Playing with blocks offers a world of fun and learning for children. As a classic, open-ended toy, blocks equip kids with foundational skills vital for development and success in life. This comprehensive guide explores the myriad benefits of block play while reviewing the top blocks on the market.
Why Play with Blocks is Essential for Child Development
Blocks tick all the boxes when it comes to ideal toys for play-based learning. Simple yet endlessly captivating, blocks drive key developmental areas while keeping children engaged through pure enjoyment.
As children build, create, knock down, and rebuild structures and designs with blocks, they gain:
- Spatial awareness and geometry skills – Understanding shape, design, patterns, distance, balance
- Creativity and imagination – Coming up with innovative structures and uses for blocks
- Fine motor control – Precision grasping and manipulating blocks develops dexterity
- Problem-solving abilities – Trying new solutions when structures topple over
- Basic principles of physics – Discovering stability, gravity, shape integrity, cause and effect
- Self-confidence – Achieving their own block constructions boosts self-efficacy
- Language and communication growth – Describing what they are building and how blocks work
Unlike screens or high-tech gadgets, blocks set the stage for open-ended play and hands-on learning. Playing freely with blocks builds key cognitive, social-emotional, motor, and concentration skills essential for school readiness and success.
Top Materials for Children’s Building Blocks
Blocks come in a range of shapes, sizes, colors and materials to keep children endlessly occupied. Understanding the pros and cons of different types of blocks helps parents choose the best options for their kids.
Classic Wooden Unit Blocks
Cherished for their timeless appeal, wooden unit blocks marked the beginning of block play in early education. Unit blocks come sized in proportional increments – the small cube is the basic unit size, with rectangles of incrementally double the area.
Benefits
- Natural, unfinished wood is safe for infants and toddlers
- Promote creative, imaginative play
- Materials and precise size gradations foster geometric and spatial learning
- Highly durable
- Simple, versatile, open-ended toy
Considerations
- More expensive than other blocks
- Potential for splinters if improperly sanded (top brands sand corners and edges)
Colorful Plastic Blocks
Plastic construction blocks like LEGO bricks allow kids to snap together detailed creations. Their modularity and bright colors spark the imagination.
Benefits
- Vibrant colors and decorative elements enhance play
- Easy snap-together pieces foster fine motor and shape recognition
- Promote STEM building skills
- Structures won’t tip over like simple wooden blocks
- Endless play combinations and set collections for added play value
Considerations
- More constrained building experience
- Small pieces pose choking hazard for infants/toddlers
Foam Building Blocks
Lightweight foam blocks are easy for little hands to manipulate and transport, making them ideal for tiny tots exploring blocks for the first time.
Benefits
- Soft, rounded edges completely safe for infants and toddlers
- Super lightweight and easy for small children to carry
- Vibrant colors and variety of shapes engage young learners
Considerations
- Not as durable or stable as wooden blocks for taller structures
- Can be hard to assemble cohesive structures before fine motor skills develop
Specialty Blocks
Beyond basic blocks, many specialty block toys allow kids to create amazing moving structures, vehicles, animals and more.
Some top specialty blocks include:
- Magnetic blocks – Colorful plastic shapes with built-in magnets adhere together, facilitating 3D building for preschoolers.
- Gears, wheels and axles – Add movement and cause-and-effect learning.
- PIXO – Buildable rods and connectors enable small hands to make architectural structures.
- Plus-Plus – Tiny plastic pieces click together similar to LEGOs.
- K’Nex – Rods and connectors for advanced building.
- Zoob – Unique connectors form customizable moving creations
Benefits
- Take block play to advanced levels with movement, vehicles, elaborate structures
- Develop spatial reasoning, engineering thinking, motor skills
- Discover physics, movement, gravity firsthand through inventive constructions
Considerations
- More limited play than open-ended basic blocks
- Can get messy with smaller pieces scattered
- Needs supervision for younger kids due to smaller parts and functions
Understanding types of blocks helps tailor your selection to your child’s needs and developmental stage while building key skills through purposeful play.
Top 10 Benefits of Playing with Blocks in Early Childhood
Playing creatively with simple or advanced blocks offers a wealth of developmental benefits that prepare kiddos for success in schooling and life:
1. Spatial Reasoning and Geometry Skills
Stacking, balancing and arranging blocks in three dimensions boosts spatial reasoning, shape and pattern recognition, transformation ability and mapping skills.
2. Math and Science Concepts
Discovering gravity, friction, cause-and-effect, stability vs. collapse provides intuitive math and science learning. Counting, size/shape awareness, symmetry, fractions and more build math understanding.
3. Engineering and Problem Solving Expertise
Trial-and-error to create structures develops critical thinking, planning skills, and an engineering mindset. Figuring out what works to prevent collapse utilizes key executive functioning skills.
4. Develops Imagination and Creativity
Open-ended block play unlocks creativity as kids envision and build new structures limited only by their imagination. Coming up with novel uses for blocks sparks innovation early on.
5. Fosters Language and Social Skills
Describing and discussing block creations with others grows vocabulary, storytelling and social skills essential for early literacy, friendship-building and emotional intelligence.
6. Promotes Concentration and Self-Regulation
Engrossing process of envisioning, planning, building and troubleshooting block structures strengthens focus, attention regulation, planning and memory building blocks for academic success.
7. Cultivates Gross and Fine Motor Dexterity
Physical block play develops gross motor coordination, core strength, bilateral coordination and precision gripping/manipulation advancing self-help and writing readiness.
8. Allows Independent Experimentation & Discovery
Self-directed block play gives children ownership to freely experiment, problem solve, collaborate, and direct their own learning through curiosity and discovery.
9. Boosts Persistence and Self-Esteem
Completing intricate block constructions over time grows kiddos’ confidence in their abilities, pride in achieving goals, and motivation to attempt challenges.
10. Prevents Digital Overstimulation
Self-directed block play counters digital overuse allowing kids to reset while activating minds and bodies in purposeful tactile learning.
Well-rounded blocks offer endless play potential laying the foundation across developmental domains giving children an optimal head start.
Fostering Learning Through Purposeful Block Play
Beyond choosing excellent blocks purposefully maximizing block play reaps amplified developmental dividends. Try these tips:
Ask open-ended questions – “What are you planning to build?”, “How will you prevent your tower from falling?”
Model advanced techniques – Demonstrate balanced structures, patterns, movement integrations.
Suggest challenges – Build x inches tall, combine 5 shapes, or integrate variety of colors.
Display kids’ block creations – Reinforce pride, persistence and creativity by showcasing finished products.
Combine with dramatic play – Enhance social skills by role playing uses for structures – castle, rocket, house.
Take photos over time – Capture progress children make with increasing complexity of block construction.
Explain relevance – Note how block play supports writing, counting, creating and spatial skills used in daily life.
Rotate specialty blocks – Maintain engagement by pulling out different blocks week-to-week or month-to-month.
Following evidence-based tips potentiates the incredible developmental impact block play has on 21st century success factors from an early age.
Top Block Pick Lists by Age
With countless children’s block brands on the market, choosing the right blocks tailor-made for your child’s interests and emerging abilities ensures enjoyable, purposeful play.
Best Blocks for Babies (0-12 months)
Babies have simple but essential developmental needs from blocks centered on safe exploration:
- Bright colors and contrasts
- Varied textures
- Lightweight
- Too large to swallow
- Easy to manipulate
- BPA-free materials
Our Top Pick: Lily Sugar’n Cream Xylo Blocs – 100% cotton fabric blocks with crinkle sound for multi-sensory play. [$24.99 for 14 blocks]
Runners Up:
- Manhattan Toy Skwish Rainbow Rattle Stacking Toy – 100% rubberwood blocks on elastic string. [$14.99]
- Green Toys My First Blocks – Sturdy, oversized plastic blocks. [$8.99 for 10 blocks]
Best Blocks for Toddlers (1-3 years)
As emerging walkers building core strength, one-year olds benefit most from:
- Light, soft, easy grasp blocks of varying sizes and shapes
- Too large to swallow to mitigate choking hazards
- Vibrant colors
- Compatible with duplos and lego bricks for more advanced building as skills develop
Our Top Pick: Hape Quadrilla Wooden Marble Run Building Blocks – Colorful wooden blocks with wheels and pulleys for marble runs [$49.92 for 25 pieces]
Also Consider:
- Magna-Tiles Clear Colors 100 Piece Set – Lightweight plastic magnetic blocks snap together in endless combinations. [$149.99]
- PlayPlax Baby Blocks Set – Extra thick, soft plastic blocks will not break or chip when bitten. [$21.99 for 20 blocks]
Best Blocks for Preschoolers (3-5 years)
As fine motor skills and construction prowess develops, preschoolers thrive with:
- Traditional wooden unit blocks sized for custom building
- Specialty blocks integrating movement – animals, gears, pivots
- Sets to spark pretend play
- Buildable minfigures to enhance storytelling
Our Top Pick: Maple Landmark Wooden Castle Block Set – Open-ended carved maple pieces for castle creations [$90 for 70 pieces]
Additional Picks:
- PicassoTiles 60 Piece 3D Magnetic Building Tiles – Magnetic plastic shapes for advanced building [$39.95]
- People Blocks Main Set – Solid wood hand-painted family and community figurines. [$312 for 153 figures]
Finding block sets tailored for your child’s age nurtures development while keeping young builders engaged in purposeful play.
Fostering STEM and Engineering Skills with Building Toys
Beyond fundamental building blocks, introducing children to specialty engineering construction toys around age 4 helps develop early mechanical proficiency and design thinking skills applicable to STEM careers.
Guiding emerging engineers as they tackle projects with kits teaches real-world tech and problem-solving abilities hands-on.
We recommend checking out building systems like Lego Technics, K’Nex, Roominate, erector sets and marble runs to engage budding inventors and foster spatial skills through 3D construction play.
Investing in a few select high-quality specialty building toys kids can return to for years builds sustained interest in engineering and tech applicable to real-world innovation.
Safely Storing Kids’ Blocks Long-Term
To enable kids to return to block creations while keeping play spaces orderly, properly storing blocks is key.
We recommend:
- Labeled bins or baskets for each block type
- Wall-mounted shelves and containers
- A storage mat or table that opens to reveal blocks then folds away
- Display bookcases with rotate block collections
A few storage tips:
- Group small pieces in separate containers
- Use fabric bins to prevent scratches
- Clean before storing to prevent mold/mildew
- Check pieces for damage before putting away
- Break down structures before storing to prevent stress damage
Proper storage preserves beloved blocks for the long run so generations can discover the joy of building.
Make Block Play a Daily Priority
Amid competing entertainment options, making block play a priority fuels healthy development in critical early learning years.
Blocks might seem simple, but their open-ended versatility helps construct vital cognitive, creative, motor and social-emotional foundations.
Purposefully integrating block play activates young minds while preventing overtechnology use at a pivotal point in brain development.
Giving children the gift of free play through an endless variety of blocks fosters success from an early age – one block at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of playing with blocks?
Playing with blocks boosts development across multiple domains including spatial reasoning, math concepts, creativity, problem-solving skills, language abilities, fine motor dexterity and more. The open-ended play blocks encourage is key for learning through play.
What are the best blocks for different ages?
Babies benefit most from fabric or soft plastic chewable blocks. Toddlers thrive with chunky wooden blocks or foam blocks they can easily manipulate and combine to build towers and structures. Preschoolers are ready for smaller wooden unit blocks sized for balanced creations, and specialty blocks like magnet, wheel and animal blocks to spark pretend play.
How do blocks compare to digital toys for child development?
Unlike screens or tech toys with pre-determined functions, open-ended blocks activate spatial skills, imagination, sensory exploration, problem-solving and social interaction key for flexible thinking and learning. The analog nature of blocks exercises developing brains in more holistic ways that translate to real-world intelligence.
How can I foster STEM skills with building toys?
Introducing engineering construction toys around age 4 like Lego Technic, erector sets, or marble runs builds early design thinking, innovation and understanding of physics hands-on. Guiding project creation teaches real-world engineering abilities applicable to STEM success.
Why properly store blocks?
Sorting blocks into clearly labeled containers keeps all pieces easily accessible for kids to fuel ongoing constructions. Proper storage also prevents loss/damage to beloved blocks so they last through years of use and multiple children.
Are blocks safe? What should I look for?
For infant/toddler safety, blocks should be BPA-free, made of non-toxic finishes, unfinished wood, or fabric. Edges and corners should be rounded or formatted to prevent harm if chewed or falling. Any blocks with magnets, wheels or moving pieces pose some risk and require supervision for younger kids.