An Ode to Blocks: 10 Ways They Help Your Child’s Development
We have one full month of Pippin Toy Co. under our belt, and we are so grateful for how well you have received our sweet little toy store. Thank you, thank you, thank you! We are working hard on grand opening events and events in general so stay tuned. Until then, I wanted to talk to you about blocks. Chunks of wood that delight children (and grownups) for hours on end. They might just be the simplest toy on earth, but their impact is tremendous. Blocks pack a lot of learning into something so rudimentary.
When my kids were little, they loved playing with blocks. They would play together – or alone depending on the age – for hours creating the most amazing structures and designs. We had a set of blocks in all the places we inhabited: at home, at school, at Grandma’s house, at the store. The joy my kids found in them was priceless and the confidence blocks helped them build was worth its weight in gold.
At Pippin Toy Co. we have several incredible block sets, but my favorites are Abel and Just Blocks. Both are sustainably made from Beechwood without any harmful paints or stains allowing for the natural beauty of the wood to shine through. What I love about Abel blocks are the shape. The almost crescent shape not only adds an unexpected layer of engineering, but it also adds to endless creative possibilities. Your child can use them in conjunction with our Grapat loose pieces to foster their artistic expressions by making Mandalas. As for Just Blocks, these aren’t your basic block set. Some of the blocks have grooves in them that fit with their flat pieces giving kids the opportunity to add a peaked roof, or walls that won’t fall. It’s an engineering marvel. I wish I had these for my kids when they were little. Just imagine what they could have learned from them.
Blocks are simply amazing for many reasons.
Here are 10 Ways They Can Boost Your Child’s Development:
Imagination: If you can think it, you can build it with blocks. Is it a fort to keep out the marauding enemy, or a castle fit for a queen, or perhaps an international space station on Mars? It can be anything and it can look any way. Blocks allow kids to flex their imagination muscle unlike a game, puzzle, or iPad would.
Problem solving: Once you’ve thought of it, you then have to figure out how to build it. Not just what should it look like, but also, how do I make it look that way? What piece do I need to make my castle’s moat or the launch pad for my Mars rocket? How do they go together and stay up?
Self-expression: Blocks allow kids to tell a story of their creation. Using language skills they express what they are building, feeling, experiencing as their creation comes to life. It’s like no one else’s idea and they love to tell you all about it!
Mathematics: When your child is building with blocks they are using some of the most basic math skills. Things like estimation, length, width, numbers, and symmetry. We classify blocks as STEM at Pippin Toy Co.
Spatial relations and permanence: Children learn spatial concepts like on, next to, under, and in front of with blocks. A block structure can be made then torn down immediately and remade into something new (which is what my son was notorious at doing) or it can stay as long as your child likes. It remains even if they can’t see it or touch it.
Creativity: Blocks can be moved freely and combined – and recombined – in countless ways allowing for endless possibilities. They can be used to create structures but also 2 dimensional works of art that is abstract or otherwise.
Science: Talk about the scientific method at work. It’s the ultimate opportunity to say, “what if…?” and then try it. Possibly fail. Then try again with a new “what if?”
Self-esteem: The confidence that blocks build is amazing. I can remember how proud my kids were of their creations. They overcame obstacles, they came up with an idea that was uniquely their own, and they persevered. All of which build confidence.
Social and emotional growth: Along with building self-esteem, blocks allow children to share, to cooperate, take turns, build friendships, and become self-reliant.
Motor skills: Blocks use fine and gross motor skills. Eye-hand coordination is important. For instance, picking out a very specific block in a pile of them and then placing it on the top without destroying the whole structure requires coordination and motor skills.
Visit Pippin Toy Co. at 1310 King Street or call us at 571.800.6132.
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