We want to provide more block play for our two-year-olds. What sort of blocks should we provide and how should it be planned and organised?
Blocks and block play are very important for children's learning and development. Because there is no right or wrong way to play with them, they are the perfect open-ended resource and they are so versatile that they support learning across all areas of the curriculum.
Early years specialists have been studying children's block play for many years and have observed that although children have very individual styles in their block play, there are still some developmental stages that they seem to move through. Very young children are interested in blocks as something to hold and carry, to drop and manipulate and to put in and take out of containers. This is all-important developmentally for the block play that is to come later. It is rather like the babbling that comes at the beginning of speech and the scribbling that is essential before drawing can develop.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
