Playing at a childcare center is an essential part of your preschooler’s physical, emotional, and intellectual development. Sports, computer games, and pretend play are all fun and educational for your child, but building with wood or plastic blocks is also a great way for your child to learn and develop. Here are a few surprising ways building blocks helps to teach your kids.
Problem Solving
Using blocks to create sculptures, people, places, animals, and other objects require a bit of trial and error. As your child is designing and building, they may need to add or remove blocks in different ways. This process of trial and error is an imperative part of your child learning problem-solving skills.
Self-Expression
Your child will use building blocks to create unique structures and artwork. Each child is different, so your child may express themselves differently by using their own unique creativity to build something that is not similar to others.
Children who are creative are not only able to express themselves easier but they are also able to think outside the box when solving problems and creating art.
Math Skills
Building with blocks will also teach and improve your child’s math skills. Constructing things out of building blocks will help your child comprehend measurements, comparisons, counting, symmetry, and balance. Children who learn and understand these simple math skills early in life will have an easier time grasping math and other school subjects in the future.
Science Skills
The trial and error that is involved with block play will also teach your child the experimentation process. Your child will make a plan to complete a design with the blocks. If this design does not work, they will need to reevaluate to come up with a different plan.
Self-Esteem
If your child is able to finish a project or design with their blocks, they will see a large increase in their self-esteem. Not only will your child feel proud of their accomplishments, but this boost in their confidence will increase their desire to try and succeed at more designs using the building blocks.
Teamwork
In most cases, your child will build with other classmates at the childcare center. Working with other classmates will teach your child the importance of teamwork. In addition, working as a team educates children on patience, caring, and sharing.
