Construct This!
Using the STEMAZing Picture Books, these workshops focused on connections to the 7 Essential Life Skills from Mind in the Making. From activities with Duplos to construction with craft sticks, cups, sticky craft sticks, and newspaper dowels, there are all manner of ways to engage our youngest learners with building and construction projects using a variety of materials.
Building and Construction Resources
Amazing ABC: An Alphabet Book of LEGO Creations
This alphabet board book of fantastic LEGO creations is specifically for toddlers. It's a visual LEGO feast rather than an instructional book. The colorful, bold images are easily recognizable for the youngest LEGO enthusiasts ...
Argument for Structured Block Play
Can Lego bricks and other construction toys boost your child's STEM skills? ...
Benefits of Toy Blocks
Toy Blocks and Construction Toys: A guide for the science-minded. Also includes tips for getting the most from your toy blocks ...
Block Play: Practical Suggestions for Common Dilemmas – Full Article
Enhance block play by implementing developmentally appropriate teaching strategies to deal with the most common dilemmas associated with using blocks in the classroom. Includes a great summary page of suggestions ...
Block Puzzles
Make your own color block puzzles using Duplos and foam sheets. Do you think they have to be color specific? ...
Brilliant Block Play
Describes a variety of creative ways to use different kinds of blocks. Make your own magnetic blocks, use contact paper and foam blocks to take block play vertical, and much more ...
Caine’s Arcade
9-year-old Caine Monroy spent his summer vacation building an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad's used auto parts store. The entire summer went by, and Caine had yet to have a single customer. Then, on ...
Cooperative Games
(Rubber band and string game included) Cooperative games help children develop the essential skills of cooperation, communication, empathy, and conflict resolution by giving them an opportunity to work together toward a common goal. These games ...
Countdown Timer with Music
A great resource for engineering design challenges to keep track of remaining time. Requires Flash Player ...
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Why is Block Play Important for Toddlers and Preschoolers? What are they learning? The progression of block play and concepts learned ...
Four Engineering Challenges for Kids
NOTE: Engineering challenges and construction play is NOT just for boys! Four engineering challenges using cups, craft sticks, and cubes ...
Not a Box
A box is just a box...unless it's not a box. From mountain to rocket ship, a small rabbit shows that a box will go as far as the imagination allows ...
Seven Essential Life Skills
From the Mind in the Making book, these are the essential life skills we want students to develop ...
Sponge Blocks Quiet Time Activity
Learn how to make your own sponge blocks for a quieter solution to block construction play time ...
STEMAZing Journal Hack
Make graph paper STEMAZing journals that require no staples or tape using an old bookbinding trick ...
Using Blocks to Develop 21st Century Skills
An in-depth article about using the long-standing, developmentally appropriate activity of block play to teach 21st Century Skills. Includes a checklist to evaluate your block play area around 21st Century Skills ...
When I Build With Blocks
When I Build With Blocks transports an everyday classroom into various imaginative scenes - from outer space to the ocean. Any young child, who has ever built with blocks, can identify with this book. Each ...