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PROGRAM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT * 2 HOURS * LEVEL 2

Block Play for Infants and Toddlers

Block Play Activities that Support STEM

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Page 11

Blocks are commonly found in early childhood programs worldwide because of their popularity, open-endedness, educational value, and enjoyable nature. Having blocks available for infants and toddlers is important and fairly common, but there are ways to build upon the basic block building area of a classroom to encourage children’s STEM exploration and development.

Some ideas are:

​Use non-traditional blocks 

Have a mixture of wooden, foam, cardboard, stuffed fabric blocks, and plastic blocks. Make blocks from recycled materials such as clean empty bottles, CDs, plastic cups, plastic plates, etc. Try including window blocks or colored blocks to your usual assortment.
Picture

Cover your blocks 

For toddler classrooms you might try covering the blocks in tinfoil or wrapping paper. This gives the blocks a fresh look that can enhance children’s creativity and exploration of the materials.

Picture

Give infants block time 

​Investigating blocks by touching, looking, and playing with blocks are simple ways for infants to have block play experiences. They may not stack blocks for quite some time but they are still experiencing them.

Provide materials to build on 

​Provide a break-proof mirror for children to build on to see reflections of the blocks as an exercise in symmetry. Attach a panel of sticky contact paper to a wall for children to attach lightweight blocks as they build. Provide a rug that has a road and other city features. Take the blocks to the light table.

Picture blocks 

Consider picture blocks as parts of puzzles or stand-alone building materials.

Extend the play 

Provide small figures of people and animals to assist with block play. Toy vehicles and other accessories can also extend block play.

​Persistence 

I can’t balance this block on the tower, maybe this one will do better. No, it didn’t work, so I’ll try this one.

Complete block play 

Picture
​Complete the block play area by introducing other common materials to be included with blocks. Play dough, paper and crayons, stuffed toys and more. Children can use blocks to create parking spaces for ride-on toys or cages for animals.
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  • Child Care Training
    • A-B >
      • 123 Dance with Me
      • A Directors Guide
      • A Teachers Guide to Pinterest
      • A Vaccination Conversation
      • All Aboard: Creating an Inclusive Classroom
      • Art and Sensory Experiences for Infants and Toddlers
      • Art Integration
      • Back to School Transition Tools
      • Basic Sign Language in the Classroom
      • Basic Signs for Babies and Toddlers
      • Beyond the Classroom: Engaging Families
      • Block Play for Infants and Toddlers
      • Bright Minds ​STEM Play for ​Infants and Toddlers
      • Building Community Through Circle Time
    • C-D >
      • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom in the Classroom
      • Child Abuse and Mandated Reporting in Washington
      • Children and Nature
      • Classifying and Sorting
      • Cooking Up Fun
      • Developing Minds and Bodies Tummy Time for Infants
      • Dream Team Successful Teambuilding
    • E-I >
      • Easing Separation Anxiety
      • Executive Function
      • Exploring the Magic of Harry Potter
      • Fantastic Mr. Dahl
      • Guide to Goosebumps
      • Infant and Toddler Temperament
      • Introduction to Planning Activities
    • K-M >
      • Keeping Children Safe and Healthy
      • Managing Your Time
      • Math Exploration
      • Mildred D. Taylor and Cultural Awareness​
      • Mindful Leadership
      • ​Motivating Morale Keeping Staff Around
      • Music and Movement for Infants and Toddlers
      • My Brain Craves Action
    • N-P >
      • Nap Time
      • Operation Military Families
      • Ouch Infant and Toddler Biting
      • Picture This
      • Positive Strategies for Classroom Management
    • R-U >
      • Reinforcement and Redirection
      • Simple Science
      • Spanish in the Early Childhood Classroom
      • Speech and Language Milestones
      • Supporting Families with Special Needs
      • Supporting Self-Esteem
      • Teaching with Tolkien
      • The Child's Developing Brain
      • The Infant and Toddler Classroom
      • The Infant and Toddler Teachers Role
      • The Wonderful Author of Oz
      • Theories of Child Development
      • Understanding Autism
    • V-Z >
      • Where the Wild Things Are
      • Worldwide Art
      • Yoga with Children
  • Need Help
    • About Us
    • Certificates
    • Lesson Plans for Young Learners
    • Terms of Use