Using 3D shapes to design and build our own walls and towers in Primary one! 🏰✨ We explored each shape’s properties and had fun choosing the ones that made the strongest structures for our creations!
Playing with blocks and building equipment is far more than just fun 🧱it’s a powerful learning opportunity that supports children’s development across many areas:
⭐ Cognitive Development
Problem-solving: Children figure out how to balance, stack, and connect pieces.
Early maths skills: They explore size, shape, weight, height, patterns, symmetry, and counting without even realising it.
Spatial awareness: Understanding how objects fit together helps with later skills in maths, reading, and even sports.
🧠 Creativity & Imagination
Blocks become towers, castles, shops, rockets 🚀 anything a child imagines.
Open-ended materials encourage children to plan, design, adjust, and create freely.
🤝 Social & Emotional Skills
When children build together, they cooperate, negotiate, share, take turns, and manage disagreements.
Completing a structure gives a sense of achievement and confidence.
✋ Fine & Gross Motor Skills
Manipulating small blocks strengthens hand muscles needed for writing.
Larger construction pieces develop core strength, coordination, and balance.
🗣️ Language & Communication
Children naturally talk about what they’re making 🗣 describing, explaining, problem-solving, and using new vocabulary like tall, wide, balance, under, next to.
🔍 Scientific Thinking
Building invites experimentation:
“What happens if I add another block?”
“Why did it fall?”
“How can I make it stronger?”
Children start to test hypotheses just like little scientists.
In short:
Block play strengthens thinking, creativity, communication, coordination, and teamwork 💪all essential life skills. It’s simple, hands-on learning that lays the foundations for later academic success.
#YoungEngineers #IrishEngineering Queen's University Belfast
Menu
