A block shelf in a preschool classroom will be one of the more popular go to places for most toddlers. Blocks provide an outlet for creativity and imagination that children are able to access on their own as individuals, with a partner as a team or with multiple peers as a group. Whether or not, preschoolers have played with blocks before, they will immediately enjoy piling, stacking, and building blocks of different shapes, sizes, materials, and colors. After much time of block exploration, toddlers will begin to design structures and experiment with balance, patterns and symmetry. Supporting and encouraging block play will benefit individual growth and peer communications, as well as, other physical and cognitive skills.
What to Put on the Block Shelf
When supplying the block shelf (or shelves) for preschooler education, start with the basics. Wooden blocks of all shapes and sizes (round, square, big, small), along with different colors, including natural wood, will grab the attention of early learners. Foam or cardboard blocks and tubes are lighter to handle for easy stacking and may be more appealing than their wooden counterparts to some. Counting, measuring and sorting are several fundamental activities that can be enjoyed while constructing with simple block sets.
Adding to the basic block inventory to create more play options would be welcomed and appreciated by many early learners. To enhance the block activity experience, there are several types of materials that can be taken apart and put back together for more fun. Such items include interlinking blocks and boards, snap together cars or trucks, interlocking train tracks, and plastic connector pipes. With linking pieces, children can construct and design paths, tunnels, and mazes for themselves or their miniature toys. Ramps, boards, wheels, ropes and pulleys are some other block extras and attachments that should be available to further support creative works through the use of blocks.
Pretend play and sensory play materials are also great additions to a preschool block shelf area. To encourage imaginative exploration, items and toys including dump trucks and other construction vehicles are creative options for toddlers. Filling them with the blocks and dumping them at the construction site make way for innovative building ideas. Incorporate wooden or plastic people and animals to enjoy the newly built structures and facilitate innovative development. Add sensory items such as stones, marbles, or play-dough to enhance and provide countless options for additional block play.
Now that the block shelf area is ready and stocked with materials and supplies, offer several resources that can inspire design and get imagination flowing. Hang pictures or provide books with building structure ideas such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Great Wall of China, or the Empire State Building. Toddlers will want to try to recreate these images incorporating their own style into the project. Offer an array of block games to play in solitary or group, like shape matching or color sorting. Have reference materials available that relate to buildings, transportation, and community developments for more inspiration. Finally, proudly display photos of preschoolers and the artistic pieces they have created all around the classroom.