<strong>How Block Play Promotes Development</strong>

Blocks, especially hardwood unit blocks, are standard equipment in preschool classroom. Wooden blocks naturally appeal to young children because they feel good to the touch, are symmetrical, and invite open-ended explorations. When children construct, create, and represent their experiences with blocks, they grow in each area of development.

<strong>Social/emotional development</strong>

In the Block Area, children negotiate for materials they want to use, determine how many children can work in the area, care for materials, and follow the rules for building safely. They also exchange ideas. Since one child’s idea of how to build a zoo, for instance, may differ from another’s, children expand their knowledge and learn to respect viewpoints different from their own.

<strong>Physical development</strong>

Children’s small muscles develop when they carry and carefully place blocks together to form a bridge or make an intricate design. They gain strength in their large muscles using hollow blocks, and improve eye-hand coordination when they carefully balance blocks so they won’t tumble.

<strong>Cognitive development</strong>

As children experience the world around them, they form mental pictures of what they see. Playing with blocks gives them an opportunity to recreate these pictures in concrete form. The ability to create these representations of their experiences is the basis for abstract thinking. Moreover, block play promotes a concrete understanding of concepts essential to logical thinking. Children learn about sizes, shapes, numbers, order, area, length, patterns, and weight as they select, build with, and put away blocks.

<strong>Language development</strong>

Children are very willing to talk about their constructions when adults ask questions and show genuine interest. They increase their vocabularies when adults give them new words to describe what they are doing, and develop their writing skills by making signs for their buildings.