Every child deserves a good set of Standard Unit Blocks! Blocks are perhaps the quintessential toy for child development. Creative play and imagination abound when playing with natural toy blocks. If you buy your child a toy car, the toy car is always a car. If you give your child blocks, a block can be a car, a train, a telephone, a bed, etc. The only limits are your child’s imagination. At one point in my life, I had the romantic notion that I would make my children a set of blocks. A wise friend, who had tried it, advised me against it. A good set of blocks has been sanded to softness and the corners have been routed to roundness. I personally prefer the unpainted blocks. Melissa and Doug make an affordable option. The age recommendation is three years old, like most toys because of liability issues, but I would not wait until my child was three to introduce them to the wonderful world of blocks. School sets of unit blocks can be very pricey. The Melissa and Doug architectural blocks are more affordable and made of quality hardwoods. If you child becomes quite the block fanatic, you may need two sets, as there are only four columns in each set. Just like most Melissa and Doug toys, the blocks come in a nice wooden box with handles that can be used for quick clean up and storage. Remember, children’s work is play!
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[…] Wooden blocks are the best toys for children! Children learn so much from block play. Wooden blocks promote open-ended, creative play, and lay the foundation for geometry and mathematical learning. Although Pyramid Building Blocks may not be as open-ended as a Standard Unit Blocks, they present their own unique challenges that fascinate children and adults alike, as these Pyramid Building Blocks are designed for children ages 5-99. The Pyramid Building Blocks consist of 67 pieces, including 18 different shapes. At first, my six-year-old daughter was completely confused by the pyramid blocks. Yet after a few days, she became an independent, expert pyramid builder, although she insists on the calling the Sphinx a “human lion”. These wooden blocks are made by Haba, a high-quality German toy company. I could find no information on the forestry practices used in harvesting the wood for the blocks, although the company states, “We do however put a premium on materials that can be manufactured on an ecologically beneficial basis. We use primarily indigenous maple and beech wood and water-based paints for our toys. ” Haba is also socially responsible. Part of their corporate philosophy is Only a company that is profit-oriented can secure its future. We take the word social seriously! Both in terms of social benefits for our employees and in relation to our mutually successful relationship with our partners. […]
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[…] was inspired by a post over at Eco Child’s Play about wooden blocks. Blocks are certainly a must have toy for early childhood. I would advise that […]
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[…] Wooden Blocks: Every child deserves a good set of Standard Unit Blocks! Blocks are perhaps the quintessential toy for child development. Creative play and imagination abound when playing with natural toy blocks. If you buy your child a toy car, the toy car is always a car. If you give your child blocks, a block can be a car, a train, a telephone, a bed, etc. The only limits are your child’s imagination. […]
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[…] but from interacting with their environment and loved ones. Playing with open-ended toys, such as blocks, exploring nature, reading books, etc. benefit children in ways a Baby Einstein product never can. […]
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[…] same size, which makes children use their brains to create organic structures not possible with standard unit blocks. She also asked me what they were made from, and I guessed wrongly birch. They are actually made […]
Great article. I’m a big fan of blocks.
I wrote about blocks a while back – focusing on the helpfulness of unit blocks for developing math skills. Keep promoting this great plaything!
Thanks. I am providing a link to your post for our readers:
http://notquitecrunchyparent.blogspot.com/2006/11/ber-blocks.html
Thanks much, Jennifer- I’ll be back 😉
This is an excellent article (Every Child Deserves a Set of Blocks), I was searching for Child Educational Game Toy on Yahoo and stumbled on this Sunday.
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