# data[].attributes.body
In this article done by the NAEYC, they emphasize the importance of incorporating real world objects into classroom learning which is why for one of my experiences I would include natural items such as leaves or rocks for students to work with as art subjects and/or use as conversation starters. Asking questions such as "Where do you think this ______ came from?", "What do you notice about it?", etc. This opens them up to another form of creation and allows them to experience new ways of thinking which challenges them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inspired By Museums—Both Outside and Inside the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, teachers take children to museums and other sites around Washington, DC, almost daily. But your program doesn’t have to be located next to a museum—there are rich learning opportunities in every community.

# data[].attributes.body
Goal CD-5: Children demonstrate self-expression and creativity in a variety of forms and contexts, including play, visual arts, music, drama, and dance.
• Plan and act out scenes based
on books, stories, everyday life,
and imagination. CD-5s
• Plan and complete artistic
creations such as drawings,
paintings, collages, and
sculptures. CD-5t

# data[].attributes.headline
Risk-Taking, Problem-Solving, & Flexibility 

# data[].attributes.subject
Risk-Taking, Problem-Solving, & Flexibility 

# data[].attributes.body
Goal APL-5: Children are willing to try new and challenging experiences.
• Approach new experiences
independently. APL-5p
• Express a belief that they
can do things that are
hard. APL-5o

# data[].attributes.body
Goal APL-4: Children demonstrate creativity, imagination, and inventiveness.
• Plan play scenarios
(dramatic play,
construction), and use or
create a variety of props or
tools to enact them. APL-4l
• Make up stories, songs, or
dances for fun during play.
APL-4o

# data[].attributes.body
- Self Expression
- Art
- Creation
- Imagination
- Independence
- Play

# data[].attributes.body
- What are different ways in which you can express yourself?
- How can you learn from trying something new?
- When you close your eyes what do you see? How does that change when you're being told a story?
- How do you feel after participating in a dance, play, song, etc.?
- How do you feel after accomplishing something you have never done before? And what about if you accomplished that task on your own?

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Students may utilize different costumes and props to act out scenes based on their imagination or books and stories that they have read.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Paint can be used to create art on paper or decorating sculptures etc. which strengthens students self-expression through visual arts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
By completing their own story book students will grow in their imagination skills and demonstrate a new form of self-expression through storytelling.

# data[].attributes.body
While working with the blocks it is likely that students will experience challenges with blocks falling or not building how they had originally thought which will ultimately aid the students problem-solving abilities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Students can uses scarves as a prop while constructing a dance or through improvisation while dancing to incorporate imagination and self-expression.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Creating music is another great form of art which emphasizes the importance of expression through sounds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Puzzles are a great independent activity to challenge an individual student's thinking and open them up to experiencing a challenge on their own.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Play-dough and clay are great materials to use in sensory play and are another form of art for students to experience and create something of their own.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Items such as leaves, stones, etc. can be used in artistic expression to allow students a new outlet to create, paint, draw etc.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Popsicle sticks are a great item to use for matching or sorting activities which will strengthen student's problem solving and may introduce them to a challenge

# data[].attributes.body
In this blog written by a Teacher named Holly, she lists several examples of how clay or play dough may be implemented into a classroom. For my audience in particular, I think it would benefit the students to create a list of shapes using the dough to introduce them to this new information and incorporate some sensory play as well.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Written by Holly (Teach Starter)

Playdough is one of those things most kids just can't get enough of - so why not add some playdough learning activities to your classroom? After all, we know kids learn through play, and while they're squishing and rolling, kids can be building their fine motor skills, building the foundation of literacy, and more.
Make your classroom buzz! Subscribe to Teach Starter and access thousands of curriculum-aligned resources and digital learning tools. Get Started
Easy No-Cook Playdough Recipe for Teachers

Before you can add any of these playdough learning activities, you'll need some of the dough itself! You can either purchase the good old Play-Doh, alternatively, here is an easy, no-cook playdough recipe:

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cream of tartar

1 1/2 cups boiling water (you can bring it to a boil in the microwave!)

Optional: add a few drops of food coloring

Mix all the ingredients together, and presto ... you've got playdough for your students to work with!

Playdough Learning Activities

Now that you've got your playdough, it's time to start learning!

Fractions

Using a cookie cutter and a ruler, practice fractions with playdough! Students need to create different fractions when you call them out!

Letter and Number Development

Among the many benefits of playdough? Students can use it to practice letter and number formation, working both their fine motor development and their foundational skills at the same time. Have your students roll out snakes of dough then shape them into the letters of the alphabet and numbers zero through nine.

To scaffold learning, provide them with guides for the activity - these alphabet and number mats are printable and include outlines of the letters and numbers so students can place their playdough creations on them.

Tens Frames Activity

Balls of playdough make perfect counters! Print a free Blank Tens Frames and Numbers 1-10 Poster (cut out as flashcards). Students flip over a flashcard and create that number on a tens frame using small balls of playdough. They then place their chosen flashcard to the bottom of the pile and pick another flashcard and repeat.

Practice Telling Time With Playdough

Rolled out playdough is perfect for creating "hands" for a clock! Use a black Digital and Analog Clock Template and flashcards with different times on them. Students create the hour and minute hand using playdough to show the time displayed on their flashcards.

CVC Words

Use CVC Words - Playdough Mats for students to practice writing and forming the words using playdough.

Number, Word and Array

Using our Number, Word and Array Match-Up Worksheet, cut out all of the number and word pieces and throw away the array pieces. Instead, the students create the array using small balls of playdough!

Creating 2D Shapes

Introduce your students to 2D shapes, then give them playdough to practice recreating the shapes with this hands-on idea!

Place Value Activity

Using our Blank Hundreds Board, this is a fun place value game played in pairs. Each student picks two number flashcards and decides which number will be the ones and which will be the tens. They then cover that number with a small ball of playdough. Then, their partner randomly chooses two different numbers and does the same thing with different colored playdough.

As a class you can decide who the winner is. Perhaps it is the person who gets three balls of playdough in a row.

3D Objects

Provide students with a poster of 3D Objects. Students then create 3D objects using the playdough.

Sight Words Playdough

Provide students with sight word flashcards, and have them "write" each word using playdough. Let them get creative and use a variety of colors!

We would love to hear from you...how do you use playdough in the classroom?
Make your classroom buzz! Subscribe to Teach Starter and access thousands of curriculum-aligned resources and digital learning tools. Get Started

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Playdough Learning Activities to Try in Your Classroom | Teach Starter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Written by Holly (Teach Starter) Playdough is one of those things most kids just can't get enough of - so why not add some playdough learning activities to your classroom? After all, we know kids learn through play, and while they're squishing and rolling, kids can be building their fine motor skills, building the foundation of literacy, and more.

# data[].attributes.body
In this article written by Gryphon House, they emphasize not only the importance of imagination through drama and plays but also how it may help with motor skills. Children benefit from grabbing and maneuvering these props which they may have not been exposed to previously. Having costumes available for young students is also beneficial in that they then feel that their play is important and they will take their part to play more seriously.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It is impossible to think of childhood without thinking of pretend play. We often laud young children's imaginations and ability to make entire stories out of only a few random objects. That being said, symbolic play is more than just a leisure activity for young children; it is method of learning. The benefits of dramatic play include greater social-emotional awareness, improved motor skills, better communication, and overall greater confidence. Many educators are now reassessing the role of dramatic play in the classroom and are using it to teach everything from math to language!

Children are usually able to play with just about any object, but it is much easier and more stimulating when they have the proper props to help them truly create their dramatic play themes. A pretend bakery can be managed with a few bowls, but it's so much more enriching and fun when the child also has an apron, a hat, some wooden spoons, and a play oven. Having a wide variety of props available lets children act out their original scenarios while providing inspiration for new dramatic play ideas. Prop Box Play: 50 Themes to Inspire Dramatic Play is an excellent resource for teachers looking for new ideas to add to the classroom prop box. Most of these props can be separated into three distinct categories.
Handling Props
Handling props are objects that children pick up and use during dramatic play. These can range from very specific to very vague. A comb, for example, would most likely be used in barber or beauty salon dramatic play, but little else, whereas a piece of curved PVC pipe could become a telephone, a microphone, an iron, etc. It's best to have a mix of specific handling props and nonspecific ones to give children the most flexibility in their dramatic play. Often, children will seek something specific if they already know what they want to play. A four year old with his heart set on playing hairdresser may become frustrated if he cannot find a suitable comb or brush to use on a doll's hair. Meanwhile, a child unsure of what she wants to play may look through the prop box and find some sticks and scarves and suddenly decide she wants to play magician. Having a variety of handling props facilitates creativity with both suggestion and accommodation.

The inclusion of handling props may also benefit certain skills that are important to the early childhood classroom. Motor skills are one. When children grab objects and hold them, they are practicing fine motor movements. This practice extends to using the objects for their intended purpose, like stirring with a spoon or moving a brush while pretending to paint. Having a variety of props encourages a variety of movements and possible textures, which stimulates cognitive development as well. Props also create opportunities for ideas like sharing and help children connect outside jobs and careers with the classroom.
Costume Props
As the name implies, these are the items in the prop box that can be worn. While that may sound intimidating to teachers-(after all, the average children's Halloween costume runs for about thirty bucks nowadays)-these props don't have to be full costumes. Often, a clothing prop box is made up of a mix of costume pieces, cheap children's costumes, and just normal everyday clothes. Like the handling props, clothing props can be specific or nonspecific. It is the specific props that may get expensive, but thankfully there are many companies that specialize in providing clothes for children's dress up. These costumes are usually much simpler than the average Halloween outfit, perhaps consisting of only a cheap vest decorated to look like occupational clothing. Nonspecific costumes can be found almost anywhere, from thrift shops to sale racks to your very own closet! A blue button down shirt can be applied to several different dramatic play themes, as can most shoes, simple pants, skirts, and aprons.

The benefit of costume props is that they make children feel their play is important. Uniforms and wearable items that denote roles are very powerful to young children; they represent that the child has a job to do and that people will take it seriously. That's why children get so excited over stickers and stamps that tell them they are doing a good job; it validates their role in the classroom. This phenomenon carries into dramatic play. While a child will still play cop regardless of the props around him, that role takes on new importance when they are given a badge and a hat to wear. It makes the game seem more real, which leaves the child feeling his play is important. Costumes can also be used to introduce social and emotional skills since children may need to ask one another for help when putting a costume on, thus building trust and the importance of teamwork.
Setting Props
These props are the large objects that create a sense of place. Setting props include large pieces like toy ovens, chairs, desks, and carts. Since they are harder to recreate out of random objects, setting props have a special place in the dramatic play area. They make the situation feel more real, like costume props, but are also actively used by children, like handling props. This makes them rather indispensable. That being said, since setting props are so large, it's best to keep them as versatile as possible. Only a few should be present in the play area, things like a countertop that can be used to play store, operation, post office, or any other scenario that utilizes a table or desk. Toy stoves and domestic kits are also useful, even if they are not as flexible as desks and chairs; often the first dramatic play theme children practice is "house", so it's best to have plenty of materials for that specific scene.

Setting props can be found in many places at a variety of prices. Garage sales and large thrift stores like Goodwill may have older versions of popular props like stoves and shopping carts. Teaching catalogues also tend to feature chairs and tables that are easy and safe for children to move. By setting up these props in the play area of the classroom, they become the center of a communal space that the children will share, which will facilitate social interaction and create a sense of community. While not as plentiful or various as other props, setting props are incredibly important and useful for dramatic play.

Dramatic play is an integral part of the childhood learning experience. As educators, it is a priority to make sure this play is nurtured properly, and that means providing the proper tools for it. Just like paper and pencils are necessary for academic learning, props are necessary for the social and cognitive learning dramatic play creates. With the right props, children prove that anything is possible with a little imagination.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It is impossible to think of childhood without thinking of pretend play. We often laud young children's imaginations and ability to make entire stories out of only a few random objects. That being said, symbolic play is more than just a leisure activity for young children; it is method of learning.

# data[].attributes.body
In this blog, which is a part of their Creative Movement series, the writers include many different activities that involve scarves. In particular, I would choose for my audience to dance with the scarves in order to aid their self expression as well as incorporating other arts such as music which can benefit their creative thinking and action.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I love scarf activities! It could be that the colors remind me of a rainbow, and who doesn't like rainbows? Or, it could be that the scarves and the movement reminds me of when I was a kid and I'd fly kites with my dad. Why do I like to use scarves as part of my music class lessons? Can you believe I've used them in extension activities, to teach music concepts, in plays, in programs and I've even put my scarf activity cards in the Sub Tub. And that's why I'm writing about why scarves are an essential tool for the music classroom. Not sure? Keep reading to get 8 ways to use scarves in the classroom today.

This blog post is part of a series of Creative Movement articles and a BLOG POST GIVEAWAY! MAY 2019

Yes! Creative movement is the top way to keep your students engaged. Why not hand them a scarf as they walk into your classroom?

WHY USE SCARVES?

EVERYONE CAN USE THEM!

I'm always amazed by the fact that the children are truly fascinated by a piece of sheer fabric. As soon as I hand them out, students begin to fold, roll, and wave the bright shiny scarves. They love the colors, the texture and the fact that you can see through them. I myself remember being in awe of any fabric that glittered or was sheer or silky.

And, I know that Preschool, P.E. , Special Needs and Music teachers love to use them in their classrooms. So I came up with a list of eight ways to use scarves in the classroom.

Keep reading to get all 8 ideas for using scarves in your classroom , and some great song choices.

Keep reading to get the FREE SCARF ACTIVITIES BOOKLET.

Scarves can be used in so many fun ways to enhance your creative movement activities and make your lessons more interactive.

If you want to add some color and variety to your lessons, try using scarves. They can be a great addition to any classroom. Music, P.E., Drama, Preschool, Elementary Classroom, Special Needs, Reading and other specialty classrooms will benefit from using scarves.

WANT TO KNOW WHY?

You'll want to read my CREATIVE MOVEMENT BLOG POST LINK

Because I explain in detail why creative movement is so important to student learning.

And-

CREATIVE MOVEMENT

Here are some more reasons why scarf activities are important to incorporate into your music, movement and literacy activities.

When children make BIG movements with arms and legs, they are encouraging the development of gross motor skills.

Children are more apt to follow directions when they SEE and HEAR directions.

Help them develop good reading skills with CROSS BODY MOVEMENT.

Strengthen their ability to form letters and shapes and understand directional concepts.

Movement encourages artistic and creative thinking.

Let's Get to the 8 WAYS TO USE SCARVES IN THE CLASSROOM (and the FREE RESOURCE)

1. MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES WITH SCARVES

I feel it's important that my students are listening to Classical music as much as possible. I love watching their faces-the surprise- when I play it for activities. One way to use scarves is with classical music. It's such a great way for them to have the experience of listening and moving which will make it more memorable because you are giving them opportunities to listen and move at the same time.

SWISHING

Swishing is a great cross-body movement action. How about swishing like: windshield wipers, washing windows, clock pendulums, steady beat movement. Or, showing "side to side", "here and there", "me and you".

WAVING and MARCHING

I love Patriotic Music and scarves are perfect for students to wave around as they sing, move and/or listen to John Phillips Sousa Marching band music. This is a complete playlist of music to march and move.

IMITATE NATURE: BEES-BIRDS-BUTTERFLIES

Rimsky-Korsakov "Flight of the Bumble Bee"

RAINBOWS

Make a rainbow to show the benefit of working together. This activity pairs nicely with songs like; "Sing a Rainbow"

"Over the Rainbow"
The official Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo?ole

DROP THE SCARF GAME
This is a traditional game song from China. Lovely dancing and how to play the game.

And of course, there's the traditional chasing, relay and passing games like;

2- TEACH MUSIC CONCEPTS WITH SCARVES

Here's some things all music teachers know:

You can definitely teach; TIMBRE, TEMPO AND EXPRESSION. Think loud/Soft, Fast/slow, Long/Short, Happy/Sad, Thick/Thin using scarf activities.

Here's How:

Demonstrate HIGH/LOW. I like to get out the scarves when we do vocal explorations in our music class. The students love to move their scarves up and down to demonstrate High and Low.

Show LOUD/SOFT. How about using scarves with your Peter and the Wolf Lessons?

TEMPO can be demonstrated too! Pretend play is an excellent way to get your preschool through second graders to understand and show music concepts. How about pretending the scarves are rabbits and turtles (fast and slow) and have them move to the music. When the music is slow, the turtle scarves move, when the music is fast the rabbit scarves move.

You could ask students to move with their scarves or have them do the activity sitting on the floor. Ask the students to come up with their own animal "TEMPO" and have them share with their scarves.

And of course, FAST/SLOW. Pretend to be "BEES" to teach Fast/Allegro "Flight Of The Bumble Bee", Rimsky Korsakov and "Carnival of the Animals" Camille Saint Saens.

And this is why you'll want to enter the BLOG POST GIVEAWAY THIS WEEK! April 28- May 4th ONLY for the FREE BUGGY SCARF RESOURCE AND FREE SET OF SCARVES!

Here are some of my favorite classical pieces.

CLASSICAL MUSIC RESOURCES I've create a YouTube Playlist! CLICK THIS LINK TO GO TO YOUTUBE-

Wedding March, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Mendelssohn- flowing and swishing moves

The Comedians Gallop, Dmitry Kabalevsky- jumping-hopping moves

You can find more of these songs on Youtube or the sound files on Amazon.com

Peer Gynt "Morning Mood", Edvard Grieg for calming down-

The Nutcracker-March- Marching and Follow the Leader

Mozart-The Magic Flute- Quick-short movements

The Marriage of Figaro (selections)- Fast walking or arms waving

Beethoven-Symphony #9 Big swishing, zig zagging, circles, waving moves
(Leonard Bernstein)

Tchaikovsky-Swan Lake Op. 20 - 10

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker - Act 2: Waltz Of The Flowers Bouncing- little movement

Broomsticks and Fire, Alexandre Desplat (Harry Potter Movie) Tossing, waving, circle movement

(I like to be transparent so-If you click on the links-I do get a small kickback if you purchase something)

Just click here to find all of these music selections.
or
Classical Music Amazon Link

In the Free Resource you'll find movement cards with activity ideas that you can use in your music classroom. SUBSCRIBE HERE

3- STORY TIME AND DRAMA WITH SCARVES

Have the students hold their scarves in one hand and then hold the scarf of the student in front of them to make a chain. Perfect for train songs and activities and teaching students how to walk in line.

Make puppets out of the scarves by scrunching them together with a little puff sticking out the top for the "head" of the character. Let students create or act out stories with their puppets.

Allow students to use the scarves as costumes and props. How about using them as capes, skirts, belts, and crowns ?

Try having students use their scarves with smartboard or big screen activities, or even as they read words or posters. Ask students to use their scarves to follow the words across the screen.

Same thing here, you can have them follow along or bounce on the words as they read and/or sing them.

For Drama and pretend play, use the scarves as part of the scenery, props and costumes in a play.
Wind- blue scarves moving up and down. Water- Two students holding each end of blue scarves wiggling across the floor. Mountains and buildings-Brown scarves Animals- use more similar colors Rain and Snow- Tossing scarves across the stage.
Use the costume ideas and props ideas from the literacy section.

4- PERFORM WITH SCARVES

Create movement patterns using the scarves, for each section of a song that your group is performing.
A SECTION- SWISHING OVERHEAD B SECTION- BOUNCING FROM SIDE TO SIDE C SECTION- HOLD THE SCARF IN TWO HANDS WITH THE SCARF STRETCHED BETWEEN TWO HANDS. MOVE UP/DOWN AND SIDE TO SIDE ON THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC. (OR, LET STUDENTS CHOOSE A MOVE)
5- CONNECT MATH AND READING TO MUSIC WITH SCARVES

After all, when you incorporate directional moves that will have students moving across the mid-line of the body, you're helping them learn to read too!

Try having them move from left to right (like reading) and tracing numbers and shapes.

You might want to look at my SCARF VIDEO RESOURCE that specifically connects MATH and MUSIC with MOVEMENT.

Students love to count along with the video and name the shapes as they draw them in the air with their scarves.

6- CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT WITH SCARVES

Why not use a scarf to conduct your younger aged students? Let students take turns using a scarf to "lead" the group in songs the class is working on for a program. Use a scarf as a "silent cue" to let students know that you need their attention, it's time to clean up, it's time to link up, it's time to change stations.

Make a rainbow to show the benefit of working together. This activity pairs nicely with songs like; "Sing a Rainbow"

7- ORGANIZE ACTIVITIES WITH SCARVES

Pass out the scarves and then group your students by color.

Allow them to tie the scarves loosely on their wrists or around the waist to keep track of teams.

Use the scarves to organize stations and activities.

8- FIDGETY FINGERS LOVE SCARVES

This tip is to help those students who have difficulty holding still and being quiet.

Try giving them a scarf and have them play with it during " listening time". Use quiet music and allow NO TALKING. You can take the scarf away if it doesn't work for them.

NOW WHAT?

You may be looking for creative and diverse ways to use the tools and props you have on hand in your classroom. That's why I've been compiling a list of Fun Scarf activities you can use in your music class.

That's a lot of information and how does it apply to your classroom?

I'm naturally inclined to use creative movement-but if you struggle with it-or don't know how to integrate it with your current curriculum, keep reading to find some great tips.

READ THESE BLOG POSTS:
CREATIVE MOVEMENT: 5 Ways to Use Bean Bags Creative Ways to Teach the Steady Beat Stretchy Bands 10 Parachute Activities
JUST THINK! These are FREE tools and activities you can use in your classroom TOMORROW.
And if you SUBSCRIBE to the FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY you'll find PARACHUTE, SCARVES, BEAN BAG and STRETCHY BAND Activities.
OVERWHELMED?
SUBSCRIBE to the FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY and get the FREE RESOURCES for SCARVES, PARACHUTES, BEAN BAGS and STRETCHY BANDS.
Finally- Choose 1 way that really resonates with you and go with it. Later you'll find that you will integrate more movement activities with scarves that fit your teaching style.
I really want MORE TEACHERS to use CREATIVE MOVEMENT in their classrooms. I KNOW that they will help their students by getting their students moving!
I'd love to hear how you've used any of the eight ways to use scarves in the classroom.

YOU'LL WANT TO CLICK HERE to SUBSCRIBE to the FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY to get the SCARVES, STRETCHY BAND, BEAN BAG AND PARACHUTE FREEBIES. You'll also receive a monthly free resource and weekly newsletters with more tips and tricks you can use in your classroom today.

Please share this post with your friends!
CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY PINTEREST BOARD FOR SCARVES

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Ways to Use Scarves in the Classroom -

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I love scarf activities! It could be that the colors remind me of a rainbow, and who doesn't like rainbows? Or, it could be that the scarves and the movement reminds me of when I was a kid and I'd fly kites with my dad.

# data[].attributes.body
There are endless amounts of possible block activities as we can see in this article by Hands On As We Grow and several could be taught to my audience. One activity in particular which I think would be beneficial is instructing students to build towers to match a picture which is given to them. This will allow them to use their senses in order to recreate an image given to them and introduces them to something challenging. As the teacher it would also be important to ask the students how difficult they find it to recreate the block image? and would they be willing to participate in a new experience like this again?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Make the most of your preschooler or toddler's interest in blocks - wooden, Lego, and ABC - with 47 easy block activities for preschoolers!

We tend to have blocks out a lot around here.

Whether its Legos, or wooden blocks, or our ABC blocks (these are all affiliate links, thank you for your support!), we include them in a lot of the activities that we do.

Blocks are kind of a staple in most households, am I right?

Blocks of Fun! 47 Block Activities for Preschoolers

Boys and girls both like blocks. They're a lot of fun!

Turns out, kids can learn a lot from these simple toys. But, what exactly?

Childhood 101 goes into some specifics of adding literacy to the block corner, and Picklebums gives us a little insight on why block play is so important to kids.

And I've collected some wonderful ways to play with blocks, so we can maximize our use of these awesomely simple toys. I think the simple toys the best because they can be used the most ways?

You'll Love These 47 Block Activities for Preschoolers

There are nearly endless ways to play with blocks, no matter which specific types you happen to have on hand. These are just my favorite block activities for preschoolers!

Wooden blocks are a staple of childhood for decades, maybe even centuries! These classic toys are easy to use for tons of easy, fun activities.

Playing with Lego and Duplo blocks works on fine motor skills, plus they can be adapted for literacy and math!

Find 35 uses for crayons, too! You can do way more than just color with that box of crayons!

Add alphabet blocks to your play centers and practice literacy skills with your child.

Go beyond the standard tower and use interesting tools (shaving cream!) or go bigger with whole cities!

An ongoing collection of these and more block activities found on Pinterest: Blocks of Fun!

Find 35 uses for crayons too! You can do way more than just color with that box of crayons!

What simple toys are a staple at your house? Share your favorite ideas with us!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
47 Super Fun Block Activities for Preschoolers | HOAWG

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make the most of your preschooler or toddler's interest in blocks - wooden, Lego, and ABC - with 47 easy block activities for preschoolers! We tend to have blocks out a lot around here. Whether its Legos, or wooden blocks, or our ABC blocks (these are all affiliate links, thank you for your support!), we include them in a lot of the activities that we do.