Blocks can be used for a wide variety of play and learning.

Did you know?

Playing with blocks helps toddlers develop fine motor and thinking skills.

Add language

Talk about the attributes of the blocks in terms of size, shape and colour.

Use words to describe place concepts e.g. next to, beside, on top, underneath, between etc.

Building sets that include people or characters encourage more talking as the characters interact during play.

Use repetitive rhyme or song to draw attention to building a tower e.g. “Build it up build it up, build it higher, build it up, up, up into the sky”, and then knock it down commenting “Uh oh” “fell down”.

Other development

Sorting blocks by size, shape, or colour and counting blocks in each group builds early math concepts.

Stacking blocks vertically and horizontally helps develop awareness of position in space. Toddlers develop early science concepts as they learn how high you can build before it falls over and how the building stays more stable if you start with a wider base.

Pretending single blocks or block combinations are cars, trains or boats helps develop an understanding that you can use something to represent something else. This is an important skill needed for early literacy.

Variations

Build bridges or arches together and have vehicles, people or animals go over, under or through. Talk about if they will fit the space – is it too small, can we make it bigger?

Across the ages

All the activities listed on our “Play Ideas” page can be applied across different age groups. See how block play can be fun for babies, children and playgroups.

 

Activities listed under “toddler” are suitable for children aged 1-3 years. Toddlers enjoy activities that include exploring their environment and finding out how things work.