Preschool Block Play: Math, Drama, And More

Why is block play important for preschoolers? Your child talks endlessly about block play time in their preschool classroom. Even though you know your child enjoys this activity, you want to learn more about the benefits blocks bring to preschoolers. Take a look at what parents need to know about the early learning environment, blocks, and child development.

Block Play Is A Math Activity

Even though your child isn't sitting down and calculating sums, writing numbers, or puzzling out equations, block play is an early math activity that can work as part of the preschool program STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) curriculum. There are several ways that young children can use block play to build math skills. These include:

• Spatial awareness. As your child builds with blocks they will need to organize and understand the space around them. This can help them to develop spatial awareness or recognition skills that they will use in geometry and other math areas.

• Math manipulatives. Math manipulatives provide preschoolers with a hands-on way to explore core concepts. Your child can count the blocks as they build, use them to categorize/sort, explore geometry, and measure other objects with the blocks.

• Engineering and architecture. These two connected subjects rely heavily on math. When young children build block structures, they are also building a foundation for the math component of engineering skill development.

Not only can your child use blocks as a concrete learning tool but they can also build abstract problem-solving and critical thinking skills with this type of play. 

Block Play Is A Drama Activity

Pretend play doesn't only happen in the dress-up area. Your child doesn't always need costumes and props to use their imagination, develop creativity, and engage in a dramatic arts activity. While stacking and other similar types of block play can help preschoolers to develop math and fine motor skills, block area activities can also encourage your child to:

• Create imaginary worlds. Whether they're building a big city skyscraper, a castle, a farm, or anything else, your child can use blocks to create their own fantasy or imaginary world.

• Act out stories. Children can use blocks as props or to make their own scenery as they act out their favorite story-time books and narratives.

• Express themselves. Drama is a creative activity that encourages self-expression. Through block play, children can explore and express powerful emotions and act out their feelings in positive ways.

Drama activities are not always solo ventures. This means your child will get the chance to build valuable social skills as they use block play to act and create their own dramatic scenes. 

Contact a local preschool program today to learn more.