All About Blocks

How are blocks an educational toy?

Here are a few of the benefits of playing with building blocks for children. You will never again wonder why building blocks are considered educational toys.

1. Math and science skills are involved including size relationships, shapes, counting, height, width, area, fractions, and classification.

2. Spatial relationships are used and defined in concrete terms....ie.the train is inside the tunnel or over the bridge. Your child will use concrete examples of open, closed, over, under, atop, inside, outside and so on.

3. Language and pre-reading skills are developed and strengthened through block play. In order to read your child must associate a word (symbol) for an object. This will be regularly done by your child in block play. For example, your child might use his blocks to build a symbolic house, castle, or farm. A young child is only fascinated by building up and knocking down block structures. As your child gets older and develops these pre-reading skills, he will begin using blocks creatively to represent structures.

4. Another important pre-reading skill is visual discrimination. With block building, as with reading, your child must be able to distinguish between similar but different shapes. Your child will use and develop this skill when selecting particular size and shape blocks to build a structure that will stand. Also, your child can demonstrate comprehension of his favorite story through block play and dramatization.

5. Block play also develops social skills. Through block play with other children your child will learn about sharing, playing with others, compromise, cooperation, teamwork and leadership. Block play is also one of the few activities where children of differing skill levels can work together.

6. Block play helps develop small motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination. These skills are practiced each time a block must be placed in an exact position.

Don't think we don't know that block play is a favorite among parents as well! Go ahead Mom and Dad, but remember to share! Happy Building!

What types of blocks do you carry... and what's the difference?

Unit Blocks - These blocks are intended for floor use. They are large and require open floor space to play with them effectively. This set can be added to with arches, tunnels, flat boards, and cylinders to create an enormous variety of large structures. Since these blocks are large and heavy it helps to develop gross motor skills in children. Children also get a kick out of building "life size" structures!

Architectural Building Blocks - This series takes block play to a new level. They are part of a system that incorporates block shapes with the styles and design characteristics from several distinct cultural and historical periods: European, Middle Eastern, Classical and Far Eastern. The International Building Blocks can be used by themselves or with other International Building Block Sets to create structures that are historically correct, or that pioneer new architectural styles. They are much smaller than Unit Blocks and are sized to be played with on a table top. These blocks are not safe for children under 3 years of age.

Pattern Blocks - These flat blocks come in different shapes such as triangles, diamonds, or squares. They are usually brightly colored and are most often used to create beautiful geometric patterns and designs. They can be used with or without the pattern cards that often come with these sets. Matching games and exercises with these blocks help develop and practice visual discrimination.

Alphabet Blocks - This classic wooden toy has a different letter of the alphabet on each side. Great fun for building and learning the letters of the alphabet.

Cardboard Blocks - These large blocks are made of cardboard so they're easy to move around and build large structures. They even look like bricks!

Magnetic Soft Blocks - These blocks are thin like pattern blocks but because they are magnetic you can build "up!"

Soft Blocks - For the smallest children, soft blocks are a great toy to introduce building. Because the blocks are soft, baby can easily grasp them.

Wooden Blocks - This is the most popular form of building blocks and includes unit blocks, pattern blocks, architectural blocks, and alphabet blocks.