The Guide to Building Blocks as Toddler Toys

The age for building blocks

Somewhere between the ages of 12 to 15 months, a toddler is ready and will love to add building blocks to his toddler toys. You can probably choose to start off your little one on soft blocks and then venture into plastic or wooden ones by the time he or she is 15 months of age. Block building is an essential part of all toddler toys and is a must for all young children.

Types of building blocks

Like all other toddler toys building blocks too need to be durable, easy to handle and toddler friendly. These toddler toys are available in wood and plastic. Plastic building blocks are light but their surfaces might not always be smooth and while they are cheaper they might not always turn out to be the best option. Wooden building blocks on the other hand are slightly heavier but they are more durable and are smooth, making them easier to stack. Wooden blocks are available in the shape of regular cubes as well as other shapes. Keep in mind though that these blocks are part of toddler toys and hence they need to be big and chunky. One more kind of building blocks available in the market are foam blocks. These blocks although less noisy and harmless are not very durable.

How does having building blocks as part of toddler toys work?

It is known that block play increases a toddler's eye and hand coordination. It also encourages logical thinking. Building blocks also increase a toddler's awareness of the space around him. While constructing / stacking a toddler is constantly aware of the space in which he is working and subconsciously works within the confines of that space. Having building blocks as part of a toddler's toys also encourages appropriate social behaviour. A toddler learns to share and build with siblings, parents and friends. Language skills have also been found to greatly improve by playing with building blocks. This happens when the child is encouraged to speak about what he or she is building.

Play ideas using building blocks as toddler toys

Toddler building blocks are available in various kinds. You can use a set that has number and alphabets to initiate your child's learning process. The child can be taught to recognize numbers and alphabets by choosing between two blocks. The child can also learn to recognize alphabets and numbers by picking out a particular letter or number that has been asked for. In addition to these literary activities, these blocks can also be used just as plain toddler toys. You can ask your child to fill up the blocks in a dump truck or toy wagon and then got to a particular place and unload them. These building blocks also make for excellent bowling activities. The blocks can be stacked up to form a tower an then a ball can be used to knock the tower down.