Block Play

Paint the Blocks:  Wash Them Clean

Objective:  Children will practice fine-motor and problem-solving skills

Group size:  3-4 children

Materials:  Tempera paints; brushes; old wooden blocks; dishpan with warm, sudsy water; towels and smocks.

Outdoors the children choose the size/type of brush and paint color to use.  They paint blocks, describing to classmates and/or adult what they are doing.  The adult models complete sentences and vocabulary about colors, textures, size, etc.  When painted, the adult takes a photo of the child with the block (to be used later in a class book).  Children use a dishpan with sudsy water to clean their blocks.  They compare the “cleaned” block with one that was never painted (before/after).  The adult helps children use language to solve painting/cleaning problems and observes children using brushes and cleaning materials, noting any fine-motor difficulties to the teacher. 

 

Feely Bag Blocks

Objective:  Children will use sense of touch and visual discrimination to match shapes.

Group size:  2-3 children

Materials:  Material bag large enough to hold 2 simple shapes.

Place 2 different block shapes inside the bag.  Hold up a block and the child reaches in the bag to find which shape matches the one the adult is holding.  Looking at the shape, they describe it.  Variation: one student describes the shape and the other feels for it in the bag.

 

You Add One and I’ll Add One

Objective:  Children will gain practice in using words that describe location and special relationship as they tell you where to place the blocks.

Group size:  1 child at a time

Materials:  Wooden unit blocks, foam or Styrofoam blocks.

Teacher joins the child on the floor or at a table (good for children in wheelchairs).  “You pick a block first and put it on the floor.  Then use simple vocabulary to tell him where to place a block (behind, on top of, next to, etc) as the child builds a structure. 

 

Mazes and Balls

Objective:  Children will use fine-and gross motor skills as they plan, construct and play with a large maze.

Group size:  4-5 children

Materials:  Unit blocks or large table blocks, small balls or chalk

Show pictures of a maze, talk about it, and compare it to a puzzle.  Build the maze and discuss how to build is so that the ball won’t roll out of it.  Using straws, take turns blowing a ball through the maze on the floor or a table (suitable for children in wheelchairs).

 

Block Party

Materials:   Accumulate lots of good junk (boxes, cans, paper rolls, strawberry baskets, sponges, milk cartons, spools, fabrics, and things from nature).

Children cooperatively create a diorama using “found” materials.  Use tubes for castle tunnels, baskets for zoo animals, boxes or spools for vehicles, clothespins for people, discuss the world they have made.

 

Feely Bag Blocks

Objective:  Children will use sense of touch and visual discrimination to match shapes.

Group size:  2-3 children

Materials:  Material bag large enough to hold 2 simple shapes.

Place 2 different block shapes inside the bag.  Hold up a block and the child reaches in the bag to find which shape matches the one the adult is holding.  Looking at the shape, they describe it.  Variation: one student describes the shape and the other feels for it in the bag.

 

Mazes and Balls

Objective:  Children will use fine-and gross motor skills as they plan, construct and play with a large maze.

Group size:  4-5 children

Materials:  Unit blocks or large table blocks, small balls or chalk

Show pictures of a maze, talk about it, and compare it to a puzzle.  Build the maze and discuss how to build is so that the ball won’t roll out of it.  Using straws, take turns blowing a ball through the maze on the floor or a table (suitable for children in wheelchairs).

 

Build with a Barrier

Materials: 2 sets of blocks (5-8) in each set (different sizes and colors). Each set must be exactly the same. One cardboard or paper to be used as a barrier.

Activity:   Give two children each a set of blocks.  Put a barrier in between the two children and their blocks.  Have one child make a building of his/her choice.  Then, using words only (size, color, shape) have that child describe to the other child how to make the same building.  The second child must then use his/her listening skills only and construct the same building as the first child. 

The children learn the importance of communicating and following directions to complete the task.

 

Block Party

Materials:   Accumulate lots of good junk (boxes, cans, paper rolls, strawberry baskets, sponges, milk cartons, spools, fabrics, and things from nature).

Children cooperatively create a diorama using “found” materials.  Use tubes for castle tunnels, baskets for zoo animals, boxes or spools for vehicles, clothespins for people, discuss the world they have made.

On a Roll

Objective: Children will measure the distance a toy car travels when a block ramp of different incline angles is used. 

Group size: 4-5 children

Materials: Unit blocks, clipboard, measuring tools, string, pencil & paper, scissors, poster paper

Children who have been building ramps are given tools to measure how far a toy car will travel off the ramp.  The teacher varies the inclines and encourages student reasoning about why the car goes further or shorter.  They predict distances & represent their conclusions on chart paper.  This activity also aligns with science standards about variables.

 

Build with a Barrier

Materials:  2 sets of blocks (5-8) in each set (different sizes and colors). Each set must be exactly the same. One cardboard or paper to be used as a barrier

Activity:  Give two children each a set of blocks.  Put a barrier in between the two children and their blocks.  Have one child make a building of his/her choice.  Then, using words only (size, color, shape) have that child describe to the other child how to make the same building.  The second child must then use his/her listening skills only and construct the same building as the first child. 

The children learn the importance of communicating and following directions to complete the task.

 

Build a Zoo

Children are given a choice of many animal pictures.  They each draw one and take turns “finding” their animal on the class computer and/or library books..  They each build a zoo enclosure that is appropriate for their animal (needing a pool, trees, rocks, etc).  They label their animal’s enclosure and write a paragraph about their animal.  A photo is taken for each animal and a class book is made.

Children are more likely to help with clean-up if they have had sufficient time to play with the blocks.  The Block Book recommends about an hour for building and clean-up (pp. 126-128).  Here are tips for clean-up time.

Teachers may evaluate children’s block building process as opposed to product.  They may also use the Stages of Block Development as a rubric, keeping drawings or photos of children’s constructions with dates.  By using some of the Play Time/Work Time for observations of children’s learning, the teacher can observe children’s efforts and listen to children’s discussions.  You will find many instances of children meeting various standards.  Class meetings or whole group time may enable a teacher to emphasize a particular standard through discussion of children’s Block Play.