Around age 5, block play evolves from "building alone" to "building collaboratively with friends."
Children will increasingly be seen discussing their play, saying things like, "How can we make this sturdier?" "Let's build a town together!" or "Let's try to recreate this shape!"
Furthermore, this period, leading up to school entry, is crucial for fostering thinking skills, communication skills, and cooperation skills through play. Block play not only develops a sense of geometry and spatial awareness but also provides experience in sharing ideas with friends and creating something together.
This time, we will introduce four recommended block play activities for 5-year-olds.
① Let's build a town together!
Educational goals
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Experience the joy of creating a single work in cooperation with friends.
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Gain experience in communicating one's ideas and accepting others' opinions.
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Deepen interest and curiosity in the surrounding town.
Materials
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Blocks (as many as possible)
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Animals, dolls, miniature cars, etc. (if available)
How to play
Working in groups, children discuss and create roads, houses, parks, shops, bridges, etc., with the theme of "a town."
First, they discuss "who will build what," and once completed, they connect the roads to form a single town.
Example phrases to use
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"What kind of town do you want to make?"
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"How should we connect the roads?"
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"Let's incorporate [child's name]'s idea too."
Extended play
Engage in pretend play in the completed town, or expand the play by adding new themes such as "Let's make a road for the fire truck" or "Let's build a station."
Activity points (for caregivers)
More important than the completeness of the work is the process of "discussing," "assigning roles," and "listening to others' opinions."
Related five domains
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Human Relationships: Progressing through play by cooperating with friends.
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Language: Communicating one's thoughts and listening to others.
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Expression: Sharing an image and expressing it as a single work.
Considerations
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Caregivers should intervene as necessary to ensure that one child does not bear too much responsibility.
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When opinions clash, observe and support children in discussing among themselves.
② Let's recreate photos and models!
Educational goals
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Improve observation skills.
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Develop spatial awareness and construction skills.
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Cultivate the ability to think sequentially.
Materials
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Blocks
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Photos or models of block creations
How to play
Children assemble blocks to match the shapes in photos or models.
Encourage them to think, "Where should I start building to make it easier?"
Example phrases to use
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"What does the very bottom look like?"
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"What shape is it from the side?"
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"What should we build first?"
Extended play
If you limit the time to view the model to about 30 seconds and then hide it to challenge reproduction, it can also foster observation and memory skills.
Activity points (for caregivers)
Instead of just aiming for completion, providing time for children to explain "how they thought about the process" can help them organize their thoughts.
Related five domains
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Environment: Showing interest in shapes and spatial relationships, and trial and error.
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Language: Explaining the building process and ideas in words.
Considerations
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Adjust the difficulty level to match the child's development.
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If a child is struggling, reduce the number of blocks or offer hints.
③ Group challenge! Tower Challenge
Educational goals
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Solve problems by cooperating with peers.
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Devise solutions while considering balance and structure.
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Experience the joy of taking on a challenge.
Materials
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50-100 blocks
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Measuring tape (if available)
How to play
Groups aim to build "the tallest tower possible" or "the sturdiest tower."
If it collapses midway, they discuss "how to make it sturdier" and try again.
Example phrases to use
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"Should the base be wider?"
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"Why did it fall?"
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"What new approach will you try next?"
Extended play
Changing the conditions, such as "a tower that doesn't fall even if shaken for 30 seconds," can make it even more exciting.
Activity points (for caregivers)
To deepen learning, create time for everyone to share "what they tried" rather than just focusing on winning or losing.
Related five domains
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Human Relationships: Cooperating with friends by sharing roles.
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Environment: Noticing differences in structure and balance, and engaging in trial and error.
Considerations
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Ensure ample space so that falling blocks do not hit surrounding children.
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Emphasize the spirit of challenge over winning or losing.
④ Challenge the prompt cards!
Educational goals
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Develop the ability to give form to ideas.
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Nurture imagination and creativity.
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Experience the joy of presenting one's work to others.
Materials
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Blocks
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Prompt cards (e.g., rocket, zoo, ship, bridge, cake, castle)
How to play
Children draw one prompt card and use blocks to express the theme within a time limit.
After completion, each child presents their work and talks about "what they focused on."
Example phrases to use
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"What was the most creative part you made?"
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"Why did you choose this shape?"
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"Let's show it to everyone!"
Extended play
It can be even more fun if it's turned into a quiz where friends look at the work and guess "What did they make?"
Activity points (for caregivers)
Focus on offering words of encouragement that acknowledge "how they thought" and "what intentions they had when creating" rather than judging the quality of the work.
Related five domains
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Language: Communicating the work and innovative points to others.
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Expression: Expressing one's own ideas with blocks.
Considerations
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For children who are shy about presenting, the caregiver can create a comfortable atmosphere by asking questions.
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Encourage children to appreciate each other's work.
Summary
Block play for 5-year-olds is an activity that not only encourages thinking about shapes and structures but also fosters important skills that will be useful after school entry, such as "cooperating with friends," "communicating ideas," and "repeatedly trying and refining."
It is crucial for caregivers to not teach "the correct way to build" but to warmly observe children as they discuss, think, and innovate.
There is no single correct answer in block play. That is precisely why it is a play that allows individual ideas and interactions with friends to flourish.
Please incorporate block play into daily childcare and nurture not only children's sense of "I did it!" but also the joy of "I thought about it!" and "I was able to cooperate!"
Series Summary
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Part 1 [Ages 0-2]
Developing the five senses – First encounter with blocks -
Part 2 [Ages 3-4]
Fostering the joy of thinking and problem-solving -
Part 3 [Age 5]
Nurturing skills in cooperation, communication, and creativity
By adapting block play to a child's developmental stage, play can lead to even richer learning experiences.