Construction Zone Ahead! The Building Blocks of Early years

Construction zones/based activities are a multi-layered learning experience that introduces key concepts through hands-on experience that is only limited by a child’s imagination. Furthermore, construction in the Early Years is a staple in nurseries all around the world and an important and often favored activity to enhance a child’s development.

The Building Blocks of Early Years

Construction play offers a wide range of experiences while developing fine and large muscle control and motor skills. It becomes a pathway to the discovery of maths, technology and engineering, design and even architecture. Block play is a symbolic representation, and children will often replicate areas within their community or in their life outside of the nursery. This can allow further conversations to be had and build on a child’s sense of belonging within their space.

Additionally, construction play allows children the opportunity to freely explore ideas, reflect, evaluate and explain as well as experiment due to its open-ended nature. This initiates endless extension opportunities and an opportunity for educators to have pedagogical conversations and scaffold children’s current skills and interests. Remember that children creating in construction areas are representing ideas. So let them use their imagination to their full extent. Don’t overcrowd the space with additional resources, instead have the resources nearby where children can pick and choose to extend their own learning.

Don’t forget that adults have a part to play in construction areas by modelling ideas and moving blocks safely. This role modelling will cascade down to the children, and you’ll soon see children showing cooperation and problem-solving skills to ensure success of their creations. An adult’s interest is one of the best incentives to block play.

Tips for construction areas

• Prompts in construction areas are great for encouraging a child’s curiosity and imagination. Instead of written words, why not put out pictures of famous London landmarks and see if the children can recreate them.
• Real applicable resources are key. For example, measuring tapes, hard hats, construction/road signs.
• Carpeted areas are ideal for construction zones as the children will feel less self-conscious if their tower falls over and makes a loud crash. Also, make sure you give your children enough time to conclude their creations.

This article was kindly written by Nick Corlett, Sustainability Manager at London Early Years Foundation (LEYF). Take a read of our outdoor construction play blog post for more activity ideas. Also, head to our website for all of our construction play resources.