Did Santa bring any blocks or construction toys to your house for play-time and, of course, some kindergarten readiness learning and fun? Block play is a super activity for building all kinds of brain connections and thinking strategies. Following is a short list of a few of them. When kids engage in block or other construction play, they are:
- lifting, pulling, pushing, balancing, stacking, matching, carrying, manipulating, and fitting together,
- organizing, problem-solving, and planning,
developing and strengthening both large and small muscle coordination,
- learning about shapes, colors, quantity, and spatial orientation,
- imagining, visualizing and creating,
- exploring the science concepts of balance and gravity.
Children can play with blocks and construction toys for years because the toys are adaptable for so many different stages of development. Blocks are available in a variety of materials, even sponge ones for the very young, that are in bigger pieces. Wooden ones make lots of noise when they fall over. Plastic ones are quieter but can be surprisingly painful when stepped on, as many parents know. Both boys and girls enjoy playing with blocks.
This video shows 2 children of different ages playing with blocks and how it develops as children do. Does your day have some space and time for playing and learning with blocks and other construction toys?