.
Blocks come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. For very young toddlers, there are sponge blocks that don’t hurt when they fall over. For older kids there are many different kinds of plastic or wooden ones. For future engineers there are geometric shape blocks that triangle together. Blocks are also gender neutral and appeal to girls as well as boys. (If you ever want to know how attached kids get to blocks, ask a teenager if you can sell a few bags at a garage sale or even just borrow some for school.) Scrap wood can be used to make a set of wooden blocks for generations of block play.
Little hands love to create, explore and build with blocks. Will some block play fit into the plans for your child today?