Block Play Builds Learning Skills

The best blocks for learning are unit blocks, which come in several sizes that are matched so that putting two smaller blocks together will be the same size as one larger block. Unit blocks can be evenly stacked in many different arrangements, and they allow children to compare sizes. When children pick a block to fill a space, they are learning about the meaning of “half” and “whole” as well as area and length. Blocks also encourage children to count, match, sort, group, and add and subtract.

As a child is building, she experimenting with gravity, balance, and geometric shapes. You can help children learn by introducing some math and science words as they are exploring blocks. You might say, “Wow, you found a block that was half the size of that big one,” or “Do you think it will stay by itself--is it balanced?” Children learn these ideas much more quickly when they are dealing with real-life problems.

Block play can lead to improved reading and writing skills. Keep clipboards with pencils, markers, and plenty of paper near the blocks. Children can make signs for their block buildings, learning how to connect sounds to letters. Encourage children to draw their buildings. This is especially helpful when children need to clean up a special block structure. Children are often sad and mad when block time comes to an end, and many children do not want to tear down buildings they worked so hard on. Whenever possible, let children keep their block buildings standing and give them time to play again later. But when this is not possible, ask if they would like to draw a picture of their work so that they can rebuild it later. Children gain fine motor skills when they draw, and by drawing and “reading” their picture they learn another important use for reading and writing.

Block play can enhance creativity and problem solving. The block corner can be a terrific place for children to develop new ideas. First, they must decide what to make. Then they work with other children’s ideas and learn to share limited materials.

In these situations, children are presented with choices as they work toward their goals. Talk with them about these goals: “You want to make a fire truck with the big blocks, but Chris is using the last three big blocks. How can you build it with what we have here?” By helping children keep their eye on their goal, you can lead them to find other ways to reach that goal. This helps children become resourceful and creative problem solvers.

Physical Skills

Block play helps children develop physically. Children develop both large and fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination when they play with blocks. These skills, especially the fine motor skills, help improve children's writing.

How to Talk About Blocks

• Talk about block shapes: squares, rectangles, triangles.

• Talk about the position of the blocks: on top of, through, underneath.

• Count the blocks and talk about the idea of “more than” and “less than.”

• Talk about the blocks the child decided to use: “You used two kinds of blocks for your building-- squares and triangles.”

• Talk about how a child has arranged the blocks: “You made a space for the cars to go under the blocks.”

• Talk about the number of blocks used: “You made a long road. Let’s count how many blocks you used. One, two,
  three. . . .”

• Talk about balancing: “Is it going to stay balanced when you take your hand away?”

• Rather than trying to guess what the child is building, say, “Tell me about what you made.”

• Ask questions. “How do the people get to the building?”

Assignments

1. Watch the children playing with blocks. Tell us about what you observed and what type of learning is happening.

2. Tell us about a problem the children were having or you imagine children will have while playing with blocks. How did you or would you resolve the problem?

3. Surprise the children by moving something new into the block area. Make play money out of green construction paper and black markers, and try putting it in the block area. Tell us what you added and how the children used it in their block play.

4. What three things will you add to the block area to help the children play more creatively?

5. Ask the children to draw their block buildings. You can write down their stories about the block play or encourage them to use their own ways of writing. What did you notice about their play? What learning do you think is going on when you do this?