Grab the box of blocks and challenge your preschooler to do some new block activities. They may even spark their imagination, too.
Why Preschoolers Should Do Block Activities
When you think about block play, your mind probably goes to the engineering practice preschoolers are getting.
This is an important part of block play, but it isn’t the only thing at play here. 😉
Building with blocks requires preschoolers to visualize what they want the end product to look like.
As you can imagine, this is a useful life skill.
Creativity and problem-solving are happening simultaneously.
While building a zoo out of blocks, little ones have to think about how to make enclosures, what animals to put where, and what they want to include.
Motor, spatial, and math skills are also at work when it comes to block activities.
Persistence and having a growth mindset can both be worked on, too.
Inevitably, the tower the preschooler is working on will crumble.
Choosing to continue, to rebuild, and to believe in themselves is a wonderful aspect (side effect?) of building activities.
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
The Best Block Activities for Preschoolers
1. Build a tower and see how tall they can make it
2. Create a bridge or a tunnel using the blocks
Challenge your preschooler to choose a vehicle (or animals) to make a bridge or tunnel for.
Having the items with him as he builds will help him think about how tall or wide the structure needs to be.
3. Build a house or a castle
4. Make a maze and try to navigate through it
A maze can be for your preschooler or a toy!
5. Construct a race track for toy cars
The wonderful thing about this block activity is that your little one gets to think about the texture of the blocks.
A bumpy brick may not be the best choice for a race track.
6. Build a farm with different animals using the blocks
7. Create a cityscape with blocks and roads
If your little one hasn’t been to the city, you may need to show pictures or explain that there are many buildings of various sizes close together.
8. Build a spaceship or a rocket
9. Make a zoo with different animal enclosures
This is the perfect opportunity to grab all the small animals from the bottom of the toy bin. 😉
It will be interesting to see what animals your little one puts together in the same enclosure and what animals are near each other.
10. Create a robot using the blocks
It’s tricky to think about building legs and arms out of blocks. This is one of the block activities that is a bit more advanced.
11. Build a bridge and test its strength by adding weight
Here is another example of one of the advanced block activities.
12. Construct a replica of a famous landmark or monument
Printing out pictures of famous landmarks and monuments is a wonderful way to inspire your little engineer to build.
13. Create a dinosaur park with different species
14. Build a marble run using the blocks
The trick about marble runs is that the sides need to be taller.
You may wish to talk about and discover this with your little one before attempting to build a marble run.
15. Make a puzzle by creating different shapes and fitting them together
Using the blocks to make other shapes or patterns requires little ones to think abstractly.
They may wish to jot down some ideas on paper before starting this block activity.
Once the puzzle is made, you may want to take a picture.
This is like how the front of the puzzle box shows what the completed puzzle will look like.
16. Build a mini golf course with obstacles
17. Create a roller coaster using the blocks and test it with small balls
This is one of the block activities that brings in physics, too.
Figuring out how to get a ball to move is a feat in itself.
What a great way to build a strong brain and problem-solving skills.
18. Build a house for their stuffed animals or dolls
19. Make a sorting game by categorizing blocks based on color, shape, or size
20. Build a musical instrument using the blocks and experiment with different sounds
21. Sort by size or shape
Activities Using Blocks in Preschool
Including block activities in your preschool has many amazing benefits.
Plus, with blocks being open-ended play, the ideas your little one can come up with are endless.
You may even have a chance to sit down and read a book (or drink your coffee while it is still hot). 😉