If I could choose only one type of toy to have in our preschool classrooms and on our playground, I would choose blocks.
At first glance blocks look pretty basic. If you look closer they are so much more! Blocks help children learn to plan and collaborate with friends. Even the smallest set of blocks contains the seeds imagination and literally holds the building blocks for learning.
I recently read an article about what early childhood educators had to say when they were asked, “What do you think children learn through block play?” Here are some of their responses:
Playing with blocks provides an opportunity for children to learn elements of science and math, like problem solving and counting and adding, subtracting and algebra, and it helps to build fine and gross motor skills. Block play also supports other areas of development, including language development as they talk about the structures they built. Creativity, imagination, self-esteem and social and emotional growth are fostered too! -Susan Friedman
Social and emotional growth.
Blocks help children learn to take turns and share materials, develop new friendships, become self-reliant, increase attention span, cooperate with others, and develop self-esteem. - Kathleen Harris
Problem solving.
Sometimes it is intentional: “I want to build X. How do I do that?” Other times it is in-the-moment: “To go higher and add to one side, what can I use?” -Peter Pizzolongo
Imagination.
Children can follow their own plan, or they can share a friend’s vision and work together to create something they never dreamed of. - Karen Cairone
Self-expression.
Blocks offer many ways for young dual language learners to explore, express themselves, and demonstrate what they are learning across languages. - Karen Nemeth
Mathematics.
Important concepts and skills are practiced and strengthened through block play, including length, measurement, comparison, number, estimation, symmetry, balance. - Kristen Kemple
Continuity and permanence.
Block play engages spatial sense and motor abilities; it can be a solo or a group effort; block creations can stand for an indefinite period of time. - Lawrence Balter
Creativity.
Blocks and other loose parts can be moved freely by children, to be combined and recombined in countless ways. - Angela Eckhoff
Science.
Blocks offer opportunities to test hypotheses and build scientific reasoning.
-Gayle Mindes
Self-esteem.
Children discover that they have ideas and that they can bring their ideas to life by creating, transforming, demolishing, and re-creating something unique. - Holly Bohart
Development in all areas.
Block play requires fine and gross motor skills. Blocks enhance children’s problem-solving abilities, mathematics skills, and language and literacy abilities. And constructing “creations” builds self-esteem and feelings of success. —Linda Taylor
Playing with blocks helps children develop their vocabularies, improves math skills, and even teaches them about gravity balance and geometry and physics. They learn how to describe colors, shapes, sizes and positions as they build various structures.
-Jana Rose
In short, blocks are far from basic!
Peace,
Clare
Clare Carter
Preschool Director
