20+ Block Play Learning Outcomes for Children

Inside: 20+ block play learning outcomes for young children.

A set of colourful wooden blocks, with pieces small enough to be held in her chubby little hands, was the first real non-infant toy I bought for Immy when she was about six months old. She used to love sitting with us and knocking down the little block towers that we would build and before too long she was having a go at stacking them too! Blocks and construction toys are wonderful for children of all ages, as there is so much potential for learning to be found in even the simplest set.

Why are blocks so awesome? Because they are hands-on, they can be used in so many ways, they spark imagination and they promote the development of a whole host of different skills, everything from thinking and reasoning skills such as problem solving skills to those important to emotional learning, such as task perseverance, and block play requires concentration, which is so essential to later, formal learning. In fact I counted over 20 ways that children learn through block play (and I am sure that I missed some!)

20+ Block Play Learning Outcomes for Children

We recently received a new-to-market block play set to try – these wooden Sumblox.

And they are fabulous! Sumblox takes everything that is already awesome about building and constructing and adds even more mathematical learning. The chunky, wooden pieces are shaped like the numerals 1 to 10 and they have been cleverly designed so that blocks that are stacked equal the same value when added together.

From preschoolers learning to identify and name each number, to first grade base ten learning, early addition and subtraction, and even on to multiplication and learning about fractions, Sumblox makes the often abstract elements of mathematical learning and makes them tactile, concrete and hands-on.

With Sumblox children can be challenged to build a tower for a given number value, or to find all of the possible combinations for a value, or they can simply have fun exploring the properties of this unique building resource.

Don’t get me wrong, Sumblox are an investment but with so much potential for learning, and the abstract nature of mathematics making it an area so many children struggle with, I don’t hesitate to recommend them as a fabulous resource for families and schools.