Block play

three young boys playing next to a stream

Insights from Friedrich Froebel

Posted 04 June 2020 by Caitlin
Young children learn naturally when allowed to explore and discover, manipulate and practice newly acquired skills through play. Play is not trivial, it's children's tool for growth. Read this short piece by Dr Stella Louis and Dr Sacha Powell for some insights from the founder of the first kindergarten, Friedrich Froebel. 
Tagged: Active play Block play Early years Education Imaginative play Nature and discovery Parents and teachers Outdoor play
two children playing with unit blocks

An interview with Daniel Spry

Posted 21 May 2020 by Caitlin
Blocks are one of very few resources that allow children to work in all areas of learning at once. They encourage creativity and allow kids to turn problems over, not only with their minds, but also with their hands.
Some months before the Covid-19 pandemic began, we interviewed Early Years Consultant Daniel Spry, who has delivered block play trainings nationally and internationally for many years. Here's the interview.
 
Tagged: Active play Block play Creative and messy Community Playthings Early years Education Imaginative play Literacy Mathematics Open-ended play Outdoor play Parents and teachers Science Sensory Technology
baby crawling past the mirror in a baby shelf

What are the best toys to offer babies and toddlers?

Posted 14 May 2020 by Caitlin
What are the best kinds of toys to offer very young children? Which ones actually help them learn all the things they need to know? It can be really hard to choose from all the options, but bestselling author and early years specialist, Jennie Lindon, has some great tips to help you as you play and learn with your little ones. Read them here.

 
Tagged: Babies Block play Child behaviour Creative and messy Early years Education Parents and teachers Open-ended play Sensory
little girls playing with blocks

Learning through block play

Posted 18 July 2019 by Caitlin
Everyone knows that playing with blocks is essential to learning (and loads of fun, even for grown-ups). But what exactly do children learn as they line the blocks up, stack them, plan and build and bash them over? Harriet K. Cuffaro has some great insights into the value of block play. Read them.
Tagged: Active play Block play Early years Education Imaginative play Literacy Mathematics Open-ended play Primary Science Technology
boys playing with unit blocks

Block play and maths

Posted 28 March 2019 by Caitlin

"When children play with blocks, they are practising mathematical skills, " write Pamela C. Phelps, Ph.D. and Laura L. Stannard, Ph.D.

 

"Because it involves measuring lengths, widths, and heights (if only by eye), block play develops a child’s ability to mentally visualise relationships. Such manipulations are similar to those used in geometry and algebra during the child’s later school years" Read more.

Tagged: Active play Block play Classroom furniture Early years Education Mathematics Primary

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Training resources

Foundations

Instructive video illustrating the value of block play. Perfect for staff development.…

Play and the EYFS

Free EYFS guide details how children’s play naturally fulfils the revised EYFS and cross-references that play to the statutory guidance.…
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Videos

The adult’s role in block play

More than 100 years ago Carolyn Pratt, inventor of the Unit Block, founded City & Country School in New York City. Still today their curriculum is built around learning with blocks. Here are some time-tested tips for teachers and practitioners.…
Watch online

Case studies

Regular access to block play has helped target areas of communication and language development, mark-making, and freedom to explore – just to name a few.…
See the Liverpool block play case study

Articles

The importance of play for learning

Childhood is a time for, well, childhood! It’s not a preparation for school or adulthood. It’s a time for allowing children to go at their own pace, giving them the time they need to explore, manipulate, discover, and practise newly acquired skills.…

An interview with Dan Spry

A lot of emphasis is put on reading, writing and storytelling and maths, but actually, if you can’t be creative, how can you solve problems? That’s what the blocks help you to do – you turn a problem over, not only in your mind, but you also turn it over in your hands.…