Blocks are some of the most useful and open-ended toys and appeal to all ages of children. Block building fosters creative expression, language development, problem solving, and various types of learning such as measurement, gravity, and balance. Children go through several predictable stages in playing with blocks:
1. Carrying blocks
2. Piling blocks and laying them on the floor
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3. Using blocks to represent structures such as bridges, enclosures
4. Making complex structures
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Block building can be enhanced by adding materials like pieces of carpeting, yarn, small stones, sticks, and small animals, people and vehicles.
You may help your child learn to classify (a mathematics skill) blocks by shape, color or size. Sometimes a story develops as your child talks with you about her building. You can enhance the play by asking open-ended questions such as “What might happen if you add this block?” “Or what do you need next?”
Not any one type of block is better than any other. I still favor wooden blocks, but there are a myriad of plastic blocks available. Of course, for toddlers a safety choking hazard should be considered.