Building Blocks are a staple of every child's toy chest or play room. I don't think I've ever seen a child's room that didn't have at least one set of blocks.
BLOCKS. They seem so simple. Just wooden shapes. But, actually, those simple blocks are just priceless when you consider how valuable block play is to developing so many skills!
1. Physically:
Your child will use large motor and small motor skills when playing with wood blocks. Large unit blocks have some weight to them and your child can even build strength by lifting them, carrying them, and stacking with them. Small motor skills are used when placing and balancing blocks atop each other.
2. Math:
Unit blocks are a standard size and each piece in a set is made to scale to the other pieces of the set. Therefore, a half unit block is half the size of the unit block. You need two half unit blocks to equal the size of one unit block. Your child is learning about basic math concepts!
Don't forget that block play is about shapes too! Which is the rectangle? square? triangle? How many sides do they have? Your child is learning about different shapes.
Also, counting is a natural activity with blocks. How many blocks high is this? Can we make a tower with 10 blocks? Let's count them out and see.
3. Science:
Why do blocks down? Gravity, of course. Young children especially love to just knock over towers of blocks. They can barely wait to just knock them down. Gravity is fascinating to them and the loud sound of wooden blocks falling is fun too!
4. Vocabulary:
Block play is a great opportunity to introduce new words. Are you building a castle? fortress? tower? house? You might also encourage your child to tell you what they're building and what's happening in the block world they're creating. Add some wooden play figures to a block set for additional play value. People and animal figures are especially good for encouraging storytelling. Try saying "Tell me about what you made."
Wooden blocks are maybe the best toy to demonstrate prepositions (in, out, on, over, through, under etc), which are often difficult for children to understand. What is "on" the blue block? What is "under" that? What are you putting "through" that tunnel you made?
5. Creativity & Imagination:
Your child is learning to think in concepts. This is a huge step forward in his thinking process. The wooden block is not just a shape anymore. Now it's a brick in a castle or part of a spaceship! Your child's creativity is on display every time he plays with blocks. He is only limited by his own imagination.
6. Problem Solving:
It's marvelous how much problem solving is involved in block play. Which tower can we stack taller...the one with the smallest block on the bottom? Or the one with the largest block on the bottom? How can this piece be balanced on that one? Why won't that block stay? Why is the 
tower leaning over? Can that be fixed? It's truly endless and you'll be able to see your child's problem solving skills develop as they play with building blocks over time.
7. Social & Emotional:
When multiple children are playing with blocks there are many things to be negotiated. Who is going to get the red blocks? Who gets the big blocks? Who gets the people? When playing with other children your child has to learn how to work with others. Try having the children work toward one goal. They can try to build 1 tower using all the blocks by working together.
Your child learns about his social world by acting out life with people figures. He might imitate what he's seen adults do, heard about in a book, or on television. This kind of pretend play is a safe way for your child to explore emotions like anger and fear by acting it out in a make believe world.
8. Sorting & Matching:
Your child is learning how to "group" similar things together based on traits. Using building blocks to do this is easy. You can sort by shape, size, or color! Your child will use this skill all his life.
Larger unit block sets can lend themselves to matching as well. Which other block is the same as this small triangle? The concept of one thing going with, or belonging with another is one that he'll always use.
Did I miss any? Tell me!
I stand by a previous blog post: ...Why Building Blocks are the Greatest Toy of All Time!
If you're looking for wooden toddler toys, look no further than GummyLump.com. Your little one isn't a baby anymore, but he's not old enough for many toys. It seems that when your child is a toddler, many toys are just too sophisticated for him or contain small parts! We're here to let you know that there are many wooden toddler toys that are age appropriate and SAFE for your toddler, like this Bamboo Racer (left).
Recently we added a special section to our wooden toys category just for toddler toys so that parents can easily find these.
The following is a sampling of our very favorite wooden toddler toys. Have it already or want it? Please leave a comment? We love to hear from you :)
Chomp and Clack Alligator Push Toy
Sturdy wooden push toy features a cute chorus of three clacking gators that keep chomping with every step! Children who are just walking will enjoy practicing their new skill and showing off by mastering this toy!
Pyramid of Play
Educo's Pyramid of Play is a multi-functional educational toy. Five wood nesting blocks with fun graphics and colors. Each block helps with recognition of letters, pictures, colors, numbers and sizes. Shapes fit in their corresponding block with a color outline to ease matching. Colored with non-toxic paints and assembled with non-formaldehyde glue. Sure to keep your toddler busy and intrigued! Will help your toddler develop fine motor skills, matching skills, sorting skills, reasoning skills and problem solving skills.
Magnetic Kitchen Bottle Collection
This smoothly-shaped; solid-wood kitchen bottle set has removable; color-coordinated magnetic caps. Your toddler is just learning his colors and this color matching game is sure to excite him! Additionally, the caps are large enough that his little fingers can get the caps on the color-coordinating bottles.
Beginner Pattern Blocks
You asked for a set of pattern blocks for younger children and Melissa & Doug delivered! This set features 10 brightly-painted wooden patterns and 30 colorful shape pieces to replicate the fun pictures. Great for early development of colors; shapes and matching skills. A tremendous value and a great learning set! Contains one each: fish; dog; butterfly; flowers; bird; and fire engine. Your toddler will enjoy holding the large pattern block pieces and matching them to large, familiar images.
Alphabet Magnetic Puzzle Book
This newly redesigned; magnetic book with 52 removable pieces is bound to amuse and amaze! Familiar, bright images make this an engaging and fun toy for toddlers. They will love that each piece is like a 1-piece puzzle that stays put because it's magnetic! Great fun for practicing the alphabet, letter recognition, fine motor skills, and learning new words!
Frolicking Frog Wooden Pull Toy
You never knew frogs could be walked? This happy; hopping; friendly frog has hinged hind legs that spring this vibrant wooden pull toy to life! This carefully crafted toddler toy is built to last and is sure to please. New walkers will go crazy over this fun frog as they make several successful steps in a row! In fact, this toy can be used for pre-walkers as well!
With the Toy Upright Piano from Melissa & Doug; kids will be playing more than Chopsticks; that's for sure! This colorful; wooden toy piano from Melissa & Doug is a mini-replica of the real thing; featuring two full octaves of ivory and black keys. So whether kids enjoy practicing their scales or creating their own creative masterpieces; they will love the freedom of playing on the Toy Upright Piano from Melissa & Doug! Piano stands 13 tall and includes an illustrated songbook and color-coded key chart. Playing helps develop small motor skills, basic music skills, and creativity. A fabulous toddler toy!
Fit Together Toddler Blocks
Haba's version of Lego like construction blocks. Is your baby just starting to stack and getting frustrated with the carefully built tower falling over all the time? Remove the frustration out of playtime with these baby safe; colorful hardwood blocks by Haba. Round pegs allow the blocks to fit into each other. The blocks are perfectly sized for baby and toddler hands. 27 pieces
Check out our wooden blocks and wooden puzzles too! There are many age appropriate blocks and puzzles for toddlers too!
