~The "I want to stack!" phase begins~
When they were 0 years old, block play mainly involved "touching and licking."
At 1 year old, they gradually begin to show the behavior of "stacking."
However, it's still not "stacking well" as adults would define it.
At 1 year old,
👉 Trying it → Falling down → Trying again!
This repetition is growth itself.
This time, we'll introduce block play tailored to a 1-year-old's development.
1-Year-Old Developmental Milestones
- Fine motor skills gradually improve
- Begins to express "I want to do this!"
- More imitation (mimicking)
- Can stack 1-3 blocks
In other words, blocks evolve into
👉 a "trial-and-error toy."
Recommended Block Play for 1-Year-Olds
① Stacking (Early to Mid-1 Year Old)
Start simply by "placing" one on top.
- Place one on top of another
- Clap if they succeed!
▶Point
It's okay if it doesn't work out.
It's important to celebrate their "I did it!" moments together.
② Knocking Down (Early to Mid-1 Year Old)
Even if you just stacked them, knocking them down is important.
- Knock them down themselves
- Knock down what an adult stacked
▶Point
This isn't just play,
👉 it's an "experiment to confirm results."
It's an evolution from a 0-year-old's "dropping" activity.
③ Arranging (Early to Late 1 Year Old)
Play that doesn't require stacking.
- Arrange them horizontally
- Make a line
- Align them in the same direction
▶Point
A sense of order (the ability to align things) begins to develop.
④ Putting In/Taking Out (Late 1 Year Old ~)
This play becomes instantly engaging when combined with a container.
- Put into a box
- Take out
- Put in again
▶Point
Fine motor skills + comprehension (concept of putting in/taking out) develop
⑤ Imitation Stacking (Late 1 Year Old ~)
Children begin to imitate adult movements.
- Show them "you place it like this"
- They try to do the same
▶Point
Imitation → the starting line for learning! Children love to imitate!
Important Things in 1-Year-Old Block Play
✔ "Stacking well" isn't the goal yet
1-year-olds are still developing.
👉 It's normal for them to fall down.
In fact, this repetition leads to
a sense of balance and thinking skills.
✔ Don't stop their "I want to" moments
- They want to knock things down
- They repeat things many times
From an adult's perspective, it might seem like "they're doing the same thing over and over," but for a child, each time is a new discovery.
✔ Offer a little help
Instead of doing everything for them,
- Place only the first block
- Then leave the rest to them
👉 The trick is to create a "looks like I can do it" line. I actually heard this from teachers in childcare settings! They observe each child's development and determine the right level of assistance. Nursery teachers are amazing.
Summary
Block play for 1-year-olds is:
👉 A repetition of stacking, knocking down, and experimenting.
👉 It's important to increase their "I did it!" experiences.
This period of trial and error leads to
the ability to "think and create" as they get older than 2.
Next Preview
Next time: [2-Year-Old Edition]!
- Will they be able to stack higher?
- Will they start recognizing shapes?
We will explain "the period when play really starts to look like a 'creation'."
▼ You can also view the 0-year-old edition from the link below!
There are individual differences in development, so please don't worry too much if your child isn't able to play in the ways introduced this time; just watch over them. The most important thing is for moms and dads to have fun playing together!