Blocks…
So Much More than
Meets the Eye
My best friend’s daugher, Lindsey,is the mother to two beautiful girls. I few years ago, I gave said girls what I felt was the most beautiful set of building blocks I'd ever come across. Some of you may not know me as well as others, but I love giving gifts... not just any gifts, but unusual, fun gifts that are often unexpected. Though I did think this particular gift of building blocks was cool, I didn't (until today) consider it to be one of my "greatest hits".
However, today, this same incredible mom sent me a text to share that this block set (now 3 years old) is still played with on an almost daily basis by both the girls and often the parents as well! Her sweet text got me thinking. I went straight to my computer to read about the benefits of children playing with blocks.
Just for reference, I’m including this photo and link for the block set I gifted them.
I've always been a huge fan of any toy that doesn't require batteries or an electrical outlet. I say this because I always wanted my children to do the thinking and imagining... not have a device feed it to them. Thus, blocks have always ranked high on any list of what I consider to be the best educational toys. Playing with blocks falls under the research topic of constructive or manipulative play. After doing a lot of reading and thinking, here's my personal list and explanation of 15 things playing with blocks can teach a child.
Patience - Playing with blocks is a lesson in patience and resilience. This lesson is sometimes a tough one for young children, but in time, after a few failed attempts, a single successful attempt followed by a few more, eventually leads to a level of patience with the process. It's what keeps a child coming back for more. Otherwise, why even try?
Attention - Unlike other forms of play, building with blocks requires an attention to detail. Where do I place this next block? What might happen if I put this one here? How did she do that? What made it fall last time? ...
Tolerance - Sharing block play with a sibling, friend, or best of all, you, is a great way to build a tolerance of the ideas of others. Will this come easily? Not always. Is this an important trait to foster? Yes! You may actually be the best playmate to help your child learn to respect and tolerate the ideas of others. Start with each of you having your own set of blocks and building on your own. As your child observes you successfully building, he might become more comfortable with implementing a few ideas you share.
Cooperation - Cooperation and tolerance go hand in hand. Once your child learns to accept the ideas of others, he may then be open to the cooperation that's required to bring the idea to fruition. Again, starting out with two sets of blocks (one for each child playing) and allowing the children to observe one another is often the best way to move towards an eventual cooperative venture.
Resilience - This is a tough life skill for some children. Block play is a great venue for teaching this skill. It's not a straightforward win/lose environment like games, but instead more of a trial and error situation. AS a toddler, my son was the worst when it came to loosing a game, but with blocks, there was always another chance to be successful waiting in the pile of that toppled tower. After experiencing a tower collapse he soon learned that overcoming this blow was as simple as gathering up the blocks and trying again.
Creativity - Fostering creativity is one of my favorite things to do with kids and it can be done in so many different ways. A trial and error method, or copy and then change a model to make it your own both work well to accomplish this task. Why not use your phone's camera to snap and later create a virtual museum of your child's creations by creating a Google Slide Show or PowerPoint presentation that can later be emailed for others to enjoy.
Intentionality / Focus - The ability to focus and be intentional grows stronger with age. Intentionality involves setting goals and then working to meet those goals. This requires a few of the other aspects already mentioned: attention, patience, resilience and at times cooperation. At a very young age, you provide the goal: Build me a tower that's ten blocks high. Later, prior to play, ask your child what he hopes to build and label that as the goal.
Scientific Concepts - Working and learning while building with blocks is all about experimentation. It's cause and effect at its best. Your child may not realize it, but through block play, the scientific method (question, hypothesis, data gathering, and drawing conclusions) is constantly cycling through each endeavor.
Mathematical Concepts - Without a dingle formal lesson, blocks teach children about size, shapes, counting, measurement, patterns, space, balance, and much more . It's truly an early peek into the concepts of mathematical thinking.
Imaginative Play - The power of imaginative play cannot be ignored. So much of what children do and view each day is pre-constructed and simply delivered to them - video games, television shows, learning apps, even lessons within a preschool environment. Where will we get our new innovators from if we don't allow our children's minds to roam and come up with their own ideas? Building blocks offer an escape of sorts. There's no right or wrong, no rules, no requirements.
Physical Development - Building with blocks enhances a child's spatial awareness abilities and fine motor skills. Additionally, building with blocks helps to refine eye-hand coordination skills.
Language and Vocabulary - Block play offers countless opportunities for discussion and story telling connected with each new creation. This in turn leads to vocabulary development - one of the biggest keys to later success as your child enters school. Ask questions or have your child tell you what's happening within a project. Who lives here? What happens here? What does this part do? How does this work?
Problem Solving - Block play builds problem solving skills through trial and error. Try not to jump in a fix things. Let the tower fall, allow your child to realize there's not a door... solving problems on your own teaches so much more than always having problems solved for you.
Self Confidence / Self Esteem - Picking up on the previous topic of problem solving, kids love it when they can do things on their own. Each problem solved, each idea brought to life, each story told leads to your child developing a level of self confidence in his abilities and thoughts. Sadly, I can report firsthand that self confidence and self esteem aren't present when children enter primary school.
Independence - This final skill builds upon all the others and as parents it's what we are always working towards even if it does hurt at times to not be needed quite as much. Success within block play encourages eventual independence and believe me when I tell you that an independent toddler becomes a successful problem solving classroom student. You goal should be to foster the development of a confident self-starter that's not afraid to take a chance, ask questions, take on challenges... not a child that needs hand holding or coaching with even the smallest of tasks.
Want to learn more? Click HERE to read what the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) reported on the power of playing with blocks.