How Building Blocks Are Crucial To A Child’s Development

The concentration on those darling faces, as toddlers try and set them exactly right on top of each other, the sheer fun preschoolers have of building tall weird structures, sometimes taller than themselves; blocks are suitable for every age and stage of development with even infants trying to grip them, hold them and feel the textures etc. In toddlers for instance, apart from fine and gross motor skills, block play helps them understand concepts like fall down, pick up, build, tall, high etc. You may also like: Shumee suggests 5 toys to improve your child’s motor skillsFor preschoolers, it continues to enhance fine and gross motor skills as they attempt to carry more blocks over larger distances, build them more precisely and better each time. While toddlers can play by themselves, at the preschool stage, you must give them more blocks and more space as they often play together and collaborate on building etc.
Total
0
Shares

Stack them, balance them, build them, knock them down, scatter them – Have you seen the joy in a child when they play with blocks? The concentration on those darling faces, as toddlers try and set them exactly right on top of each other, the sheer fun preschoolers have of building tall weird structures, sometimes taller than themselves; blocks are suitable for every age and stage of development with even infants trying to grip them, hold them and feel the textures etc.

Children at every stage gain skills from block play.  

Problem-solving skills, inadvertent or studied – If they want to build it higher, larger, stronger, children have to use their problem-solving skills. 

  • Imagination and self-expression – Who has not built a fort with blocks? How about a castle? Blocks lend themselves to imagination very well and each child can do as their imagination strikes.
  • Mathematics and science– Counting is an obvious game, but there are complex science skills that have their foundations in block play like length, symmetry etc. 
  • Self-esteem–  Who is not pleased with themselves when they build something? It is one of the earliest tools to build self-esteem.
  • Social and emotional growth–  Pretend play especially in groups will help social development. Building houses, forts and castles and indulging in role play is extremely good for social skills.
  • All round development – From babies to grown-ups, building with blocks helps in motor skills to just clearing our minds.

In toddlers for instance, apart from fine and gross motor skills, block play helps them understand concepts like fall down, pick up, build, tall, high etc. It also improves vocabulary as they try to explain what blocks can do. They begin to realize there is more than one way of building, stacking things.

You may also like: Shumee suggests 5 toys to improve your child's motor skills

For preschoolers, it continues to enhance fine and gross motor skills as they attempt to carry more blocks over larger distances, build them more precisely and better each time. They begin to understand concepts like sorting, shapes, sizes etc with blocks and can stay engaged for hours.  With the help of blocks, we can make small forays into science even if we do not label it as such. When you push, they fall is about cause and effect for instance. Spatial relationships also become clearer with the help of blocks.

You can make it even more meaningful and fun. Play with them and join in the stacking and knocking down. Give them enough space, free from other objects for them to explore and build.  While toddlers can play by themselves, at the preschool stage, you must give them more blocks and more space as they often play together and collaborate on building etc. This is a great way to teach cooperation and social interactions. You can even invite other children for ‘block- play date’ and encourage each to bring their blocks sets. The differing shapes and sizes will only make the experience more fun and meaningful.

Blocks have been in existence as toys in their modern avatar for over a hundred years and continue to be relevant even today. Even adults can benefit from block play as is proved by several studies and these days there are several interventions that take place even for adults in their workspaces. These days there are many creative and innovative blocks in the market, including ones that you can write on, can build houses with etc. They can be made from many materials like, cloth, cardboard, wood etc. make sure they are safe and nontoxic and let your child enjoy them. You might want to join in yourself!!

Blocks are fun, safe and lend themselves to creative play. Give your child the block advantage today.  

You may also like: This dad wonders what toys actually teach our kids

 

Don’t forget to follow us on FacebookTwitter, Instagram Pinterest or subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more information.

 

 

Leave a Reply

KSP NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to get the latest news & updates delivered directly to your inbox.

You May Also Like