Construction Toys

It’s easy to think of a play-of-the-day today, the 150th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright’s birthday – some block and construction play. We still admire his buildings in various cities across the continent. His reputation and teachings are admired internationally as one of the greatest architects. Does this photo of Frank Lloyd Wright’s lamp remind you of wooden blocks?

Blocks and other construction toys are a way children can engage in building and creating.  Both boys and girls enjoy playing with these materials and will do so from the time they are babies, to teenagers and beyond. Need a substute for a fidget spinner? Put  out a bowl of Lego and keep hands, and more importantly, minds busy too.

The notes below are from an earlier post on block and construction ply  with ideas to try:

There’s a wonderful variety of construction toys using plastic, like Lego and Lasy; wood as in blocks; metal, both new and vintage; and even sturdy paper and cardboard. Some construction sets are specialized for machines, race car tracks, trains, houses, marble runs, creatures, and robots. Just as varied are the kinds of fun and learning. When kids play with these toys they are:

• manipulating, connecting, stacking, balancing, etc. This strengthens the small muscles in hands and fingers and gives children the opportunity to develop eye-hand coordination.

• visualizing, that is making pictures in the mind. As an adult, have you ever had to look at an object and then had to choose from 3 or 4 pictures what it would look like from the other side? This is quite a challenge and this skill develops from lots of experiences and play.

• exploring space and measuring. Blocks of some sizes might fit in a space but some will be too big or too small.

• counting and making groups, matching sizes and shapes. These are early math skills.

• creating and imagining. These are powerful skills, at the very heart of innovation, that begin when kids play.

• solving-problems, organizing and planning. We often consider these as “work” skills but, to kids, they are fun and part of play.

When children play with these toys together, they practice negotiating, cooperating and other social skills. Kids are using language to express themselves, explain, and ask questions. Both boys AND girls enjoy playing with these toys!! Ordinary household items, like sponges and plastic food containers, can be construction toys. Check the recycling.

Wood scraps are not as common as they used to be, but they are another item kids enjoy for block and construction play. Architecture may not be the future path for your child, but building creating are important as life-skills and play outlets for adults. Are they part of yours?

The wheels on the bus go round and round but instead of people going up and down, this time blocks do when kids engage in block construction play. Blocks are a versatile toy enjoyed by very young toddlers and much older ones. Many block sets are made of wood, but they also are available in plastic, foam, cardboard, and rubber. Sizes, shapes, and colors all vary. Whatever kids have, blocks have tremendous play value.

For a play-of-the-day, after reading a Wheels on the Bus book and singing the song, the kids got out a bin of blocks and started to play. Big Sister set up some bridges for a road to go under. Little Sister checked out the other items in the bin.

To make a bus or other vehicle that moves, wheels are needed. Duplo has large bricks with wheels attached and some pieces marked with a line down the middle for roads. Some people and animals are riding this one.

Some Lego pieces have wheels too for making all kinds of vehicles. Building with small pieces exercises the small muscles in the hands and fingers. Because fine motor control is still developing at this age, manipulating blocks and other toys is challenging. Strengthening these skills is important for learning to print.

For block construction play on a really big scale, bring home a large cardboard box. It doesn’t have to be as big as a real bus, but it might feel like it is to a child. Or, it might be a whole town with buses like the ones in this video.

Construction play, no matter what kids create, involves a great deal of higher-order thinking skills. The most obvious one is figuring out cause and effect. When kids build towers only to knock them over, they are exploring over and over what happens when they push. It works every time and when the tower falls, it’s pretty exciting. Kids are also solving problems. There is so much to discover as they build. Imagination is another part of the play. Where will the bus go? What will happen on the bus?

Ordinary events like seeing or riding a bus can inspire play and deliver extraordinary fun and learning. Ready to ride?